Personality as significant predictor of post-stroke anxiety

OBJECTIVES: Anxiety in stroke patients is very frequent. It negatively influences the whole recovery process. The study objective is to study personality traits, age, gender, and type of stroke as predictors of anxiety in stroke patients. METHODS: Research presents a prospective cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample consisted of 74 hospitalized stroke patients. The data collection methods were the HADS for anxiety measurement and the Mini IPIP for evaluation of five personality factors. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to study the relationship between anxiety and personality variables, gender, age, and type of stroke. RESULTS: We found three statistically significant predictors of anxiety in stroke patients. Neuroticism and low Agreeableness explain 50% of the variability of anxiety. Another statistically significant predictor was age; higher-level anxiety relates to lower age. Other personality traits (Extraversion, Openness to experience, and Conscientiousness), gender, and type of stroke do not appear as significant predictors of post-stroke anxiety. CONCLUSION: Anxiety in stroke patients is predicted mostly by the personality traits and young age of patients. Knowing these predictors can result in early detection and management of emotional consequences of disease, and thus influence the whole recovery process.