title: Quality of life and personality traits in patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine whether it is possible to predict quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer on the basis of personality dimensions from the Five-factor model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 56 patients with colorectal cancer (40 men and 16 women), aged 48-87. The following instruments were used: the Questionnaire on General Information and Lifestyle Habits, the Quality of Life Scale, and the Neo Five-Factor Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of overall quality of life estimations of colorectal cancer patients were comparable to those of healthy people. Contrary to expectations, extraversion was not a significant quality of life predictor. Neuroticism as a personality trait was the only variable which consistently proved to be highly significant across analyses in the prediction of total quality of life, satisfaction with past life, future expectations, and comparison with others. Key determinants of neuroticism are a proneness to experiencing negative affects which makes adaptation difficult, a proneness to irrational ideas, reduced impulse control, ineffective coping strategies, the perception of poor control over oneself and others, and deeming one's own resources to be insufficient to adequately cope with stress, thus resulting in a more negative quality of life estimation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the conclusion that cognitive-behavioral interventions aimed at changing negative attributions, reducing tension and negative affects, acquiring more effective coping strategies, strengthening perceived personal control, redefining and re-conceptualizing quality of life, and seeking/receiving more adequate social support could lead to an improved quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Surgery, Požega General County Hospital, Osječka 107, 34000 Požega, Croatia, zeljko.glavic@pozeska-bolnica.hr.
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Glavić
authors.forename: Slavka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galić
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krip
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*