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Personality Traits

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Physician Mental Health and Well-Being

Part of the book series: Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care ((IPPC))

Abstract

There is no empirical evidence for a specific physician personality, but we lack large and representative comparison studies. Prospective studies show that the neuroticism trait is a risk factor for stress, depression, and reduced well-being in physicians as well as in the general population. The conscientiousness trait may be both beneficial (reduce drinking and increase performance) and detrimental (for stress and burnout) in physicians. Reality weakness is a pathological trait that has shown predictive validity in Norwegian physicians with respect to severe depression, suicidal ideation, and lack of help-seeking. Despite being relatively stable after young adulthood, traits may develop and change over the whole life span, suggesting that traits causing dysfunction can also change with treatment. Psychotherapy is effective in the treatment of personality disorders.

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Glossary

The Big Five (BF) inventory identifies five major factors of personality:

  • Neuroticism refers to being anxious, irritable, and sensitive, often combined with low self-esteem and high self-criticism. Moreover, there is typically a tendency to feel guilt, shame, and sadness.

  • Extraversion refers to being social and outspoken, often enjoying company. This trait is characterized by joy and energy, seeking of stimulation and excitement. Persons with this trait are often in leadership positions.

  • Openness is characterized by curiosity and lively fantasy, often with daydreaming. Persons with this trait frequently have artistic talents and high awareness of their own feelings and esthetics. They are not very traditional, often liberal and antiauthoritarian.

  • Conscientiousness refers to being orderly, organized, and capable of fulfilling tasks. Persons with this trait think things through well; they are hard-working and morally responsible.

  • Agreeableness is about being generous, and refers to concerning oneself with others and their well-being. The trait is characterized by being honest and sympathetic and not being skeptical towards others.

The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) consists of three major personality types:

  • Harm Avoidant refers to being worried and pessimistic, fearful and doubtful, shy versus outgoing, and also fatigable versus vigorous.

  • Reward Dependent type is characterized by being warm and sentimental, dedicated and attached, dependent upon others, and a need to please others.

  • Novelty Seeking is about being curious and exploratory, impulsive and disorderly, and extravagant and enthusiastic; persons high on this trait seek challenges and excitement.

The Eysenck (EYS) “Giant Three” includes the following:

  • Neuroticism is comparable to the corresponding BF term.

  • Extraversion is comparable to the corresponding BF term.

  • Psychoticism refers to being impulsive, not thinking things through well, tough-minded or aggressive, not warm and mild; persons high on psychoticism are less empathic, but can be creative.

The most recent version of the Basic Character Inventory (BCI) has four dimensions:

  • Vulnerability or Neuroticism is comparable to the corresponding BF term.

  • Extraversion or Intensity is comparable to the corresponding BF term.

  • Control or Conscientiousness is comparable to the corresponding BF term.

  • Reality Weakness refers to having bothering thoughts and ideations on the borderline between reality and fantasy. Persons with this deviant trait have self-direction and identity problems, and they are often distrustful and suspicious towards others.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1111, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway

    Reidar Tyssen M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. Reidar Tyssen M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Reidar Tyssen M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Kirk J. Brower

  2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Michelle B. Riba

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Tyssen, R. (2017). Personality Traits. In: Brower, K., Riba, M. (eds) Physician Mental Health and Well-Being. Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55583-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55583-6_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-55583-6

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