Objective: To examine the relationships between personality and coping styles and between coping styles and quality of life in patients with alpha-I antitrypsin deficiency. Methods: Surveys were mailed to adult alpha-I antitrypsin deficiency patients who are currently in the NHLBI Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Branch registry. Personality traits are measured using the NEO five- factor inventory, coping strategies are measured using the COPE inventory, and quality of life is measured using Cantril's Ladder of Life Satisfaction. Information concerning severity of illness will be obtained from the longitudinal data available in the patients' charts. Data will be analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics and regression techniques. Summary and Findings: One hundred eighteen surveys were mailed in October 1996. Seventy-seven completed questionnaires were returned for a 65% return rate. Three questionnaires were incomplete, 14 subjects did not respond, 7 had died, 8 were lost to followup, and 2 declined participation. Preliminary analysis indicates that individuals with alpha-I antitrypsin deficiency use positive coping strategies such as positive reinterpretation and growth, which were correlated with higher quality-of-life scores. Subjects also tended to use acceptance as a coping strategy. Even though acceptance can be maladaptive in some people, it may be a positive coping strategy in these individuals with genetic emphysema.
