title: Temperament and character traits associated with health-related quality of life in cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an increase in the attention to factors influencing the quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate temperament and character traits related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and three inpatients from three Italian oncology departments filled in the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI-140) based on Cloninger's personality model, the SF-36 questionnaire assessing HRQoL, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Eighty percent of patients were undergoing chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower levels of harm avoidance and higher levels of self-directedness were significantly correlated with a better HRQoL. Regression analysis controlling for psychopathology (anxiety and depression symptoms) showed that the influence of temperament and character traits on quality of life seemed to add little to the influence of psychopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates the existence of some relations between HRQoL and temperament and character traits assessed using the TCI-140 questionnaire. However, among the psychological factors, psychopathology seems to retain more influence on HRQoL of cancer patients.
authors: Roberto Assagioli Research Center, Institute of Psychosynthesis, Florence, Italy. andrea.bonacchi@unifi.it
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Bonacchi
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Miccinesi
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Guazzini
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Rossi
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Bacci
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Toccafondi
authors: Mariangela
authors: M
authors: Martire
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bellotti
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Perfetto
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Catanzaro
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Adamo
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Cascinu
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Doni
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Di Costanzo
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Rosselli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D002605:Character; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011788:Quality of Life; D012201:Reward; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012945:Social Values; D029181:Spirituality; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament