Type D Personality and Illness Behaviors

Type D personality (the combination of negative affect and social inhibition) is associated with poor prognosis in cardiac patients. Findings showed that Type D individuals engaged in more unhealthy behaviours including smoking, poor diet and lack of physical activity than non-Type D individuals. The association between Type D personality and maladaptive health behaviours may represent one mechanism to explain the link between Type D and ill-health. An article regarding Type D and cardiac risk is presented. The Chapter aims to decribe the relationship between Type D and health- related behaviours.