Personality dimensions in the chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison with multiple sclerosis and depression.
Johnson, S K, DeLuca, J, Natelson, B H · Journal of psychiatric research · 1996 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study looked at personality traits in people with ME/CFS and compared them to people with multiple sclerosis, depression, and healthy controls. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS had some personality differences, but these were mostly explained by those who also had depression. Overall, the ME/CFS group fell between the healthy controls and the depression group in terms of personality traits.
Why It Matters
This study helps clarify whether personality differences in ME/CFS are intrinsic to the illness or secondary to co-occurring depression—an important distinction for understanding the condition's psychiatric comorbidity. Understanding these relationships can reduce stigma by showing that personality changes in ME/CFS are not character-based but rather associated with medical illness.
Observed Findings
The depressed group had significantly higher rates of personality disorders and elevated neuroticism compared to CFS, MS, and healthy control groups.
The CFS and MS groups demonstrated intermediate personality pathology scores, significantly elevated compared to sedentary healthy controls.
34% of the CFS group met diagnostic criteria for concurrent depressive disorder.
The subgroup of CFS patients with concurrent depression accounted for most of the personality pathology observed in the entire CFS sample.
Healthy sedentary controls showed the lowest rates of personality disturbance across all measured dimensions.
Inferred Conclusions
Personality disturbance in ME/CFS is largely attributable to co-occurring depressive disorder rather than reflecting intrinsic personality pathology of the ME/CFS illness itself.
ME/CFS and MS show similar intermediate patterns of personality trait elevation, suggesting shared effects of chronic fatiguing illness on personality measures.
Screening for concurrent depression is clinically important in ME/CFS populations, as depression appears to drive most observed personality-related pathology.
Remaining Questions
Does personality pathology improve if co-occurring depression is effectively treated in ME/CFS patients?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove that personality traits cause ME/CFS or vice versa; it only shows associations at a single time point. It cannot determine whether observed personality differences preceded illness onset, resulted from living with chronic illness, or are secondary to depression. The cross-sectional design prevents any causal interpretation.