Differences in Eysenck's Personality Dimensions between a Group of Breast Cancer Survivors and the General Population.

Francisco García-Torres,Rosario Castillo-Mayén

doi:10.3390/ijerph16071240

Abstract

Cancer may influence personality in patients and survivors. However, the possible relations between the treatments that the patients have undergone and the personality in survivors are not clear. This study aimed to establish the differences in personality between a group of breast cancer survivors and a control group, and to test the predictive utility of the treatments on the personality traits in survivors. Thirty breast cancer survivors and thirty participants from the general population completed the Eysenck personality questionnaire-revised (EPQ-R) and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Survivors had lower scores on extraversion and higher scores on neuroticism than the control group, but these differences were not significant. However, differences in psychoticism were significant, with higher scores in the survivor group. Breast-conserving therapy predicted extraversion while breast reconstruction predicted psychoticism. These results suggest that the physical consequences of surgery may lead to social and psychological impairments in this group of patients.

Highlights

Personality is described as a way of perceiving, relating, and thinking about the environment and oneself
Previous research has applied Eysenck’s personality questionnaire in cancer survivors, showing that neuroticism and psychoticism are related to relevant aspects of survival, such as fatigue, poor quality of life, and depression [5,6,7,8]
A few studies have evaluated whether personality in breast cancer survivors is different to personality observed in the general population, probably due to methodological problems and the supposed stability of these dimensions

Summary

Introduction

Personality is described as a way of perceiving, relating, and thinking about the environment and oneself. The concept of personality includes different traits, which can be described as relevant aspects of personality that are present in a wide range of situations and contexts, and these traits are relatively stable over time [1,2], but may be influenced by traumatic events such as cancer [3]. According to Eysenck’s theory, personality includes three major dimensions that are related with biological systems. The explanation about psychoticism is less clear It looks as though dopamine levels are higher in people with high psychoticism, but the evidence to support this affirmation is still under discussion [4]. Previous research has applied Eysenck’s personality questionnaire in cancer survivors, showing that neuroticism and psychoticism are related to relevant aspects of survival, such as fatigue, poor quality of life, and depression [5,6,7,8]. A few studies have evaluated whether personality in breast cancer survivors is different to personality observed in the general population, probably due to methodological problems and the supposed stability of these dimensions

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Conclusion