Type-D personality mechanisms of effect: The role of health-related behavior and social support

Lynn Williams, Rory C. O'Connor, Siobhan Howard, Brian M. Hughes, Derek Johnston, Julia Louise Allan, Daryl B. O'Connor, Christopher A. Lewis, Eamonn Ferguson, Noel Sheehy, Madeleine A Grealy, Ronan O'Carroll

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

172 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To (a) investigate the prevalence of type-D personality (the conjoint effects of negative affectivity and social inhibition) in a healthy British and Irish population; (b) to test the influence of type-D on health-related behavior, and (c)
to determine if these relationships are explained by neuroticism.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed; 1012 healthy young adults (225 males, 787 females, mean age 20.5 years) from the United Kingdom and Ireland completed measures of type-D personality, health behaviors, social support, and neuroticism.

Results: The prevalence of type-D was found to be 38.5%, significantly higher than that reported in other European countries. In addition, type-D individuals reported performing significantly fewer health-related behaviors and lower levels of social support than non-type-D individuals.These relationships remained significant after controlling for neuroticism.

Conclusion: These findings provide new evidence on type-D and suggest a role for health-related behavior in explaining the link between type-D and poor clinical prognosis in cardiac patients.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)63-69
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume64
Issue number1
Early online date31 Jul 2007
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2008

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Affect
  • Coronary Disease
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Great Britain
  • Health Behavior
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Inhibition (Psychology)
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurotic Disorders
  • Personality Assessment
  • Personality Development
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Behavior
  • Social Support
  • Students

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