Personality Profiles in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis

Background: psychological factors can be associated with allergic disorders. however, no particular personality pattern associated with these disorders has yet been identified. objectives: this study aimed at comparing the personality profiles of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and normal controls. materials & methods: this cross-sectional study was done on 50 adult people with persistent allergic rhinitis for at least one year and 50 age- and sex-matched normal controls that completed the minnesota multiphasic personality inventory-2 (mmpi-2). a multivariate covariance analysis (mancova) was carried out to discover possible personality differences between the two groups. the data were analyzed by spss v. 19 software. results: the results of the mmpi showed no significant difference between the two groups in the validity scales (p=0.29). the most common modal validity presentation style in both groups was neutral self-presentation. the mancova analysis showed significantly high scores on the hypochondriasis (f=18.13, p<0.005, partial η²=0.16) and hysteria scales in allergic rhinitis subjects (f=8.68, p=0.04, partial η²=0.08) compared with normal controls. the most common profiles with high scores in the allergic rhinitis subjects were schizophrenia (52%, p<0.01) and hypochondriasis (50%, p<0.01). these scales emphasized the feelings of isolation and discomfort in allergic people. the frequency of psychasthenia scale, which measures long lasting anxiety, was significantly different between the two groups (40% in allergic rhinitis subjects vs. 10% in normal controls, odds ratio=6 [95%ci 1.9-22.3], p<0.001). conclusion: the score of psychological health is lower among allergic people than in normal controls. schizophrenia and hypochondriasis are the most common profiles in the allergic rhinitis subjects.