Psychological assessment of adults with cystic fibrosis

We administered a battery of self-rated objective and quantitative psychometric tests, including the MMPI, to a group of adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Important findings were related to the age but not the sex of the patients. We found that older patients (i.e., over the median age of twenty-three) were more likely than younger patients to: 1) express emotional conflicts through physical symptoms, 2) be anxious or uncomfortable in social situations, and 3) have self-doubt. We could not confirm a previous report of increased depression or anxiety in adult CF patients. We discuss implication of these results for health professionals.