Psychological and cognitive characteristics of vegetarians

The health beliefs and psychological status of 20 vegetarians were assessed with eight different psychometric tests. Although the group demonstrated elevated somatic concerns on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-90) and the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ), it did not differ from control populations on other dimensions of psychopathology. The subjects cited health concerns as the primary reason for avoiding meat products. They displayed a generally positive attitude toward modern medicine. The implications of these findings as compared with those of previous surveys of vegetarians are discussed.