Personality types and coping style in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain information that would enable caregivers to provide the necessary psychological care for hemodialysis patients. A total of 608 hemodialysis patients completed the questionnaire of the Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness-Five Factor Inventory and were subsequently classified by personality types using cluster analysis. In comparison to the norms for the general Japanese adult population, the four-dimensional average of extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness among hemodialysis patients was significantly lower (P < 0.001), especially for openness. The openness score correlated with each of the following: age (P < 0.001), employment (P < 0.01), and diabetes (P < 0.001). Four personality types were defined based on these dimensions. High scores for agreeableness, extroversion and conscientiousness characterized the agreeable type (22.6%). The patients in this type will likely accept their own experiences in a positive manner. Submissive types (22.0%) received the lowest scores for conscientiousness, though extroversion, openness, and agreeableness were also low. It is necessary to enhance a sense of independence and responsibility in patients with submissive type personalities. Sensitive types (21.5%) were characterized by the highest neuroticism scores and low scores for the other four dimensions. The patients in this type were likely to be persistent with changes in conditions. The last type was the balanced type (33.9%), which was defined by scores within mean range. In clinical practice, it is particularly important that the submissive and sensitive types should receive appropriate mental health care.

Neuroticism and extraversion in association with quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease

“…Extraverted males perceived their emotional well-being as better, but a higher score in extraversion was associated with worse emotional well-being in females. An explanation might be the associations between extraversion and coping strategies that have been found in several studies [20,21]. These differences could be explained by the supposed use of different coping strategies by males and females [36].…”

“…The impact of personality traits on QoL is known from different studies on several chronic diseases. For example, close associations between extraversion, neuroticism and mental condition of the patients were confirmed in hemodialysis patients [21]. However, in the field of PD this is a relatively new idea.…”

“…It has been observed that people with a low score in extraversion are more self-centered and are more sensitive to stress than extraverted people [20]. Therefore, it might be hypothesized that extraversion influences the level of coping with chronic disease and can thus also influence the level of QoL [20,21].…”

Relation between personality dimensions and depressive symptoms in patients on hemodialiysis

“…Viši stepen neuroticizma vezuje se i za pad kvaliteta života [5]. Neka novija istraživanja takođe ukazuju na značaj neuroticizma kao dimenzije ličnosti među pacijentima na hemodijalizi [13]. Ističe se da ove osobe zahtevaju veći stepen brige profesionalaca iz oblasti mentalnog zdravlja zbog smanjenog kapaciteta da se suočavaju sa stresnim situacijama, otežane sposobnosti da kontrolišu afektivne reakcije i veće predisponiranosti ka introverziji [13].…”

“…Neka novija istraživanja takođe ukazuju na značaj neuroticizma kao dimenzije ličnosti među pacijentima na hemodijalizi [13]. Ističe se da ove osobe zahtevaju veći stepen brige profesionalaca iz oblasti mentalnog zdravlja zbog smanjenog kapaciteta da se suočavaju sa stresnim situacijama, otežane sposobnosti da kontrolišu afektivne reakcije i veće predisponiranosti ka introverziji [13]. Pored neuroticizma, ustanovljeno je da su niži skorovi na dimenziji otvorenost prema iskustvu takođe povezani sa prisustvom depresivnih obeležja.…”