Personality profiles between obese and control subjects assessed with five standardized personality scales.
OBJECTIVE
Psychopathology may exert influence on developing and maintaining obesity. Studies of personality traits or psychopathology of personality in obesity are scarce and contradictory. The aim of this study was to compare personality profiles between obese and normal-weight subjects and to determine the most useful tool to detect differences, considering that psychological assessment and psychotherapeutical support should be included within the overall management of these patients.*


METHODS
We examined 55 obese subjects (mean BMI=43kg/ m2) and 66 controls (mean BMI =21.7kg/m2). We used the personality assessment tools: MCMI-II, TCI-R, EPQ-A, BIS-111 and SSS. Factorial multivariate analysis of variance was applied; with factors BMI, Gender and Age as a covariate.


RESULTS
Significant differences between groups were more marked in the clinical syndrome scales of MCMI-II, particularly in Major-Depression, Thought-Disorder, Anxiety, Somatoform and Alcohol-Dependence. Among obese, women scored higher than men in all scales but not significantly. We have found significant differences in normal personality dimensions between both groups in TCI-R. Obese showed higher scores in Harm Avoidance, and lower in Novelty Seeking, Persistence and Self-transcendence. The remaining tests have not been useful for differentiating personality traits between both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Obese subjects showed different personality profiles than control subjects. The most useful scales for determining these differences might be those designed to assess pathological personality such as MCMI-II. Less important would be those intended to measure normal personality traits, such as TCI-R and EPQ-A.
Instituto de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Hospital Clínico San Carlos Madrid, España.
José L
JL
López-Pantoja
José A
JA
Cabranes
Sabrina
S
Sanchez-Quintero
Manuel
M
Velao
Montserrat
M
Sanz
Beatriz
B
Torres-Pardo
Inés
I
Ancín
Lucio
L
Cabrerizo
Miguel A
MA
Rubio
Juan J
JJ
Lopez-Ibor
Ana
A
Barabash
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests