Personality and Spirituality as Predictors of Mental Health and Salivary Alpha-Amylase Activity in Breast Cancer Survivors

• Published in: Oncology nursing forum Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 307 - 314
• Main Authors: Hulett, Jennifer M, Johnstone, Brick, Millspaugh, Rami J, Millspaugh, Joshua J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oncology Nursing Society 01.07.2022
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms; Cancer Survivors; Chronic illnesses; Cronbach's alpha; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines; Feasibility studies; Female; Health surveys; Hormones; Humans; Inflammation; Influence; Mental Health; Nervous system; Personality; Personality traits; Salivary alpha-Amylases; Spirituality; Stress; Survivor; Survivors; breast cancer; sAA; personality; spirituality; biomarkers; mental health
• ISSN: 0190-535X; 1538-0688; 1538-0688
• DOI: 10.1188/22.ONF.307-314

To determine the relative predictive validity of personality and spirituality for mental health and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) in breast cancer (BC) survivors. 23 BC survivors participated in a single-group, cross-sectional study. Predictor variables included personality and spiritual variables. Outcome variables included subjective physical and mental health outcomes and sAA, a neuroimmune biomarker. Hierarchical regressions indicated that (a) conscientiousness and forgiveness independently predict 38% and 11% of variance in mental health scores, respectively; and (b) conscientiousness and forgiveness independently predict 15% and 24% of the variance in sAA, respectively. Consistent with psychoneuroimmunology theory, personality and spiritual variables independently influence subjective mental health and neuroimmune activity in BC survivors. Nurses should be aware of BC survivors' personality characteristics and spiritual dispositions so that distinct interventions can be offered to promote mental health and reduce stress-related neuroimmune inflammation.