PERSONALITY PROFILES OF YOUNGSTERS WITH PRADER-WILLI-SYNDROME AND YOUNGSTERS ATTENDING REGULAR SCHOOLS

For the study of the personality profile of youngsters with Prader-Wil li syndrome (PWS), a PWS group was compared with a matched group of yo ungsters attending regular school. The PWS group consisted of 28 young sters (12 males and 16 females; mean age 11 years, 11 months). These y oungsters were matched on gender and age level with 28 youngsters out of a group of 333 youngsters in regular school. Behaviour and personal ity characteristics of each youngster in both groups were described by both parents, using a Dutch version of the California Child Q-set (CC Q; Block and Block 1980). The present authors compared the scores of b oth groups on eight personality dimensions, derived from the aggregate d CCQ-descriptions for fathers and mothers. The personality dimensions were Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stabil ity, Openness, Motor Activity, Irritability and Dependency. The author s investigated further individual differences of PWS youngsters on the same eight CCQ personality dimensions, considering gender and age lev el as well as IQ level and the presence or absence of a 15q11-q13 dele tion. The personality profile of PWS youngsters was markedly different from youngsters in regular school. Some personality characteristics w ere related to gender and IQ. The lower level of physical activity in PWS girls without 15q11-q13 deletion needs further study.