A primary goal in the care of patients with chronic illness is enhancing their quality of life (QOL). We investigated the relationship of personality traits and coping strategies to QOL in 76 individuals with a diagnosis of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, a genetic condition that can lead to severe emphysema. The personality traits of neuroticism and extraversion correlated with QOL; less neuroticism and greater conscientiousness and extraversion predicted higher QOL. For coping strategies, positive reinterpretation and behavioural disengagement correlated with QOL, but positive reinterpretation was the only significant predictor. Findings suggest that individuals with an extraverted, conscientious personality and/or the ability to look for the 'silver lining' are likely to enjoy a better QOL when faced with a genetic illness such as AAT deficiency.
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Gunzerath et al. (2001) studied this question.
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