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

IntroductionPhysicians experienced in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) occasionally describe these patients as nice persons. MethodsALS 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). ResultsIn 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 stubborncompliant and selfishhelpful. DiscussionThe 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.