Abstract
Objective
This study examines if Type D personality is (1) associated with cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress in a healthy sample, and (2) has predictive utility for cardiovascular reactivity above its individual subcomponents (negative affect; NA, social inhibition; SI), as well as anxiety and depression.
Design
Undergraduate students (n = 173) competed a standardised cardiovascular reactivity experimental protocol consisting of resting baseline and stressor phase (mental arithmetic), with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) monitored throughout.
Main Outcome Measures
The main outcome measures were cardiovascular reactivity to the stressor, which was operationalised as the difference between resting baseline and the stressor phase for SBP, DBP and HR.
Results
The continuous Type D interaction term (NA × SI) significantly predicted lower SBP reactivity to the mental arithmetic stressor amongst women, independent of NA, SI and confounding variables. Moreover, this remained significant after adjustment for anxiety and depressive symptoms. Depression, NA and SI were also significant independent predictors of SBP reactivity amongst women.
Conclusion
Type D personality is associated with lower SBP reactivity to acute stress in women, which may be indicative of blunted cardiovascular reactivity. This association was independent of NA, SI, Anxiety and Depression.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.