The prediction of death from cancer by means of personality/stress questionnaire: too good to be true?

Percept Mot Skills. 1990 Aug;71(1):216-8. doi: 10.2466/pms.1990.71.1.216.

Abstract

Recent work by Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck has suggested that there are personality traits which in combination can predict cancer in healthy probands with 81% accuracy. Many critics have considered this result "too good to be true." It is shown that earlier studies have given results not very different in accuracy, suggesting that such a criticism is unwarranted.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Neoplasms / psychology
  • Personality Tests*
  • Risk Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / complications*