The Mediating Role of cognitive Emotion Regulation Explaining the Casual Relationship between Personality Traits and Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Breast Cancer Survivors

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is defined as fear or worry about the possibility of cancer returning or progressing. High FCR may adversely affect quality of life and increase healthcare expenses. This study examined the relationship between personality traits and fear of cancer recurrence with the mediation of cognitive emotion regulation in breast cancer survivors.

In this descriptive correlational study, 300 women with breast cancer referred to Cancer Institute in Tehran for their regular follow-ups after treatment in 2022 and satisfied the inclusion criteria were recruited based on convenience sampling. They completed the questionnaires online for FCR, five big personality traits and cognitive emotion regulation. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Path analysis.

Results revealed that both adaptive and maladaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation positively and significantly mediated the relationship between neuroticism and FCR at (P<0.01) and (P<0.05), respectively. Moreover, the relationship between agreeableness and conscientiousness with FCR was negatively and significantly mediated by adaptive and maladaptive strategies (P<0.01).  Adaptive strategies negatively and significantly mediated the relationship between extraversion and FCR (P<0.01), and maladaptive strategies negatively and significantly mediated the relationship between openness and FCR (P<0.05) in breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer survivors with neurotic personality traits employ maladaptive strategies instead of adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation and exhibit more FCR. In contrast, patients with agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, and openness personality traits employ adaptive strategies or avoid maladaptive strategies and exhibit less FCR.