[Do patients undergo changes of their personality due to visual field defects? An investigation with FPI-R and NEI-VQ].
BACKGROUND
Visual restrictions can lead to anxiety and possibly to social retirement. Therefore it makes sense to assess the patients' degree of handicap. The goal of the present study was to investigate if patients show changes in their personality or a reduced quality of life as a result of their visual field defect.


METHODS
15 patients with visual field defects were asked to fill out the revised version of the Freiburger Persönlichkeitsinventar (FPI-R) and the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ). The FPI-R encompasses the standardised recording of many personality traits whereas the NEI-VFQ addresses the visual quality of life.


RESULTS
In the total sample all FPI-R scales were appropriate for the study in the inconspicuous standard range. Slight shifts resulted toward increased willingness to make contacts (scale 4, ST 4.2), reduced physical strain (scale 7, ST 4.3) and lower physical discomfort (scale 8, ST 3.7). The size of the visual field defect does not correlate with the satisfaction with life, with the physical discomfort and with the state of health but with the dependency on others (p = 0.047) and with the exertion of their social roles (p = 0.043). The scale "satisfaction with life" of the FPI-R correlated with the scale "psychic condition" of the NEI-VFQ (p = 0.028) and the physical discomfort showed a significant correlation with the scale "eye strain" (p = 0.006) in the NEI-VFQ.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to our presumptions, patients with visual field defects did not show any changes in their personality. It is supposed that they have learned to compensate for their reduced visual functions.
Institut Medizin. Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck.
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Jobke
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Kasten
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Sabel
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001248:Asthenopia / Q000523:psychology; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012803:Sick Role; D012934:Social Isolation; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014794:Visual Fields