Intrinsic Traits Such as Personality and Decision-Making Style are Predictive of Stress in Surrogate Decision-Makers.
Lauren J Van Scoy, Chloe F Bliton, Theresa Smith and 4 others
PMID 36266775WHAT IT FOUND
After a surrogate decision or a patient death, decision-makers with a higher tendency to feel anxious and emotionally reactive, more regret, or a stronger drive to choose the best option reported more stress.
Key findings
01Higher neuroticism was independently associated with greater total stress and hyperarousal.
02A one-point increase in neuroticism was associated with a 10.50-point increase in total stress.
03Higher regret and higher maximization each predicted greater total stress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The analysis included only 38 surrogate decision-makers, and total stress was analyzed in 31, so it was small and underpowered. The sample was mostly female and non-Hispanic, so it may not apply to all surrogate decision-makers. The research questions emerged during the study, and this was a secondary analysis rather than a primary test of personality traits. Visit 3 happened only after a surrogate decision or death, so timing was not uniform across participants. Eleven participants did not make a surrogate decision because the patient died without one. The parent trial groups were combined, so the analysis does not test whether an advance care planning intervention changed stress.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not name a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that screening surrogate decision-makers for personality traits will reduce their stress. This was a small secondary analysis of associations after a decision or death, and it did not test an intervention or screening program.