Personality traits predicting long‐term adjustment after surgery for ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Very few studies have examined the relationship between personality traits and long-term postoperative psychosocial adjustment. In a sample of 46 patients, we examined the relation between personality traits before pelvic pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis and psychosocial adjustment seven years postoperatively, controlling for the effects of surgical functional outcome. The Karolinska Psychodynamic Profile (KAPP) was used for personality assessment. Surgical functional outcome scales and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale were also used. As assessed by the KAPP, poor frustration tolerance, long-standing preoperative problems in sexual functioning, perfectionistic body ideals, and lack of alexithymia predicted poorer postoperative long-term psychosocial adjustment in the areas of health concerns, sexuality, family relations, and psychological distress. Surgical functional outcome itself was a poor predictor of long-term adjustment. The results indicate that it may be beneficial to take personality factors into account in preoperative assessment.

Health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease patients: The role of psychopathology and personality

“…There are also 2 studies that found a relationship between personality traits and psychosocial adjustment in patients undergoing surgery for UC 28,29 or CD. 30 Our study focused on unselected IBD patients, whereas the studies by Weinryb et al 28,29 and Post et al 30 considered the QoL in a selected group of patients who had undergone surgery for treatment of IBD.…”

“…30 Our study focused on unselected IBD patients, whereas the studies by Weinryb et al 28,29 and Post et al 30 considered the QoL in a selected group of patients who had undergone surgery for treatment of IBD. One explanation could be that personality might play an important role in the way in which one deals with a stressful situation such as a surgery, but other variables would be more relevant in the long-term adaptation to a chronic illness.…”

Strategies to improve quality of life in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease

“…[62][63][64] A few studies have reported differences in personality traits according to IBD type, with CD patients being significantly more extroverted and having higher psychoticism personality scores than UC patients, but neuroticism scores were similar. 62,65 Personality traits have not been addressed in the pediatric HRQOL literature.…”

Who can benefit from time‐limited dynamic psychotherapy? A study of psychiatric outpatients with personality disorders

“…The profile consisted of 18 subscales, and ratings were made from the information obtained through a semi-structured interview procedure. The KAPP has been shown to be reliable and useful for assessing fairly stable character traits, and that it can discriminate between patients with and without psychiatric psychopathology (Weinryb, Gustavsson, & Barber, 2003).…”