Hostile personality characteristics of duodenal ulcer patients.

The aggression profile of patients with Duodenal Peptic Ulcer (DPU) (n = 39) was assessed by means of five self-rating scales (FAF 1, FAF 3, PDS-Extp, PDS-Intp, PDS-Dom) and was compared with a matched normal control group (n = 39) and a psychiatric outpatient sample (n = 67). The DPU group scored significantly higher than normal controls on aggressive excitability and extrapunitiveness (trend in the same direction for potential aggressions), and significantly lower than the psychiatric group on potential aggressions and intropunitiveness. Contrary to expectations, DPU patients did not differ from the other groups on dominance; in this dimension, however, the psychiatric group scored significantly lower than normals. The findings are discussed in the context of the available literature and it is suggested that intropunitiveness is drained off by the somatic symptom (DPU).