Personality variables in patients with self-reported reactions to dental amalgam.

Personality variables in persons with self-reported reactions to dental amalgam (amalgam patients, n = 26, 17 F, 9 M) and in others without such symptoms (controls, n = 21, 14 F, 7 M) are compared. The groups were comparable regarding age, education, and amount of amalgam. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles were obtained for all subjects. On MMPI-2, the amalgam patients presented a 'conversion V' pattern, and elevated psychasthenia and schizophrenia scales, reflecting an increased prevalence of psychological and somatic complaints compared with the controls. This indicates that amalgam patients experience ill health, as their personality profiles bear several similarities with other groups with long-lasting symptoms.