The negative and positive effects of trauma resulting from cancer – the role of personality and rumination

Abstract

background Personality and cognitive engagement, including eventrelated rumination, play essential roles in the negative and positive outcomes of experienced trauma. The aim of the study was to establish the role of personality traits and rumination in the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG). participants and procedureSixty persons, aged 18-78 years (M = 50.40, SD = 17.74), who had experienced malignant tumours in the craniofacial area, i.e. the lips, palate, parotid gland, eye, nasopharynx, nasal cavity, middle ear and paranasal sinuses, were examined. The majority of respondents (68.30%) were women. The subjects were surveyed with the Impact of Event Scale-R (IES-R), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the NEO-Five Factor Personality (NEO-FFI), and the Event Related Rumination Inventory (ERRI). resultsBoth PTSD symptoms and PTG were observed in the examined group. Almost 77.00% of participants demonstrated at least a medium degree of PTSD. Twenty three percent of subjects revealed a high level of PTG. Both intrusive and deliberate ruminations were related to the presence of PTSD symptoms and PTG. No direct relationship was found between personality dimensions and the negative and positive outcomes of trauma. Neuroticism, which is related to intrusive rumination, affects PTSD symptoms. Conscientiousness, which is related to deliberate ruminations, affects posttraumatic growth. conclusionsPersonality has an indirect impact on the negative and positive consequences of trauma via rumination over the experienced event.key words personality; cancer; rumination; posttraumatic growth; posttraumatic stress disordersThe negative and positive effects of trauma resulting from cancer -the role of personality and rumination corresponding author -Prof. Nina

Cognitive processing of trauma as a predictor of the negative and positive consequences of experienced traumatic events

“…It should be observed however that other forms of cognitive activity are involved in the cognitive processing of trauma, including rumination on the events experienced, or change of existing beliefs [25,26]. What is more, they turn out to be related to the coping strategies and other fixed individual predispositions, such as personality traits [27].…”

Type D personality and post-traumatic stress symptoms in adolescents – the mediating role of resilience

“…The relevance of negative emotionality in the development of PTSD is also a result of its links with neuroticism. The data available confirm that neuroticism plays an important role in the development and persistence of PTSD symptoms after trauma [20][21][22].…”

“…It should be noted that the type D personality is positively associated with two personality dimensions of the Big Five model, namely neuroticism and introversion [12,13]. Research results confirm the relevance of neuroticism in the development and perseverance of PTSD symptoms subsequent to trauma [20][21][22]. A factor related to PTSD is also resilience, understood as a personality trail or individual resource.…”

“…Należy również podkreślić, że typ D jest dodatnio powiązany z dwoma wymiarami osobowości modelu wielkiej piątki, a mianowicie neurotycznością i introwersją [12,13]. Z kolei wyniki prowadzonych badań potwierdzają istotną rolę neurotyczności w rozwoju i podtrzymywaniu objawów PTSD po doznanej traumie [20][21][22]. Czynnikiem powiązanym z PTSD jest także prężność (resilience), rozumiana jako właściwość osobowości czy zasób jednostki.…”

“…Uzyskane rezultaty są zgodne z wynikami uzyskanymi wśród osób dorosłych [15,18,19]. Znaczenie negatywnej emocjonalności dla rozwoju PTSD wynika także z jej powiązań z neurotycznością, a jak potwierdzają dostępne dane neurotyczność odgrywa istotną rolę w rozwoju i podtrzymywaniu objawów PTSD po doznanej traumie [20][21][22].…”