Personality dimensions in chronic fatigue syndrome and depression

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a poorly understood condition. Possible e tiological factors include infectious agents, psychiatric disorders, and pe rsonality characteristics. We examined personality dimensions in 30 nondepr essed patients with CFS, 20 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 15 healthy controls. On the NEO-FFI, patients with CFS scored significa ntly lower than healthy controls on the extroversion subscale. On the neuro ticism dimension of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), patients w ith MDD scored higher than those with CFS, who in turn scored significantly higher than the healthy controls. CFS patients rated themselves as higher on neuroticism and less extroverted when ill than when they were well. Our results suggest that high scores on neuroticism and low scores on extrovers ion in CFS could be a reaction to chronic illness. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Inc.