Personality and mental health of psychiatry residents.

The clinician-patient relationship is more intense in the field of psychiatry than in other specialities of medicine. In this context, an understanding of the personality assets and liabilities of a psychiatrist takes on special significance. In the present comparative cross-sectional study, the personality profile, positive mental health characteristics and empathy were studied in two groups of residents in psychiatry and one in general medicine. Residents in psychiatry had greater amount of positive mental health characteristics and identifiable personality traits. However, in empathy the three groups did not show any significant difference. The utility and implications of the results are discussed.