Personality structure in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects

A research has been carried out in order to investigate possible psychological correlates of diabetes. Salient features of diabetic personality, possible associations among these features, time of illness and glycemic control, as well as attitudes towards illness and daily behavior, have been particularly examined. The sample studied was formed by a group of 30 adult insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (males and females), whose insulin treatment had lasted at least two years, and by a corresponding control group of 30 healthy subjects. The wide battery of tests provided (Culture Fair 2A, Espressioni, E.P.I., 16 PF, Internal External Locus of Control Scale, Symptom Questionnaire, Illness Behavior Questionnaire, and an anamnestic questionnaire purposely devised) was administered in two sessions. The results show that the diabetic subjects do not differ from the controls as far as personality features are concerned, but they show significantly different (Multiple Discriminant Function: Wilk's Lambda = .08, F(40,19) = 5.49, p < .0002) attitudes and behaviors relative to the I.B.Q. illness perception (r = .78), general hypochondria (r = .62), negation (r = .45), and psychosomatic perception (r = .32). These results do not agree with the thesis of so-called diabetic personality, since they concern restricted aspects of the psychological sphere, and do not have general psychopathological repercussions.