Personality Factors Associated With Psychological Distress in Testicular Cancer Survivors

• Published in: Journal of personality assessment 2008-07, Vol.90 (4), p.348-355
• Main Authors: Siafaka, Vassiliki, Hyphantis, Thomas N., Alamanos, Ioannis, Fountzilas, Georgios, Skarlos, Demosthenis, Pectasides, Demetrios, Mavreas, Venetsanos, Pavlidis, Nicholas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety - physiopathology; Anxiety-Depression; Biological and medical sciences; Depression; Depression - physiopathology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; Personality; Personality Inventory; Personality traits; Personality. Affectivity; Psychological aspects; Psychological distress; Psychological tests; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; Risk factors; Stress, Psychological; Studies; Survivor; Survivors; Survivors - psychology; Testicular cancer; Testicular Neoplasms - psychology
• ISSN: 0022-3891; 1532-7752
• DOI: 10.1080/00223890802107958

The aim of this study was to investigate symptoms of anxiety and depression in testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) and to identify personality traits associated with psychological distress in these patients by means of the MMPI ( Hathaway & McKinley, 1943 ). A total of 50 TCSs and 50 age-adjusted healthy men participated in the study, and we used the following self-report instruments: Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale ( Montgomery & Asberg, 1979 ), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale ( Hamilton, 1959 , 1969 ), Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory ( Spielberger, 1970 , 2005 ), and the MMPI. TCSs displayed higher rates on all psychopathology scales studied compared to controls, but the majority of the patients' scores were within the "normal range," indicating rather mild psychological distress. TCSs' MMPI profiles showed higher rates on Scales 1, 3, 6, and 9 compared to controls; and within the TCSs sample, symptoms of depression were most closely associated with Scales 3 and 5. Similarly, anxiety symptoms were mainly associated with Scale 3. These findings indicate that TCSs present mild symptoms of psychological distress, mainly anxiety and depressive symptoms, suggesting that careful assessment and consultation in TC patients is essential to help them deal with distress after treatment and to minimize possible risk factors.