The relationship between Type D personality, coping style and psychological distress in heart failure patients

Parekh, Mashal

Abstract

Aims: The main objective of this research was to determine if Type D personality predicts distress in Heart failure (HF) patients. The study also sought to examine whether there is a relationship between Type D personality, coping and psychological distress in this cardiac patient group.

Method: A cross-sectional, quantitative design was used. 72 (58 %) with HF between September 2005 and March 2006 completed questionnaires in the outpatient clinic of a cardiology department. The DS14 questionnaire was used to measure Type D personality (predictor variable), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) measured psychological distress (outcome variable) and the Brief COPE inventory was the measure of coping used (mediator variable) of this HF patient sample.

Main analyses: An ANOVA test investigated whether Type D predicted distress. The mediational regression model (National Institute for Clincial Excellence, 1986) was used to analyse the relationships between the three variables.

Results: Type D significantly predicted depression (p<O.O 1), even after adjusting for demographical variables however did not predict anxiety. Patients tended to report using a mixture of Engagement and Disengagement Coping Styles. Coping did not act as a mediating variable between Type D personality and depression or anxiety (as measures of psychological distress). However disengagement coping was found to significantly mediate the relationship between the separate subscales of Type D and distress.

Conclusion: Early screening of Type D personality may be helpful in identifying HF patients at risk of psychological distress. Increasing awareness of the potential disengaging coping strategies that Type D patients use may determine, not only early intervention, but early screening upon their diagnosis of HF.

Citation

Parekh, M. (2006). The relationship between Type D personality, coping style and psychological distress in heart failure patients. (Thesis). University of Hull. Retrieved from https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4216987

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Sep 7, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Medicine
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4216987
• Additional Information: Postgraduate Medical Institute, The University of Hull
• Award Date: Jul 1, 2006