The Relation of Personality Disturbances to Duration of Convalescence from Acute Respiratory Infections*

Abstract

The Cornell Service Index, a paper-and-pencil personality test, was used to measure psychologic changes in integration of personality. Duration of stay in a military hospital was used as the index of convalescence. Subjects were service men in 2 Army and a Navy hospital (N: 787, 135 and 102 respectively). Diseases causing hospitalization were nasopharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, rhinitis, lobar pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia and bronchopneumonia. Duration of hospitalization was increased for patients showing personality disorder by avg. amts. of 15, 22 and 37% with maximal increases of 80, 48 and 109% in the 3 hospitals respectively. The explanation offered is the increase in the amt. of complaining by disordered patients which results in longer hospital stay.