Personality Traits and Metabolic Control: A Study in Insulin-Dependent Diabetes mellitus Patients

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Abstract
Background: In the present study the authors evaluated the relationship between personality traits (according to DSM-III-R) and poor metabolic control in an adult onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus sample (n = 77). Methods: Personality traits were assessed with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire – Revised. Metabolic control was evaluated through glycosilated hemoglobin (HbAlc): poor metabolic control was defined as HbAlc ≧ 9% (normal values < 6.0%). Results: Principal Component Analysis revealed three personality profiles: ‘Cluster A/C Mixed’, ‘Cluster B Dependent’ and ‘Cluster B Aggressive’. Oneway ANCOVA, using sex as covariate, revealed a significant association (p = 0.01) only between poor metabolic control and Cluster B Dependent profile. No correlation was found between HbAlc and the other profiles. Conclusion: These data suggest that a specific personality profile is associated with poor metabolic control.