• Femke M van Haalen, Elon H C van Dijk, Cornelie D Andela, Greet Dijkman, Nienke R Biermasz, Alberto M Pereira, and Camiel J F Boon.
• Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Center for Endocrine Tumors, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
• Acta Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun 1; 97 (4): e572-e579.

Purpose'Type A' behavioural characteristics and psychosocial stress have traditionally been associated with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC). However, a characteristical personality profile could not be identified in these patients and the presumed association with stress is subject to controversy, due to a lack of convincing studies using validated measuring instruments. In this study, we aimed to assess maladaptive personality traits, psychological morbidity and coping strategies in patients with cCSC, in order to identify potentially modifiable psychosocial aspects which could be used in support to current standard treatment.MethodsA cross-sectional study in a cohort of 86 patients with cCSC using validated questionnaires. Findings were compared to both Dutch population reference data and reference data from patients treated for Cushing's disease.ResultsMaladaptive personality traits were not more prevalent in patients with cCSC than in the general population, and psychological morbidity was not increased. Patients with cCSC were shown to make more use of passive coping, active coping and seeking social support. Interestingly, personality, psychological morbidity and coping characteristics of patients with cCSC were more comparable to features of patients treated for Cushing's disease than to population-based data.ConclusionMaladaptive personality traits such as type A behavioural characteristics are not more prevalent in patients with cCSC. Patients with cCSC make more use of certain coping strategies, which could be addressed by psychosocial care to improve self-management. Further research is needed establish whether the course of disease can be improved by altering coping and reducing 'stress'.© 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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