Relationship between the five-factor model of personality and unipolar, bipolar and schizophrenic patients

The purpose of this study was to examine personality differences among three different Axis I disorders — recovered patients with unipolar depression ( n=62), euthymic patients with bipolar disorder ( n=34), and patients with schizophrenia in the residual phase of their illness ( n=41) using the five-factor model of personality (FFM). The dimensions of the FFM – Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), Openness (O), Agreeableness (A), and Conscientiousness (C) – were measured with composite scores derived from the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI) and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). While no group differences emerged on N or C, the bipolar patients scored significantly higher on the Positive Emotion facet (subscale) of E than the unipolar patients. The schizophrenic patients scored lower on the Feelings, Values and Actions facets of O than did the unipolar and bipolar patients. The unipolar patients scored higher on A than the schizophrenic patients. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.