Personality and control of diabetes mellitus

The importance of psychological factors in the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasingly recognized. One factor is the personality of the individual diabetic. The present study compared the personality structure of diabetics in good and those in poor control. The Arrow-Dot Test (ADT) was employed in 45 diabetic subjects. Subjects in poor diabetic control had significantly higher id scores than well-controlled subjects. Subjects that were well controlled had significantly higher ego strength scores than those in poor control. Thus the ADT appears to have a potential use in the stricter control of DM; this is generally accepted to be desirable to reduce or slow down complications of the disease.