Bronchial asthma and personality dimensions: a multifaceted association.
Personality dimensions seem to play an important role in chronic diseases by maintaining or increasing the patient's physical complaints. This study examines in bronchial asthma: (a) the relationships among clinical data, baseline lung function, and personality traits; and (b) the patient's characteristics related to the physician's judgement about his or her asthma severity. Five questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, self-consciousness, and subjective symptoms were completed by 51 asthmatic patients. Responses to questionnaires and clinical and demographic data were factor-analyzed. Factor analysis revealed that the physician's severity judgement is based on elderly age, high scores on depression, and longer duration of asthma.
Belloch
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Department of Personality Psychology, University of Valencia, Spain.
Perpiñá
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M
Paredes
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T
Giménez
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A
Compte
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L
Baños
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R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics