Personality characteristics of females with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after brace or surgical treatment compared to healthy controls

Background:    The goal of this research was to determine whether short-term differences exist in psychopathological symptoms between adolescents with scoliosis treated operatively or conservatively. We analyzed the personality characteristics of scoliosis patients compared with controls.
    Material/Methods:    The study group consisted of 35 scoliosis patients treated conservatively; 35 patients treated surgical¬ly with posterior (27 cases) or anterior (7 cases) correction and fusion combined with thoraco¬plasty who then, after surgery, went on to use a brace; and a group of 35 healthy con-trols. Psychopathological symptoms were assessed with the Erich Mittenecker and Walter Toman Personality Test.
    Results:    In comparison with healthy individuals, the entire group of patients, including patients treated conservatively, expressed more self-criticism, whereas the patients treated surgically expressed more self-criticism, neurotism, and depressiveness. The daily length of brace use and age of patients in conservatively treated patients had a significant effect on the outcomes, in patients treated operatively degree of apical translation after surgery played a similarly significant role.
    Conclusions:    Patients with scoliosis fell in the range average for the personality test. The prevalence of self-reported psychopathological symptoms is higher in patients with scoliosis in the short-term after brace or surgical treatment compared with healthy controls.
        There are differences in personality characteristics between adolescents with scoliosis after conservative or surgical treatment. Patients treated conservatively show more symptoms of maniacality, and the longer the brace was applied during the day, the higher the level of depression reported by the patients themselves. Patients treated operatively manifest more symptoms of neurotism.

Keywords: Personality Tests, Personality Disorders - psychology, Braces, Age Factors, Adolescent, Scoliosis - therapy