Complementary and alternative medicine and psychologic factors: Toward an individual differences model of complementary and alternative medicine use and outcomes

Context: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is in widespread use. Study of the psychologic factors associated with CAM use may provide descriptions of subgroups of health care consumers and give further insight into the reasons for using alternative therapies. Objectives: To see if the use of CAM is associated with psychologic factors in two outpatient samples and one community sample. Setting: The University of Virginia Hospital and Charlottesville community. Patients: Patients at the Cancer Center (60) and Pain Management Center (63) and adults from the Charlottesville community (63) for a total of 186 participants. Design: A survey of CAM with psychologic assessment. Main Measures: Level of CAM use, effectiveness ratings of CAM, positive affect, negative affect, and the Absorption Scale, which measures a personality factor associated with the capacity for focused attention and mind-body awareness. Results: Participants using six or fewer CAM scored an average of 13.9 on the Absorption Scale compared to participants using seven or more CAM, who scored an average of 21.4 on Absorption (F = 48.73, p <.0001). Higher effectiveness ratings of CAM were associated with greater positive affect. Pain Center patients rated alternative therapies as least effective, and reported lower positive affect and greater negative affect compared with the Cancer Center patients and community adults. Conclusions: Above average use of CAM is associated with higher education, greater wellbeing and higher Absorption. The personality traits associated with alternative therapies are compatible with participation in these therapies and may facilitate the capacity to benefit from them.