Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Jul 2013)
Comparison of Some Personality Traits of Patients with Functional Dyspepsia and Healthy Individuals
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Functional dyspepsia is one of the most upper gastrointestinal disorders that affect the life quality of patients and medical expenses. In spite of supporting evidences, the effect of the psychological factors on beginning and continuing of this disorder is increasing little information is available regarding the relationship of personality traits with functional dyspepsia. The purpose of this study was to compare personality traits between healthy individuals and the patients with functional dyspepsia.METHODS: This case-control study was performed on 60 patients aged 20-65 years old who referred to two gastroenterology clinics of Babol hospitals and diagnosed as functional dyspepsia according to laboratory and sonography tests. Sixty healthy individuals who were matched with case group regarding to age, sex and educational level were included in the study. They filled out the NEO-FFI five-factor model of personality questionnaire. Then two groups were compared regarding to psychological variables of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness.FINDINGS: The results showed that the mean of crude scores of neuroticism (with 12-60 ranges) in patients with functional dyspepsia (26.43±7.48) were significantly higher than healthy individuals (21.22±7.01) (p<0.001). Also, the mean of crude scores of openness to experience (with 12-60 ranges) in patients with functional dyspepsia (23.90±3.86) were significantly lower than healthy individuals (26.32±4.71) (p=0.003). There was no significant difference in extraversion and agreeableness as well as conscientiousness between patients with functional dyspepsia and healthy individuals.CONCLUSION: The results showed that functional dyspepsia is related to two personality traits: high neurotic and low openness to experience
