Personality traits are not associated with changes in employment status over 3 years in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Previous research discovered a protective effect of higher conscientiousness against a 3-year deterioration in employment status in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). To replicate these findings, we used data from a multicentre prospective cohort study where 145 employed pwMS completed questionnaires, neurological and neuropsychological examinations at baseline and after 3 years. A 3-year deterioration in employment status was reported in 31.0%. We observed no differences in personality, demographics or clinical characteristics between pwMS with deteriorated or stable employment status. These null findings may be partly explained by the classification of deteriorated employment status, which does not reflect Dutch labour conditions.
Competing Interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: PJJ received honoraria from Bayer Netherlands and Orikami Personalized Health Care, the Netherlands, for consultancy activities and is chairman of the MSmonitor foundation, the Netherlands. JJJvE received honoraria for lectures and honoraria for advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme, Roche, Merck Serono, Novartis. STFMF received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Sanofi Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis, Biogen. EH received honoraria for lectures and advisory boards, and grants for research from Bayer, Biogen, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, Merck Serono, Novartis. WIMV received honoraria for lectures from Biogen and Merck Serono, reimbursement for hospitality from Biogen, Sanofi Genzyme and Merck Serono, and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono. LHV received honoraria for lectures and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono and Novartis.
(© The Author(s), 2022.)