Personality Traits, Strategies of Coping with Stress and Psychophysical Wellbeing of Surgical and Non-Surgical Doctors in Poland

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the personality traits, strategies of coping with stress and psychophysical wellbeing of surgical and non-surgical Polish doctors. The study used the following questionnaires and scales: the Resiliency Assessment Scale, the Type D Personality Scale, the Framingham Type A Scale, the Mini COPE—Coping Inventory and the Wellbeing Scale. Doctors performing surgical specialties were characterized by a significantly higher level of resilience components, a more frequent occurrence of the type B behaviour pattern and less frequent type D personality than doctors performing non-surgical specializations. The Mini COPE point values were comparable between surgical and non-surgical physicians. The sense of psychological wellbeing was higher in surgical specialists. The higher the values of the Optimistic approach to life and the ability to mobilize oneself in difficult situations, the lower the values of the Turning to religion domain and the higher the values of the Denial domain correlated with the performance of surgical specialization. Men performing surgical specializations were more often optimistic and inclined to consume alcohol, while women with non-surgical specialization more often coped with stress by turning to religion. We conclude that the personality traits of Polish doctors vary depending on their specialization. Physicians’ coping strategies do not differ depending on their specialization. The sense of mental wellbeing is higher in surgical specialists compared to non-surgical specialists. An optimistic approach to life and the ability to mobilize oneself in difficult situations, as well as coping with stress by denial are associated with the surgical specialization. Men performing surgical specialties more often declare optimism and a tendency to cope with stress by consuming alcohol or psychoactive substances, while women who perform non-surgical specializations more often cope with stress by turning to religion. Psychological screening tests and appropriate training, taking into account medical specialization, could be one way of improving resilience and coping with stress among doctors.

Profiling health professionals’ personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence: a systematic review

“… Temperament and Character Inventory - mean score 550 2.66 0.05 Doctors score 2.66 out of 5, where higher scores = higher association with personality trait. Openness [ 100 , 150 , 154 – 157 , 162 , 165 , 166 , 168 – 175 , 177 , 180 , 184 ] Big Five Inventory 1475 3.54 0.09 Doctors score 3.54 out of 5, where higher scores = higher association with personality trait. Big Five Inventory (BFI) Subscale Sum Score 563 35.13 0.00 Information not available for interpretation NEO Five-Factor Inventory Sten Score 50 8.70 1.10 Doctors exhibit average levels of openness.…”

“… Mini-markers of the Big Five Factor Structure personality scale 70 6.80 Information not available for interpretation Resiliency Assessment Scale 655 15.52 2.77 Information not available for interpretation Optimism [ 175 ] Resiliency Assessment Scale 655 13.85 3.40 Information not available for interpretation Perfectionism [ 154 ] Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Form C 231 5.61 0.68 Doctors exhibit slightly higher perfectionism than population norm. Persistence [ 1 , 148 , 149 , 151 , 163 , 175 ] Temperament and Character Inventory 907 71.16 0.00 Doctors exhibit high persistence, when compared to population norms. Temperament and Character Inventory - mean score 547 3.54 0.05 Doctors score 3.54 out of 5, where higher score = higher association with personality trait.…”

“… Temperament and Character Inventory - mean score 549 3.46 0.00 Doctors score 3.46 out of 5, where higher score = higher association with personality trait. Resilience [ 175 ] Resiliency Assessment Scale 655 75.52 16.84 Information not available for interpretation Risk Attitude / Readiness [ 143 , 159 ] Jackson Personality Inventory-revised 829 2.90 Doctors scored 2.90 out of 6, where higher scores = more risk prone. Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) 64 −0.48 3.19 Information not available for interpretation Rule-consciousness [ 154 ] Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Form C 231 5.40 0.00 Doctor exhibit slightly lower rule-consciousness than population norm.…”

“… Tension [ 154 ] Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Form C 231 6.29 1.90 Doctors exhibit higher tension than population norm. Thinking [ 160 ] Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) 98 13.75 1.66 Information not available for interpretation Tolerance of Failure / Viewing Life as a challenge [ 175 ] Resiliency Assessment Scale 655 14.82 3.33 Information not available for interpretation Type D [ 175 ] Type D Personality Scale (DS-14) 655 21.05 10.58 Information not available for interpretation Vigilance [ 154 , 159 ] Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Form C 231 5.34 0.75 Doctor exhibit lower vigilance than population norm. Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) 64 16.31 2.05 Information not available for interpretation Warmth [ 154 ] Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor Form C 231 4.90 0.00 Doctor exhibit lower warmth than population norm.…”

Analysis of the Coping Strategies of Primary Health Care Professionals: Cross-Sectional Study in a Large Brazilian Municipality

“…Similarly, the highest scores for the strategies focused on religious practices/fantastical thinking were presented among community health agents, female workers, those with family income up to one minimum wage, with more than 10 years of professional experience, and who reported being dissatisfied with their profession and whose dissatisfaction with their profession was identified as an important motivational factor. Contrary to what many people believe, turning to religiosity is a strategy that provides emotional support and favors a positive re-evaluation of a stressful situation [ 39 ].…”