Personality traits of patients with multiple sclerosis and their importance for undertaking therapies in the field of complementary and alternative medicine Original article

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Published: Sep 30, 2018
Keywords:
multiple sclerosis, personality, complementary and alternative medicine

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Natalia Przybyła
Zakład Psychologii Klinicznej i Psychoprofilaktyki, Instytut Psychologii, Uniwersytet Szczeciński
Andrzej Potemkowski
Zakład Psychologii Klinicznej i Psychoprofilaktyki, Instytut Psychologii, Uniwersytet Szczeciński

Abstract

Among multiple sclerosis patients, there is an increasing interest in complementary and alternative methods of treatment (CAM). A wide range of CAM involves patients in the active treatment process, and obtaining information about them from other patients takes the form of support groups. The specificity of CAM seems to correspond to certain personality traits of patients with multiple sclerosis. The aim of the study was to find out whether the interest in CAM and, as a result, the decision to self-heal are conditioned by differences in the level of severity of specific personality traits of MS patients. 86 MS patients aged 18–71 were examined. Personality Inventory NEO-FFI was used to study personality traits, and information about the disease and CAM was obtained using a self-made questionnaire. Patients who declared the practice of CAM were characterized by a significantly higher level of intensity of the openness to experience than patients using only conventional treatment. Small differences were noticed in relation to the dimension of agreeableness, the severity of which was higher in people using yoga and massage. There was no relationship between the use of CAM and the specific features of the disease. Openness to experience seems to be a personality trait that can contribute to enhancing behaviors related to self-healing practices.

Article Details

Issue
Vol 7 No 3(26) (2018)
Section
Articles

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