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

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology Vol. 59; no. 9; pp. 1015 - 1029
• Main Authors: Weinryb, Robert M., Gustavsson, J. Petter, Barber, Jacques P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-09-2003; Wiley; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adjustment; Adolescent; Affective Symptoms; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Body Image; Colitis, Ulcerative - psychology; Colitis, Ulcerative - surgery; Colonic Pouches; Female; Forecasting; Humans; Long term; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Personality; Personality Assessment; Proctocolectomy, Restorative - psychology; Quality of life; Self image; Sexuality; Stomach, duodenum, intestine, rectum, anus; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system; Treatment Outcome; Human; Attitude; Body image; Alexithymia; Prediction; Social adjustment; Personality; Inflammatory disease; Follow up study; Surgery; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Coping; Ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.10191

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. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.