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The personality pattern of duodenal ulcer patients in relation to spontaneous ulcer healing and relapse
Author(s) -
JESS P.,
VON DER LIETH L.,
MATZEN P.,
MADSEN P.,
KRAG E.,
KNIGGE U.,
HØJGAARD L.,
DEJGÅRD A.,
CHRISTIANSEN P. M.,
BONNEVIE O.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01414.x
Subject(s) - medicine , duodenal ulcer , gastroenterology , personality , psychology , social psychology
Jess P, von der Lieth L, Matzen P, Madsen P, Krag E, Knigge U, Højgaard L, Dejgård A, Christiansen PM, Bonnevie O. (Departments of Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, and Clinic of Gastroenterology, St. Kongensgade 68 A, Copenhagen, Denmark). The personality pattern of duodenal ulcer patients in relation to spontaneous ulcer healing and relapse. One hundred consecutive out‐patients with duodenal ulceration from a hospital and a gastroenterological clinic were tested with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). This was carried out in order to investigate whether neuroticism or other personality disorders were characteristics of duodenal ulcer patients, and whether the presence of such possible personality disorders might influence the prognosis of the disease. Neuroticism occurred in 53% of the patients, but only in 5% of controls ( P < 0.0001). Overall, personality disorders were present in 69% of the patients compared with 30% of the controls ( P < 0.0001). Neuroticism was connected with a high frequency of relapse ( P < 0.05) whereas failure of spontaneous ulcer healing had no certain relation to personality disorders. Patients with non‐neurotic personality disorders had more frequently suffered stressful life events before entrance to the study ( P < 0.05) and, like the neurotic patients, they had lower ego‐strength to cope with such events ( P < 0.05). The results indicate that personality assessments make it possible to distinguish between subgroups of duodenal ulcer patients with different course of the disease.