Skip to main content
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1993 Oct;36(4):369–371. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1993.tb00379.x

The personality structure of 'normal' volunteers.

C J Ball 1, P M McLaren 1, P J Morrison 1
PMCID: PMC1364693  PMID: 12959318

Abstract

The personality structure of 65 volunteers for a Phase 1 drug trial was examined using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. It revealed a common pattern of high extroversion, low neuroticism and psychoticism. The reasons why the study might attract such people are examined and the structure compared with those that take drugs that might have 'strange or dangerous effects'. The likely forms of bias that this personality structure may bring to the trial are explored.

Full text

PDF
369

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amori G., Lenox R. H. Do volunteer subjects bias clinical trials? J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1989 Oct;9(5):321–327. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ayd F. J., Jr, Calabresi P. Motivations and rewards for volunteering to be an experimental subject. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1972 Sep-Oct;13(5):771–781. doi: 10.1002/cpt1972135part2771. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barrett J. Psychiatric diagnoses (Research Diagnostic Criteria) in symptomatic volunteers. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981 Feb;38(2):153–157. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1981.01780270039004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Beaubrun M. H., Knight F. Psychiatric assessment of 30 chronic users of cannabis and 30 matched controls. Am J Psychiatry. 1973 Mar;130(3):309–311. doi: 10.1176/ajp.130.3.309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. ESECOVER H., MALITZ S., WILKENS B. Clinical profiles of paid normal subjects volunteering for hallucinogen drug studies. Am J Psychiatry. 1961 Apr;117:910–915. doi: 10.1176/ajp.117.10.910. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Eysenck H. J. Personality and sexual adjustment. Br J Psychiatry. 1971 Jun;118(547):593–608. doi: 10.1192/bjp.118.547.593. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gossop M. R. A comparative study of oral and intravenous drug-dependent patients on three dimensions of personality. Int J Addict. 1978 Jan;13(1):135–142. doi: 10.3109/10826087809039270. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hill A. B. Extraversion and variety-seeking in a monotonous task. Br J Psychol. 1975 Feb;66(1):9–13. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1975.tb01434.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LASAGNA L., VON FELSINGER J. M. The volunteer subject in research. Science. 1954 Sep 3;120(3114):359–361. doi: 10.1126/science.120.3114.359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ludvigh E. J., 3rd, Happ D. Extraversion and preferred level of sensory stimulation. Br J Psychol. 1974 Aug;65(3):359–365. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1974.tb01410.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. POLLIN W., PERLIN S. Psychiatric evaluation of normal control volunteers. Am J Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;115(2):129–133. doi: 10.1176/ajp.115.2.129. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Thase M. E., Last C. G., Hersen M., Bellack A. S., Himmelhoch J. M. Symptomatic volunteers in depression research: a closer look. Psychiatry Res. 1984 Jan;11(1):25–33. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(84)90105-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES