PERSONALITY AND EMOTION REGULATION IN CHRONIC ILLNESS.

Abstract

Psychological functioning has a significant impact on the body since and represents a critical component in the management of chronic diseases, potentially affecting their onset, prognosis and trajectory. Chronic conditions may affect the increase of emotional distress, potentially leading to autonomic function dysregulation of both the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal. The present paper aims to summarize current research on the role of personality and emotion regulation in determining both physical and mental well-being of chronic patients with particular attention to cancer, psoriasis and asthma. Findings highlighted that despite their distinct clinical manifestations, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and psoriasis share important common features. In addition to the physical impact they have on patients, they show meaningful, bidirectional relationships with psychological functions and inner processes. Across these pathologies, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, immature defense mechanisms, and alexithymia were consistently found associated with poorer quality of life, reduced adherence to treatment and, consequently, worse prognoses.