Effect of disease duration on personality type in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy individual.
BACKGROUND
Multiple sclerosis may have profound emotional consequences. The relation between psychological and physical factors could lead patients toward unforeseen disease. This study focuses on multiple sclerosis (MS) disease duration on personality type A and B in relation to individuals' behaviors.


METHODS
This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Isfahan Alzahra hospital in 2013. Three hundred MS patients and 100 healthy individuals were determined. The distributed questionnaires related to MS patients and considering the descriptive statistics such as demographic variables. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 18) based on Chi-square test and independent T-test.


RESULTS
Disease duration varied between 1 to 38 years: 30% (1-4 years), 38% (5-10 years), 20% (10-20 years), and 12% (more than 20 years). Significant relationship was observed between disease duration and tendency to type A (higher stress). This relation was positive and significant in Relapsing Remitting MS patients; but negative correlation was seen in Secondary Progressive MS patients. These patients tended to type B (lower stress) when disease duration increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with disease duration of one year and less than one year tend to type A personality, while patients with increment of disease duration have tendency to type B.
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Sahar
S
Vesal
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
Leila
L
Dehghani
Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Center, Isfahan Eye Research Center, Ophthalmology Ward, Feiz Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Masoud
M
Etemadifar
Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
Elahe
E
Poorazizi
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Sima
S
Akhavan
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Samaneh
S
Mazrouei
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Nasim
N
Mehdizadeh
Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Zahra
Z
Saraf
Disease duration; personality type; relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis; secondary progressive multiple sclerosis