Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2019.24

Differences in Personality Traits and the Influence of Personality Traits on the Development and Course of Coronary Heart Disease

Iva Žegura orcid.org/0000-0001-9649-1948 ; University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia
Denis Bratko orcid.org/0000-0002-2482-4413 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Nataša Jokić- Begić ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Ivanuša orcid.org/0000-0002-6426-6831 ; Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

According to the five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), in accordance with the model by Costa and McCrae and the combinations
of facets within them, there is a differentiation of people who are more prone to experiencing positive emotions, are more optimistic, and have developed positive habits related to health, all of which contributes to their life satisfaction and the subjective feeling of wellbeing, and those individuals who are more prone to experiencing negative emotions, are pessimistic, possess negative habits related to health, and are less satisfied with life and report a reduced feeling of subjective wellbeing. The goal of the study was to investigate the relationship of protective and risk personality factors within the model by Costa and McCrae, psychosocial variables (the state of general wellbeing, behaviors related to healthy living, the level of the perception of the risk of developing disease), and the measurement of the state of the cardiovascular system in healthy individuals, patients with stable angina pectoris, and individuals with risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). The study participants (N=248) were individuals who were being tested in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation in Zagreb. The participants were divided into three groups: a control group of healthy people, a control group of participants suffering from stable angina pectoris, and the study group of participants with risk factor for CHD. Contrary to expectations, it was shown that the three groups of participants did not differ according to personality traits. There is need for further research on the influence of protective and risk personality factors for the development of CHD, methodological improvements with the application of more sensitive personality measurements, and especially the relationship of positive and negative affect.

Keywords

coronary heart disease; risk factors; five-factor model

Hrčak ID:

218123

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/218123

Publication date:

18.3.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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