Twenty-five patients, 12 men and 13 women, aged 24-50 yr, who had consulted physicians and had received the diagnosis functional dyspepsia after extensive examination 6-8 years prior to this study, and were still suffering from this condition, were compared with community control subjects pair-wise matched for age and sex. Control subjects who had ever consulted a physician for gastrointestinal symptoms were excluded. Questionnaires measuring symptoms, job strain, social support and personality traits were used. Relatively few differences were found between groups. Compared to the community controls, however, the patients reported more gastrointestinal and nervous symptoms, and higher somatization, measured by Symptom Check List-90. The extent of reported overall distress was greater in patients than in control subjects. The detachment score (Karolinska Scales of Personality) was significantly lower in patients than in control subjects; this difference was also significant in separate analysis for men. Female patients had lower socialization and higher suspicion scores than female control subjects. Male patients reported more decision latitude (job control) than male control subjects.