title: Personality traits of women with breast cancer: before and after diagnosis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which the diagnosis of breast cancer influences the self-assessment of personality traits by patients. In 1989 and 1990, all female inhabitants of Nijmegen aged 43 years and over were invited to participate in a population screening for breast cancer and were asked to complete a personality questionnaire. During 1989-1992, 25 women who were diagnosed as having breast cancer were psychologically assessed for a second time 1 1/2 years after diagnosis. A control group of 822 healthy women also completed the questionnaire twice. A statistically significant decrease in scores on three scales (Rationality, Emotional Expression-out, and Emotional-Control) was reported by the patient group compared to the control group.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012803:Sick Role