Personality Traits and Sense of Dignity in End-of-Life Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Context: Patients’ personality traits can play an important role in the end-of-life care process. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality traits and dignity in cancer patients nearing death. In addition, the associations between personality traits and physical, psychological symptoms, and coping strategies during the end-of-life stage were explored. Methods: The study is cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 210 participants with a Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) lower than 50 and a life expectancy of a few weeks. For each patient, personal and clinical data were collected and a set of validated rating scales, assessing personality, dignity, physical, psychological symptoms and coping strategies was administered during the first psychological consultation. Results: The results highlighted significant associations between personality traits and dignity. In particular, Conscientiousness was negatively correlated with Social Support and Extroversion was negatively associated with Loss of Purpose and Meaning. Neuroticism was related to all the dimensions of dignity and Extroversion was significantly associated with the physical and psychological symptoms. Regarding coping styles, active coping strategies were predictors of Extroversion and Agreeableness. Conversely, anxiety symptoms predicted the Neuroticism trait. Conclusions: Personality traits seem to be actively involved into the loss of dignity. These findings highlighted the importance of including personality traits and dignity into the patient’s care process. Exploring individual differences and coping mechanisms at the end-of-life could improve palliative care and lead to better patient-tailored psychological interventions.

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Emotional empathy mediates the relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in orphan and non-orphan students

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare ◽

10.1108/ijhrh-02-2018-0015 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 163-176

Author(s):

Muhammad Aqeel ◽

Rafia Komal ◽

Tanvir Akhtar

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

School Students ◽

Emotional Empathy ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Content Type ◽

Interpersonal Factors ◽

And Coping ◽

Experimental Researches

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to inspect the potential mediation pathways among emotional empathy, personality traits and coping strategies in orphan and non-orphan students. Additionally, it designed to investigate the association of coping strategies with emotional empathy and personality traits. Design/methodology/approach Purposive sampling technique and cross-sectional design were employed in current study. The data of 130 adolescents (institutionalized orphans, n= 62; school students, n=68) were included from different high schools and orphanages of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, in 2017. Three instruments, emotional empathy scale (Mehrabian and Epstein, 1972; Shazia, 2004), coping of problem experience (Carver, 1989; Akhtar, 2005), and Eysenck personality questionnaire (Naqvi and Kamal, 2010; Eysenck, 1964; Eysenck and Eysenck, 1994), were employed to measure personality traits, emotional empathy and coping strategies in orphan and non-orphan students. Findings Mediation analyses illustrated that personality traits relegated active avoidance coping strategy through emotional empathy in orphan students. On contrary, the study findings demonstrated that neurotic personality promoted positive coping strategy through emotional empathy in non-orphan students. Research limitations/implications The methodological limitations of this study are that the sample is of 130 participants that limits the generalizability of its results; furthermore, it was done on only the male orphans students of only one institute. Further research can be done on different orphanages to enhance the generalizability of results. This study included orphan and non-orphan students from the two cities of Pakistan; consequently, its findings may not be generalizable to the whole population. In the future, cross-sectional and experimental researches working with more assorted data could help elucidate the mechanisms by which interpersonal factors affect and stimulate coping strategies in orphans and high school students. Practical implications This paper exposes a number of ways for upcoming future studies. This study findings can be employed to enhance knowledge and offer assistance for orphans, on how to identify and get help from coping resources to tackle various problems and how to build new psychological preventions and interventions strategies in the Pakistani society. There still exists a need to find out the effect of emotion, empathy on personality types in relation to different environmental conditions. The findings have implications for pedagogical intervention as such improvements can be initiated in the pedagogical context. Social implications This study comprised only orphan and non-orphan students from two twin cities of Pakistan; consequently, its findings may not be applicable to the whole population. In future, cross-sectional and experimental researches with more assorted data will assist clarify the mechanism that interpersonal factors affect and stimulate coping strategies in high school students. Originality/value Study findings proposed that coping strategies can be promoted by interpersonal factors such as personality traits and empathy to tackle different orphan’s psychological problem in various negative situation.

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Relationship Between Social Support and Coping Strategies and Disease Among the Cancer Patients of the City of Kerman

Journal of Research and Health ◽

10.32598/jrh.10.6.1401.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 375-382

Author(s):

Soodeh Maghsoodi ◽

◽

Zahra Salehinejad ◽

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Social Protection ◽

Care Program ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Systematic Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Systematic Sampling Method ◽

And Coping

Background: Cancer pain affects coping strategies in patients. Besides, social protection is a tool that helps to alter the patient’s encounter with cancer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support, coping, and disease strategies. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, and conducted using a self-made social support questionnaire and the Billings and Mouse coping strategies questionnaire. The study population consisted of all the cancer patients in Kerman City, from September 2016 to March 2017; it was estimated to include 1400 people. Based on the Cochran formula, the study sample size was calculated as 300 cancer patients, which were collected using a systematic sampling method. Also, data analysis was carried out using the Pearson tests and regression in SPSS V. 21. Results: The results showed a statistically significant association of social support and coping with the disease strategies (P<0.01). Moreover, problem-focused coping has the most positive and direct relationship with social support. Regression analysis also showed that emotional aspects (kindness and shared positive actions), service-practical support, and financial support can predict the coping strategies with disease. Conclusion: According to the results, it is recommended to formulate a comprehensive care program and increase social support to enhance the problem-focused coping strategies among cancer patients.

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Premorbidity personality traits and coping strategies in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2004.22.90140.8202 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 22 (14_suppl) ◽

pp. 8202-8202

Author(s):

F. Barbato ◽

G. Marchioro ◽

M. Bari ◽

G. Azzarello ◽

E. Vattemi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

And Coping

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Distinguishing Male Juvenile Offenders through Personality Traits, Coping Strategies, Feelings of Guilt and Level of Anger

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/s1138741600002419 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 751-764 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Marta Ferrer ◽

Xavier Carbonell ◽

Joan Josep Sarrado ◽

Jordi Cebrià ◽

Carles Virgili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Juvenile Offenders ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Trait Anger ◽

Sectional Study ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

And Coping

On the basis of a comparative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, our aim was to determine differential traits of adolescent offenders with respect to personality traits, feelings of guilt, level of anger, and coping strategies. 128 adolescent residents of Barcelona (86 high school students and 42 young inmates aged between 16 and 18 years) replied to a variety of questionnaires (SC-35, EPQ-R, STAXI, ACS). Significant differences between the two groups were found. Young offenders present higher levels of guilt feelings, neuroticism, psychoticism, and trait anger. They also tend to repress their anger or, on the contrary, express it verbally and physically and use passive or avoidance coping strategies. Education and psychological therapy focussed on guilt may contribute to reduce recidivism.

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Exploring demoralization in end-of-life cancer patients: Prevalence, latent dimensions, and associations with other psychosocial variables

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951519000191 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 596-603 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Andrea Bovero ◽

Rossana Botto ◽

Beatrice Adriano ◽

Marta Opezzo ◽

Valentina Tesio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

End Of Life ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Karnofsky Performance Status ◽

Performance Status ◽

Well Being ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Psychosocial Variables ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Spiritual Well Being

AbstractObjectiveDemoralization is an existential distress syndrome that consists of an incapacity of coping, helplessness, hopelessness, loss of meaning and purpose, and impaired self-esteem. It can affect cancer patients, and the Demoralization Scale is a valid instrument to assess it. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of demoralization in end-of-life cancer patients and its associations with the medical and psychosocial variables. In addition, the latent dimensions of demoralization emerging in this distinctive population were explored.MethodThe study is cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 235 end-of-life cancer patients with a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) lower than 50 and a life expectancy of a few weeks. For each patient, personal and medical data was gathered by a palliative physician and a set of validated rating scales, assessing demoralization, anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, pain, spiritual well-being, and dignity, was administered by a psychologist during the first consultation.ResultSixty-four participants (27.2%) had low demoralization, 50.2% (n = 118) had medium demoralization, and 22.6% (n = 53) had high demoralization. Factor analysis evidenced a five-factor solution that identified the following demoralization factors: Emotional Distress and Inability to Cope, Loss of Purpose and Meaning, Worthlessness, Sense of Failure, and Dysphoria. All the considered variables were associated with demoralization, except for pain, nausea, breathing problems, and sociodemographic and clinical variables.Significance of resultsEnd-of-life cancer patients showed higher levels of demoralization than has been reported in other studies with advanced cancer. These data could suggest that demoralization could increase in proximity to death and with impaired clinical condition. In particular, the five demoralization dimensions that emerged could represent the typical concerns around which the syndrome evolves in end-of-life cancer patients. Finally, spiritual well-being could play a protective role with respect to demoralization.

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Premorbidity personality traits and coping strategies in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2004.22.14_suppl.8202 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 22 (14_suppl) ◽

pp. 8202-8202

Author(s):

F. Barbato ◽

G. Marchioro ◽

M. Bari ◽

G. Azzarello ◽

E. Vattemi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

And Coping

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Fatigue Experience and Coping Strategies among Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council ◽

10.3126/jnhrc.v16i3.21425 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 285-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anika Dahal ◽

Raj Kumar Meheta

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Causes Of Death ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Standard Tool ◽

Common Causes ◽

Experienced Fatigue ◽

And Coping

Background: Cancer is considered one of the foremost common causes of death. Fatigue is among the distressing symptoms for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Adequate coping is essential for individual to deal with the effects of cancer related treatment. The objective of the study was to find out the fatigue experience and coping strategies among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used for the study. The samples was taken from day care and medical oncology ward of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur. A total of 120 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy of 18 years and above were selected by using non probability consecutive sampling technique. Data was collected by using standard tool, Fatigue Symptom Inventory and Brief Cope. Data analysis was done by descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The study revealed that 82.5% of respondents had experienced fatigue and 50.8% respondents had used adequate coping strategies where “self distraction”(2.76±1.02) was the most used coping strategy by the respondents. Fatigue experience and coping strategies had negative correlation (r=-0.490, p=<0.001).Conclusions: Majority of the respondents had experienced fatigue, and half of the respondents used adequate coping strategies. The different methods of coping strategies for fatigue and chemotherapy related effects should be expanded as per the best available evidence to lower fatigue and other adverse effects.

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Fatigue Experience and Coping Strategies among Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council ◽

10.33314/jnhrc.v16i3.1098 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 285-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anika Dahal ◽

Raj Kumar Meheta

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Causes Of Death ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Standard Tool ◽

Common Causes ◽

Experienced Fatigue ◽

And Coping

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The Spirituality in End-of-Life Cancer Patients, in Relation to Anxiety, Depression, Coping Strategies and the Daily Spiritual Experiences: A Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Religion and Health ◽

10.1007/s10943-019-00849-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

pp. 2144-2160 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Andrea Bovero ◽

Chiara Tosi ◽

Rossana Botto ◽

Marta Opezzo ◽

Federica Giono-Calvetto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

End Of Life ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Spiritual Experiences ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Daily Spiritual Experiences ◽

Anxiety Depression

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Korelasi Dukungan Keluarga Dengan Respon Cemas Anak Saat Pemasangan Infus

Jurnal Endurance ◽

10.22216/jen.v3i3.3017 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 467

Author(s):

Diah Merdekawati ◽

Dasuki Dasuki

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Family Support ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Correlation Study ◽

Research Data ◽

School Age ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Purposive Sampling ◽

And Coping

Pre-school age is particularly vulnerable to the effects of stress and fear during hospitalization. Children under the age of 6 are less able to think about an event as a whole, have not been able to determine behavior that can overcome the fear based on experience ever experienced and coping strategies ever done. The aims of this research to know correlation family support with child anxious response during infusion. This study was a quantitative with correlation study using cross sectional method. There were 51 respondents participated in this research. Data were collected through observation with purposive sampling technique. Then, data were analysed through univariate and bivariate. The result of univariate statistic test revealed that as much as 64.7% had good family support and 56.9% experienced an anxious response during infusion. The result of bivariate statistic test showed that there was a positive correlation with moderate strength between family support and child's anxious response during infusion. This riset showed that families should provide support when children experience fear, anxiety and pain during infusion. Usia pra sekolah sangat rentan terhadap efek stress dan ketakutan selama rawat inap. Anak- anak dibawah usia 6 tahun kurang mampu berpikir tentang suatu peristiwa secara keseluruhan, belum bisa menentukan perilaku yang dapat mengatasi ketakutan berdasarkan pengalaman yang pernah dialami dan strategi koping yang pernah dilakukan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui korelasi dukungan keluarga dengan respon cemas anak saat pemasangan infus. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif studi korelatif dengan metode cross secsional. Sebanyak 51 responden terlibat dalam penelitian ini. Pengumpulan data melalui observasi. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan secara purposive sampling. Analisis data dilakukan secara univariat dan bivariat. Dari hasil uji statistik univariat diketahui sebanyak 64,7% memiliki dukungan keluarga baik dan 56,9% mengalami respon cemas saat pemasangan infus. Hasil uji statistik bivariat menunjukkan ada korelasi positif dengan kekuatan sedang antara dukungan keluarga dengan respon cemas anak saat pemasangan infus. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa keluarga sebaiknya memberikan dukungannya pada saat anak mengalami ketakutan, kecemasan dan rasa nyeri pada saat pemasangan infus.

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