This research was conducted to study some psychological aspects of corticosteroid dependent asthmatics. Our subjects consisted of teh following 4 large groupe : 1. Group M……31 asthmatics who are presently seen by physicians and who were further divided into 2 types : 10 corticosteroid dependent patients (Type S) and 21 non-corticosteroid dependent patients (Type n-S).2. Group LT…13 tubeculosis patients who had been long hospitalized. 3. Group ST…13 tuberculosis patients who had been hospitalized for a short period of time.4. Group K…28 asthmatics who are presently seen at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Kyushu University School of Medicine.As the psychological tests, Cornell Medical Index(CMI), Yatabe-Guilford Personalit Test(YG) and Picture Frustration Study (PF) were used. The results of our study were summarized as follows : 1. Type S was more neurotic, submissive and repressive than Type n-S.2. Compared with Group ST, Group LT was characterized by repression of dependency and aggressive needs, and showed a more neurotic tendency.3. Asthmatics were more neurotic than tuberculosis patients;however, both Type S and Group LT showed repressive tendencies.4. No significant difference was found between Group M and Group K.From these date, it is suggested that, in an attempt to terminate the use of steroid hormone, we need to take into consideration its psychological as well as endocrinological aspects, and that many of the asthmatics who are treated in general hospitals, partculaly those who are dependent on steroid hormone, need a psychological approach in addition to physical treatment.
