Personality profiles of Australian anaesthetists

Abstract

Identification of personality traits in anaesthetists has potential implications for selection of trainees, assessment of coping strategies during times of stress and may have a role in the analysis of critical incidents. A 24 question postal questionnaire based on the Cattell 16PF inventory was sent to specialist anaesthetists in Australia. One hundred and sixty-seven replies were received (33% response rate). Personality traits did not differ when the anaesthetists were grouped for age, number of years qualified and country of qualification. City practitioners rated themselves more inquisitive than country practitioners did (P = 0.052). Female anaesthetists self-reported they were calm (P = 0.02), patient (P = 0.02) and tolerant (P = 0.02) more often than their male counterparts, whilst more males reported themselves as highly conscientious (P = 0.01). Although some traits were consistent, personality profiles showed significant heterogeneity. Further examination of how personality and coping mechanisms interact may be central to the management of stress and critical incident generation.