Encompassing the complexity of personality to understand its association with disability in multiple sclerosis

While specific personality traits have been associated with disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), less is known about how combinations of these traits relate to disability. This study explored personality profiles in people living with MS (PwMS) and their associations with disability. Eighty-two PwMS (55 women, 27 men; mean age = 45.7 years) were assessed using the NEO-Personality Inventory-third edition, the Expanded Disability Status Scale, and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Cluster analysis including 30 personality facets identified two profiles, labeled Resilient and Sensitive. People with the Resilient profile tend to be more optimistic, goal-directed, and proactive. Mean comparison analyses revealed that individuals with the Resilient profile showed lower observed and perceived disability, particularly in cognitive, social, and life activity domains. Our results highlight the importance of adopting a profile-based and facet-level perspective on personality, as relying solely on broad traits may be reductionist.