Occupational stress and its consequences in healthcare professionals: the role of type D personality.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of Type D personality in perceiving stress at work and the development of adverse effects of experienced stress, i.e. mental health disorders and burnout syndrome.


METHODS
A sample of 79 healthcare professionals (51 psychiatrists and 28 nurses) of a mental hospital in Lódź was eligible for the study. The mean age of the subjects was 39.71 (SD = 8.02) and their work experience was 11.20 (SD = 5.45). The DS-14 self-report to measure Type D personality, the Subjective Work Evaluation Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used in the study.


RESULTS
The results of the study confirm a significant role of Type D personality in perceiving job stress and the development of its adverse effects reflected especially in the worsening health condition. Type D subjects perceive their workplace as more stressful than non-Type Ds and manifest more symptoms of mental health disorders and a higher level of burnout, expressed mainly in the form of emotional exhaustion and lower personal accomplishment.


CONCLUSIONS
Modification of Type D personality aimed at reducing tendency to experience negative emotions and enhancing skills to express them combined with improving social relations is desired to prevent healthcare professionals from adverse health outcomes.
Ogińska-Bulik
Nina
N
Psychoprophylactic Department, Institute of Psychology, University of Lódź, Poland. noginska@uni.lodz.pl
D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality / Q000145:classification*; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology