[Psychological tests of patients with chronic rheumatoid arthritis(author's transl)]

27 women with rheumatoid arthritis had elevated depression and social introversion scores in the Minnesota multiple phasic personality inventory (MMPI) tests, whereas their somatic activity appeared reduced. Age of the patient at time of investigation apparently had no influence on the degree of psychological changes, but was reflected in an increased social introversion. Most important for the degree of psychological impairment was the height of the ARA index, which correlated positively with the neurotic triad as well as the psychasthenia scale in the MMPI. An elevation of the neurotic triad is common in many somatic disease. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis had an additional, introversion and depression, and decreased somatic activity.