"Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are usually nice persons"-How physicians experienced in ALS see the personality characteristics of their patients.

INTRODUCTION

Physicians experienced in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) occasionally describe these patients as "nice" persons.

METHODS

ALS experienced physicians (n = 36) were asked to assess the personality characteristics of ALS patients using a multidimensional personality questionnaire based on the five-factor model of personality. Control groups consisted of physicians experienced in Myasthenia gravis (MG) (n = 21) and lung cancer (LC) (n = 36).

RESULTS

In the dimension Agreeableness ALS patients were rated significantly higher than the other groups (p < .001). This was mainly due to the high scores for converse adjective pairs "stubborn-compliant" and "selfish-helpful".

DISCUSSION: The dimension Agreeableness is very similar to "niceness". Results support the anecdotal description of ALS patients as "nice" persons. Personality characteristics of ALS patients differentiate them from other patient groups. It remains open whether the "nice" personality structure is linked to the susceptibility to the disease.