Physician personality and patient confidence

Abstract

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a reliable and valid screening test for describing the natural personality of an individual, especially in the medical field. The indicator gives an individual a four-letter abbreviation summarizing his/her personality characteristics. The categories include: extraverted (E) / introverted (I), sensing (S) / intuition (N), feeling (F) / thinking (T), and perception (P) / judgment (J). The personality types of physicians vary considerably across the medical field. Specific personality types indicated by the Myers-Briggs fit better with certain medical specialties than others. The alignment of physician-patient personalities and its effect on patient confidence and compliance have potential importance in the management of some disorders, such as, for example, substance abuse. This review will examine the alignment of physician-patient personalities and its effect on patient confidence and treatment outcomes.