Type D personality in the general population: a systematic review of health status, mechanisms of disease, and work-related problems

“Moreover, Type D personality is based on normal personality traits rather than psychopathology which implies that it should be prevalent in the general population as well [1], and that it may have an adverse effect on the perceived health status as reported by individuals from the general population.”

“These studies in cardiovascular patients have shown that Type D personality is an independent predictor of negative health outcomes such as poor health status, (recurrent) myocardial infarction, and increased risk of mortality [4-7].”

“The checklist was based on established criteria lists for systematic reviews [27,28].”

“These studies in cardiovascular patients have shown that Type D personality is an independent predictor of negative health outcomes such as poor health status, (recurrent) myocardial infarction, and increased risk of mortality [4-7].”

“Although the majority of studies on Type D personality has focussed on cardiovascular [1,3-7,29-34], or other medical populations [35], this systematic review indicates that Type D may negatively affect health status of apparently healthy individuals from the general population as well.”

“Accordingly, Type D was associated with increased cardiac output [25], heightened systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactivity [11], and dampened heart rate reactivity during experimental stress.”

“Furthermore, the studies included in this review showed that people with a Type D personality more often reported mental health disorders [17] as well as lower levels of social support [26] compared to non-Type D adults.”

“Various studies showed that individuals from the general population with a Type D personality experienced more symptoms of distress, depression and anxiety compared to non-Type D’s [9,13,18,19,23-25].”

“Although the majority of studies on Type D personality has focussed on cardiovascular [1,3-7,29-34], or other medical populations [35], this systematic review indicates that Type D may negatively affect health status of apparently healthy individuals from the general population as well.”

“The checklist was based on established criteria lists for systematic reviews [27,28].”

“For example, Type D’s reported more somatic complaints [13,16,22] and a significantly lower health status compared to non-Type D’s [9,23].”

“Although the majority of studies on Type D personality has focussed on cardiovascular [1,3-7,29-34], or other medical populations [35], this systematic review indicates that Type D may negatively affect health status of apparently healthy individuals from the general population as well.”

“Correlational studies have shown that Type D personality is different from behavior patterns Type A and Type B [2].”

“Moreover, individuals with a Type D personality manifested significantly more symptoms of mental health disorders [17], had more symptoms of mental distress [24], and exhibited higher feelings of subjective stress than non-Type D individuals [25].”

“This has also been shown in Type D patients with chronic heart failure causing a significant decrease in health status among these patients [41,42].”

“Although Type D is a stable construct [49], this does not imply that the individual’s level of distress cannot be modified.”

“Type D personality has been associated with elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol [45], increased oxidative stress [46], immune dysfunction, and decreased numbers of bone-marrow derived endothelial progenitor cells [47] in cardiac patients.”

“To our knowledge, only one other study investigated the relationship between work and Type D personality in patients with an acute coronary syndrom, and found that failure to resume work was not related to Type D personality [48].”

“This has also been shown in Type D patients with chronic heart failure causing a significant decrease in health status among these patients [41,42].”

“A possible explanation for this higher rate of sick-leave is the fact that employees with a Type D personality are more likely to report symptoms of vital exhaustion [20], and perceive their workplace as more stressful [17].”

“This increased vulnerability for mental health problems in Type D individuals was also found in chronic pain patients [36], diabetes patients [37], and cardiac patients [ 38 ].”

“Moreover, individuals with a Type D personality manifested significantly more symptoms of mental health disorders [17], had more symptoms of mental distress [24], and exhibited higher feelings of subjective stress than non-Type D individuals [25].”

“[12] Germany 492 employees at manufactory M = 40.”

“Finally, Type D was a strong predictor of adverse cardiac outcome after acute myocardial infarction, and the associated risk was similar to that of traditional cardiovascular risk factors [7].”

“Type D personality has been associated with elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol [45], increased oxidative stress [46], immune dysfunction, and decreased numbers of bone-marrow derived endothelial progenitor cells [47] in cardiac patients.”

“Although the majority of studies on Type D personality has focussed on cardiovascular [1,3-7,29-34], or other medical populations [35], this systematic review indicates that Type D may negatively affect health status of apparently healthy individuals from the general population as well.”

“Moreover, individuals with a Type D personality manifested significantly more symptoms of mental health disorders [17], had more symptoms of mental distress [24], and exhibited higher feelings of subjective stress than non-Type D individuals [25].”

“Although the majority of studies on Type D personality has focussed on cardiovascular [1,3-7,29-34], or other medical populations [35], this systematic review indicates that Type D may negatively affect health status of apparently healthy individuals from the general population as well.”

“In patients with heart failure, it was found that Type D personality was an independent predictor of impaired health status [39] and more cardiac symptoms [40].”

“This increased vulnerability for mental health problems in Type D individuals was also found in chronic pain patients [36], diabetes patients [37], and cardiac patients [38].”

“[14] 151 prison workers (Netherlands) Type Ds were more at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder than non-Type Ds (OR 9.”

“In fact, Type D personality has been shown to be substantially heritable [15] and research on genetic linkage has provided more evidence for the biological underpinnings of the Type D construct [43].”

“Type D personality has been associated with elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol [45], increased oxidative stress [46], immune dysfunction, and decreased numbers of bone-marrow derived endothelial progenitor cells [47] in cardiac patients.”

“After careful review, 19 articles fulfilled our selection criteria and were included in this review [8-26].”

“For example, Type D’s reported more somatic complaints [13, 16 ,22] and a significantly lower health status compared to non-Type D’s [9,23].”

“Thirteen studies were of a high quality although none of the studies received the maximum attainable score [8,11,12,14-16,18,21-26].”

“05) compared to non-Type D children [13].”

“For example, Type D’s reported more somatic complaints [13,16,22] and a significantly lower health status compared to non-Type D’s [9,23].”

“) Men with a Type D personality, but not women, exhibited higher cardiac output during experimental stress compared to non-Type D men (F[3,37] = 3.”

“Type D personality was associated with more remembered alienation from parents and control by parents while growing up [23].”

“A distressed personality Type D profile is a vulnerability factor for general psychological distress that affects mental and physical health status [13].”

“While many studies have documented poorer general health correlates of Type D in community (rather than CVD) samples [154, 155], the risk posed by Type D for mortality due to non-CVD causes, in nonpatient samples, remains to be elaborated.”