Contingent negative variation (CNV) has been applied in depression with controversial results. No data are available on the possible influences of personality of depressed patients on CNV. Since personality is related to CNV in normal subjects, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between CNV & personality as assessed by the Temperament & Character Inventory in 52 depressed patients. Among depressed patients, the main results of the study shows that CNV amplitude is positively correlated with self-transcendence dimension. The findings suggests that lower CNV amplitude may be associated with psychotic traits (high self-transcendence scores). (26 refs.)