Type-D personality mechanisms of effect: the role of health-related behavior and social support.
OBJECTIVE
To (a) investigate the prevalence of type-D personality (the conjoint effects of negative affectivity and social inhibition) in a healthy British and Irish population; (b) to test the influence of type-D on health-related behavior, and (c) to determine if these relationships are explained by neuroticism.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design was employed; 1012 healthy young adults (225 males, 787 females, mean age 20.5 years) from the United Kingdom and Ireland completed measures of type-D personality, health behaviors, social support, and neuroticism.


RESULTS
The prevalence of type-D was found to be 38.5%, significantly higher than that reported in other European countries. In addition, type-D individuals reported performing significantly fewer health-related behaviors and lower levels of social support than non-type-D individuals. These relationships remained significant after controlling for neuroticism.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide new evidence on type-D and suggest a role for health-related behavior in explaining the link between type-D and poor clinical prognosis in cardiac patients.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom