[Characteristics of personality structure and neurotic disturbances in patients with primary arterial hypertension].

The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of neuroses in an examined group of patients and to determine specific personality profiles in the group of men and women with primary arterial hypertension with or without coexisting neurosis. Data were collected from a group of 93 out-patients with primary arterial hypertension of the I and II degree according to WHO (51 men, mean age 47.9 years and 42 women, mean age 44.4 years). All subjects had secondary or university education. Neurotic disturbances were determined by the symptom check-list (version "S") and estimation of the personality structure was performed by the Cattell 16 Personality Factors test. The prevalence of neurotic syndromes was 33% in men and 45% in women. We have found a higher frequency of neuroses than in the population, in both men and women with primary arterial hypertension, who have had secondary education. Factor F- (desurgency) was dominant in the male group (p < 0.01) and factors: A+, I+, O+, Q4+, B-, C-, E-, F-, N-, Q1- were predominant in the female group. The subjects with primary arterial hypertension, but without neurosis were characterised by the following personality factors: men by A+, B+, F- Q2- and women by A+ and I+. Moreover affectothymia (A+) was more frequent in men than in women. The personality structure of men with primary arterial hypertension and concomitant neurosis was characterised by the following 16 PF test factors: C- (low ego strength) and O+ (to be apprehensive/guilt-proneness). Neurotic personality structure in women was described by the following 16 PF test factors: B- (less intelligent), C- (low ego strength), E- (submissiveness), F- (desurgency, sober), N- (artlessness, simple-minded), O+ (apprehensive/guilt-proneness) and Q4+ (high ergic tension). It is important, that the 16 PF test profile was different, both in hypertensive men and women and both with or without the presence of neurotic syndromes. This fact and the prevalence of neurosis among hypertensives should be taken into consideration in the psychologic approach and contemporary treatment of primary arterial hypertension.