Neuroticism, Preoccupied Attachment Style, and a Chronic Disease Condition as Predictors of Reminiscence During an Illness

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to analyse to what extent attachment styles, personality traits, and a chronic disease condition were predictors of reminiscence during an illness. The second goal was to examine the relationship between personality traits, attachment styles, and reminiscence during an illness. Reminiscence during an illness was divided into two categories as emotional and cognitive patterns of the past experiences. In the study, there were 73 Turkish participants (43 males, 58.9%). The mean age of participants was 40.2 (SD = 11.8). Results indicated that preoccupied attachment style, agreeableness, and whether having a chronic disease explain with 22.4 percent of the total variance of reminiscence during an illness. Reminiscence during an illness was positively related to preoccupied attachment style and negatively correlated with agreeableness along with extroversion. Gender had a significant effect on openness to experience, preoccupied attachment style, neuroticism, and negative cognitive reminiscence during an illness. Finally, chronic illness had a significant impact on reminiscence during an illness and neuroticism. The study suggested that personality traits, attachment styles, and gender affected the reminiscence during an illness.