Int J Psychosom. 1992 ; 39(1-4): 10-7.

Spinal patterns as predictors of personality profiles: a pilot study.

Koren T, Rosenwinkel E.

Indiana University, Bloomington.

The present pilot study is part of an ongoing effort to further the investigation of the relationship between spinal patterns and personality. The present pilot study seeks to identify likely spinal patterns of certain personality profiles and asks whether changing posture can affect personality, and/or can emotional states alter posture? Forty patients of a private chiropractic practice participated in the study. Four radiographs (x-rays) of each subject were taken and each subject completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Measurements obtained from the radiographs and the MMPI data were used to derive general linear models of the predictability of the MMPI in terms of the spinal/postural measures. Several models were highly significant and preliminary support for the authors' hypothesis that spinal patterns are likely to be predictive of personality profiles is suggested. Support for previous research is offered and directions for future research are discussed.