Psychosomatic Medicine 24:471-476 (1962)
© 1962 American Psychosomatic Society

A Modal MMPI Profile Type in Neurodermatitis

¹ VA Hospital and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.

Personality traits reportedly associated with neurodermatitis were checked by comparing Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profiles of 20 neurodermatitis patients and 39 nondermatological skin patients. Entire profiles were compared rather than single scales. A low profile with highest elevations on Hypochondriasis and Hysteria was modal in the neurodermatitis sample and more frequent than in the control group, supporting previous observations that hysteroid character traits are common in neurodermatitis. However, similar profiles occur in other psychosomatic disorders. A high Pd profile, reflecting immature, aggressive character traits also was found in the neurodermatitis sample. The finding of a variety of profile types in both the neurodermatitis and control skin patients suggested that, in any given psychosomatic illness, a variety of personality trait configurations will occur. Although particular modal personality types may show relatively high frequencies, a lumping together of leading traits from several common character types into one category can cause confusion.