Clinical personality patterns in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia waiting for bone marrow transplantation

Introduction Personality disorders are rather widespread in oncology settings demanding special attention of clinician. Serious illness threatening person's life as well as severe treatment and side effects lead to specific self-regulatory emotional and cognitive efforts. Personality could both play an important role in this process predicting adjustment and survival and change in line with illness pathogenesis. Objectives The personality patterns could be important predictors of operation success and further adjustment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) waiting for bone marrow transplantation. Aim To reveal personality patterns specific for patients with ALL. Methods Twenty-five patients with ALL (11 males, 37.4 ± 9.5 years old) filled Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–III and Big Five Questionnairie–2. Comparison group included 180 people of the same age and gender without history of mental or severe somatic disorders. Results Male patients comparing to healthy males were lower on emotional control and higher in negativistic personality pattern ( P P P Conclusions Severe illness could increase likelihood of emotion regulation difficulties and passive-aggressive coping in male patients while stimulate activity and compulsive behaviour in females. These patterns should be taken into account in psychological support of patents to bone marrow transplantation.