Type D Personality in infarcted patients a study with the Rorschach projective technique

Abstract

Background: The Type D personality is a vulnerability factor associated with the psychological suffering that affects the physical and mental health state. Literature shows that the Type D personality is defined by a combination of two independent constructs: the negative affectivity (NA) which refers to the tendency to experience negative emotions over time and in several situations; and the social inhibition (SI) or the tendency to inhibit emotions and behaviors in social interactions. Objective: The present study aims to explore the emotions of a group of patients with heart disease, through the use of the Rorschach projective tecnique. Method: Fourty subjects with an history of heart attack, aged between 32 and 76 years, were evaluated in order to find some possible indicators of Type D personality such as the quality of contents, movements response, popular responses and Erlebnistypus. Results: Findings shows that the majority of patients present a prevalence of responses belonging to Animal and Anatomy contents and the Erlebnistypus is mostly introversive. Conclusions: The study points out some scientific element useful both in research and in clinical practice, confirming the Rorschach potential in the assessment and identification of specific personality traits, involved in the Type D personality, that characterizes the majority of cardiac impared patients.