Type D Personality Links Heart, Mental Problems

German epidemiologists studied 5,000 Europeans to learn more about the Type D personality. People with Type D (for “distress”) personality are characterized by negative affectivity and social inhibition. It is believed to be associated with cardiovascular disease. “Type D subjects were characterized by lower socioeconomic status, lack of a partnership, and increased depression, anxiety, depersonalization, and health care utilization,” wrote researchers in the May Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Type D personality appeared to be a distinct syndrome, but no associations with cardiovascular risk factors were found independently from those associated with depression or anxiety.

“Although Type D personality is strongly associated with depression, anxiety, impaired mental and somatic health status,...the type D construct seems to comprise dysfunctional personality patterns not covered by depression and anxiety scales,” the researchers said, adding that prospective population studies are needed to understand the links between psychiatric diagnoses and heart disease that multiple studies have identified.

To read more about the association between heart disease and mental health, see Psychiatric News here.

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