Effects of Personality on Metabolic Control in IDDM Patients
- Alvise Orlandini, MD,
- Matteo R Pastore, MD,
- Andrea Fossati, MD,
- Stefano Clerici, PHD,
- Alessandro Sergi, MD,
- Annalisa Balini, MD,
- Maria A Parlangeli, PHD,
- Cesare Maffei, MD,
- Antonio Secchi, MD and
- Guido Pozza, MD
- Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy Unit, Neuropsychic Sciences Department, H. San Raffaele Scientific Institute Milan, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, H. San Raffaele Scientific Institute Milan, Italy
- Departments of Medical Psychology, University of Milan Milan, Italy
- Internal Medicine, University of Milan Milan, Italy
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Alvise Orlandini, MD, Servizio di Psicologia Medica e Psicoterapia, Dipartimento di Scienze Neuropsichiche H. San Raffaele, Via L. Prinetti, 29–20127 Milan, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between poor metabolic control and maladaptive personality traits (according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised) in an adult-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus sample group (n = 77).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Metabolic control was evaluated through glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Personality traits were assessed with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-Revised, a self-administered questionnaire. Residual pancreatic secretion (fasting serum C-peptide) was also evaluated.
RESULTS Principal components analysis revealed three personality profiles: “withdrawn-suspicious” (P1), “dramatic-dependent” (P2), and “aggressive-irresponsible” (P3). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that C-peptide levels and P2 personality profiles were significant and independent predictors of HbA1c plasma levels: P2 predicted high HbA1c values and C-peptide predicted low HbA1c levels.
CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that a P2 personality profile is a significant predictor of poor metabolic control.
- Received March 14, 1994.
- Revision received September 22, 1994.
- Accepted September 22, 1994.
- Copyright © 1995 by the American Diabetes Association
