Relationship of type D personality and vital exhaustion with negative emotions and psychological adjustment to heart disease

Abstract

This study investigated two emerging risk factors in heart disease: type D personality and vital exhaustion (VE). Gender differences in type D personality and VE, negative emotions (anger-in, anger-out, anxiety and depression) and psychological adjustment (perceived competence, self-esteem, satisfaction and social support) were analyzed; and the predictive value of type D personality and VE was determined with respect to all these outcomes. The sample was composed of 164 cardiac patients (40,24% women; 59,76% men; Mean age = 56,30, SD = 12,88). Results showed that women scored significantly higher in type D personality, VE, anxiety and depression, and presented lower self-esteem. Type D personality and VE were both associated with greater anxiety and poorer psychological adjustment. Type D personality also predicted more anger-in, and VE was predictive of lower social support and more severe depression.