Personality in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome

Our aim was to study the presence of personality traits and disorder in ado lescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Personality was then compared to other measures of functioning such as presence of psychiatric disorder and rating on the Child Behavior Checklist 4-18 (CBCL) and in relation to C FS outcome. Twenty-five adolescents with CFS followed-up after contacts wit h tertiary paediatric/psychiatric clinics were compared with 15 matched hea lthy controls. Interviews and questionnaires from parents and youngsters in cluded Personality Assessment Schedule (PAS), Kiddie-SADS Psychiatric Inter view, Child Behavior Checklist. CFS subjects were significantly more likely than controls to have personality difficulty or disorder. Personality feat ures significantly more common amongst them were conscientiousness, vulnera bility, worthlessness and emotional lability. There was a nonsignificant as sociation between personality disorder and worse CFS outcome. Personality d ifficulty or disorder was significantly associated with psychological sympt oms and decreased social competence on the CBCL but it was distinguishable from episodic psychiatric disorder. Personality difficulty and disorder are increased in adolescents with a history of CFS. Personality disorder may b e linked to poor CFS out come.