The object of this study was to detect the influence of time under treatment on haemodialysis on the personality. The samples are a group on haemodialysis (EXT, n = 62) and a control group (CON, n = 33). The haemodialysis patients were grouped by years under treatment (EX1 less than 4 years, and EX2 greater than 4 years). To study personality variables, the Eysenck Personality Inventory test was used. The results showed, using t test, significant differences on neuroticism (N), extraversion (E) and lie or dissimulation (L), between both experimental subgroups (N, p less than 0.01; E, p less than 0.05 and L, p less than 0.02) as well as between experimental and control groups (N, p less than 0.01; E, p less than 0.01 and L, p less than 0.001). On the experimental group (EXT) a high neuroticism (mean = 73.1) level was observed associated with a low level of extraversion (mean = 41.8) and lie or dissimulation (mean = 29.9). According to the observed results, the length of time on haemodialysis affects the groups in a different, significant way. In the EX2 it is observed that the scores decrease on the three personality dimensions, their differences being significant.
Conclusions: This chronic illness places patients first on a very high level of neuroticism, as a confrontation to the stress provoked by their situation. Following this, due to the patients' awareness of their own chronic state, the level of neuroticism decreases, their high level of introversion and the absence of lie as a possible defense mechanism of denial facing their hard reality being more significant.