The impact of dispositional emotional expressivity and social constraints on distress among prostate cancer patients in Iceland

Objectives The aim of our study was to identify individual factors that may predict which subset of prostate cancer patients is more likely to experience emotional distress. Design and methods Prostate cancer survivors identified through the Icelandic Cancer Registry (N=184), completed questionnaires measuring emotional distress, dispositional emotional expressivity and social constraints. Results A significant positive relationship was observed between perceived social constraints and distress (e.g. anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts), but only among prostate cancer survivors with higher levels of dispositional emotional expressivity. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that it might be important to assess individual differences as well as social environmental factors in the treatment of distress among prostate cancer survivors.