Personality, Preoperative Anxiety, and Postoperative Outcomes: A Review

Research has shown that personality is associated with anxiety levels in the general population. However, little is known about the relationship between personality and preoperative anxiety and the subsequent health outcomes in patients undergoing surgery. Therefore, this review aimed to identify studies that explored the relationship between personality traits and preoperative anxiety, as well as their association with postoperative outcomes. Existing literature shows that anxiety may play an intermediary role in the relationship between personality and postoperative outcomes. Severe anxiety may partially explain the adverse effects of certain personality traits, such as neuroticism, on postoperative outcomes. However, the relationship between personality traits, preoperative anxiety, and postoperative outcomes remains unclear. Interventions such as clinical evaluation, preoperative counseling, and management strategies can be of great value in identifying and resolving patients’ anxiety and negative emotions to improve postoperative outcomes.