An Assessment of Relationships Between the Five-Factor Personality Model and the Morphology and Function of the Stomathognatic System

Background. The personality as a system of genetically predetermined features is responsible for modifying relations between an individual's genotype and phenotype. The key element linking personality with facial morphology is the muscular system. Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between facets of the five-factor personality model (FFM) domains and both the morphology and function of the stomathognatic system. Material and Methods. Two hundred volunteers (100 female and 100 male) aged 20 to 25 (mean age: 23.4) underwent anthropometric measurements to calculate the anterior face height ratio N-Sn/Sn-Gn. For cephalometric analysis, standard right-profile images of the face were used. Calibration was performed with a 100-mm metal ruler placed next to each photographed individual. The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), which includes 240 statements, was used for personality assessment in order to investigate the five main personality domains: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness and six facets within each domain. Results. The results show significant correlations between factors of the personality such as neuroticism (r = 0.3488; p = 0.0000) and extraversion (r = -0.3405; p = 0.0000) and the inclination angle (FH/HOR) as the predictor of the function of the stomathognatic system. Additionally, the correlation analysis revealed a significant positive association between the anterior face height ratio and anxiety (r = 0.3952; p = 0.0000). Conclusions. The results of this study indicate a selective association between personality and both the morphology and function of the stomathognatic system (Adv Clin Exp Med 2012, 21, 5, 637-643).