Affective temperament and the caretaking of cancer inpatients

Implications to psychological wellbeing and perceived burden

Abstract

The current study aimed to advance on the understanding of the relationship between affective temperaments and the care of cancer in patients by examining the prevalence of temperament types and the associations of these variables with measures of psychological well-being and caregivers burden in a sample of primary caregivers. 53 caregivers (45 women) participated voluntarily and answered questionnaires that assessed variables related to socio-demographic and temperament characteristics, psychological well-being, and caregiving burden. Results showed a higher prevalence of stable affective temperaments (euthymic, hyperthymic and obsessive) among the assessed caregivers (56.6%) and these types showed better psychological adjustment indicators in specific domains of wellbeing and perceived caregivers burden (t> 2.0; p <0.05). Caregivers with stable temperament have better psychological adjustment and temperament seems to be an important variable in the designation of the person who will face the role of primary caregiver of a cancer patient.