Personality Profile of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

J of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Vol. 14(1) (2007), pp. 55-68

Olivier Le Bon MD, PhD [1, *], Bernard Cappeliez MD [1], Daniel 
Neu MD[1], Luc Stulens MSN [1], Guy Hoffmann PhD [1], Michel Hansenne PhD 
[2], Luc Lambrecht MD, PhD [3], Marc Ansseau MD, PhD [2], Paul Linkowski 
MD, PhD [1]

Affiliations:
[1] Brugmann University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Université 
Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
[2] University Hospital Liége, Department of Psychiatry, Université de 
Liége, Belgium
[3] University Hospital Gent, Department of Internal Medicine, Gent, Belgium
[*] Corresponding Author: Olivier Le Bon, CHU Brugmann Service de 
Psychiatrie, Plaza A. Van Gehuchten, 1020 Brussels, Belgium
E-Mail: <oliver.lebon@chu-brugmann.be>

Personality may play a role in the predisposition, the precipitation and/or 
the maintenance of the CFS.

Thirty-six consecutively examined female patients hospitalised for a sleep 
workup, filled out a Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) 
questionnaire. A MANOVA compared the patients with a control group of 
females matched for age.

Significant scores were obtained for dimensions such as Harm Avoidance, 
Reward Dependence, and Self-Directedness. However, the only subdimension of 
Harm Avoidance that proved significantly higher in CFS than in controls was 
"Fatigability," which is likely to overlap with the core CFS symptom.

All in all, the personality structure does not appear to play a major role 
in the CFS.


Keywords: Personality, chronic fatigue syndrome, TCI