THE BIG-5 PERSONALITY TRAITS AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AS PREDICTORS OF CANCER PATIENTS’ QUALITY OF LIFE

Abstract

Background: Personality traits and personal characteristics may predispose patients to emotional and behavioral tendencies that can affect how they cope with the challenges of ill health and hence their quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study is to examine the big-5 personality traits and personal characteristics as predictors of cancer patients’ QoL. Methods: This is a descriptive quantitative cross-sectional survey research that used convenience sampling technique to recruit 144 cancer patients from the Radiation Oncology Department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan. A demographic form, an abridged Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors (QLACS) scale and the Big Five Inventory–2 Extra-Short Form (BFI-2-XS) were used for data collection.  Data was analyzed using descriptive, correlation and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Significant relationship was found between cancer patients’ QoL with conscientiousness (r= -.238, p<0.01), extroversion (r= -.265, p<0.01) and neuroticism (r=.558, p<0.01). Furthermore, on hierarchical regression analysis personal characteristics in the first model had no significant joint influence on the prediction of QoL (R2 = .082; F(7,103) = 1.314  p> .05). When the big-5 personality traits were introduced along with personal characteristics in the second model, the model’s joint influence on the prediction of QoL improved (R2 = .416; F (12,98) = 5.815  p< .01) accounting for 41.6% of the variance in QoL of cancer patients. With regards to the relative contribution however, in the Model 1, only marital status had a significant relative influence on the prediction of cancer patients QoL (? = .215, t = -2.043, P<0.05). In Model 2, only conscientiousness (? = -.203, t = -2.259, P<0.05), extroversion (? = -.170, t = -2.037, P<0.05) and neuroticism (? = .509, t =6.217, P<0.01) made significant relative contributions to the prediction of cancer patients QoL. Conclusions: Personality traits influence cancer patients’ quality of life and should be considered in all assessments geared at accurately understanding and improving patients’ QoL in oncology settings. Keywords: Personality traits, Cancer, Quality of life, Nigeria