Type-D personality: a predictor of quality of life and coronary heart disease

The present study examined the association of type-D personality (and its components) with quality of life in cardiac patients compared with healthy people. A sample of 80 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and 70 healthy people aged 45–60 years completed the WHO quality of life brief questionnaire and the 14-item type-D personality scale. A significantly higher percentage of the MI group scored positive for type-D personality compared with healthy individuals (71% versus 33%). Significantly more MI patients had low quality of life scores than did healthy individuals (64% versus 20%). Regression analysis showed that higher scores on type-D personality had a negative impact on quality of life in MI patients and that the social inhibition component had a greater impact than negative affectivity. Psychological assessment for type-D personality may be helpful in developing health care plans.