Type D Personality vs. Dispositional Optimism in Cardiac Patients

Aim: Assessment of the relationship between type D personality traits and dispositional optimism in cardiac patients.Material: 102 people, including 63 men and 39 women with cardiac diagnoses (average age 65,471, SD 10,567).Methods: Respondents were divided into groups according to the type D personality (group 0 – people without the type D personality, group 1 – people with the type D personality), gender (group 0 – men, group 1 – women) and according to cardiac diagnoses (group 1 – people with ischemic heart disease, group 2 – people with ischemic heart disease and circulatory insufficiency). The DS-14 scale was used to assess the type D personality and the LOT-R life orientation test was implemented to assess dispositional optimism. The original author’s questionnaire was used to collect the necessary socio-demographic data.Results: 36% of patients met the criteria for the type D personality. A negative relationship between dispositional optimism and the type D personality factor was observed. No differences were observed in the researched parameters in relation to cardiologic diagnoses. Conclusions: People with greater dispositional optimism may be less exposed to negative emotions and social isolation resulting from the characteristics of the type D personality. The area of mutual relationships between optimism and the type D personality requires further scientific exploration. Groups of patients with the ischemic heart disease and the accompanying circulatory insufficiency may be psychologically similar.