Premorbid personality characteristics of patients with ALS.
Experienced neurologists caring for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have commented that these patients commonly exhibit similar personality features. Previous research studies on the premorbid personality characteristics of ALS patients have however not clearly substantiated this observation. In the present study, caregivers of newly diagnosed ALS patients provided ratings of patients' premorbid personality traits, and these ratings were compared with those of caregivers of patients newly diagnosed with other chronic, progressive diseases. Results indicated that ALS patients were rated as significantly lower than the other medical patients in the Openness trait on the NEO-Personality Inventory. This finding is discussed in relation to past research findings, prevailing clinical characterizations of ALS patients, and current research on cognitive and behavioral changes in ALS.
Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Florida, USA. agrossman@med.miami.edu
Alison B
AB
Grossman
Bonnie E
BE
Levin
Walter G
WG
Bradley
D000328:Adult; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality / Q000145:classification*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors