Personality Factors and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis
Summary
Personality factors exert a significant influence on the lived experience of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), shaping emotional adjustment, coping strategies and perceptions of well-being. Traits such as neuroticism, characterised by a predisposition to negative affect, are consistently associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety and fatigue, all of which erode health-related quality of life. By contrast, dimensions including extraversion, openness and conscientiousness often confer resilience, supporting adaptive coping and social engagement. Beyond broad trait models, affective temperaments—stable patterns of mood and reactivity—have been shown to modulate quality of life independently of physical disability. For example, hyperthymic temperament, defined by an upbeat mood and high energy, tends to buffer against the impact of neurological impairment, whereas depressive or cyclothymic temperaments predict poorer quality of life outcomes. Personality also interacts dynamically with clinical factors such as disease duration and disability level, influencing self-management, treatment adherence and vocational participation. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of integrating psychosocial assessment into routine MS care, with personality profiling offering a route to more personalised interventions that enhance overall well-being.
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Personality Factors and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis publication trend
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Technical terms
Neuroticism: A Big Five personality trait denoting a tendency towards negative emotionality, anxiety and mood instability.
Extraversion: A Big Five trait characterised by sociability, positive affect and assertiveness.
Conscientiousness: A Big Five trait involving organisation, discipline and goal-directed behaviour.
Temperament: Enduring, biologically based patterns of emotional reactivity and mood that influence behaviour over time.
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A multidimensional concept encompassing physical, mental and social well-being as perceived by an individual.
Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): A clinician-rated scale for quantifying disability in MS, ranging from 0 (normal neurological examination) to 10 (death due to MS).
References
- Multiple sclerosis and personality traits: associations with depression and anxiety. European Journal of Medical Research (2024).
- Health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: temperament outweighs EDSS. BMC Psychiatry (2018).
- Personality Traits and Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Narrative Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine (2023).
- Self-reported occupational functioning in persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: Does personality matter?. Journal of the Neurological Sciences (2021).
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