A Taxometric Analysis of Type-D Personality

Citation

Ferguson E, Williams L, O'Connor R, Howard S, Hughes BM, Johnston DW, Allan JL, O'Connor DB, Lewis CA, Grealy MA & O'Carroll R (2009) A Taxometric Analysis of Type-D Personality. Psychosomatic Medicine, 71 (9), pp. 981-986. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181bd888b

Abstract
Background: Type-D personality is treated as a categorical variable and caseness has been shown to be a risk factor for poor prognosis in coronary heart disease. However, at present there is no direct evidence to support the assumption that Type-D is categorical and able to differentiate true cases from non-cases. Methods: In total, 1012 healthy young adults from across the UK and Ireland completed the DS14, the standard index of Type-D, and scores were submitted to two taxometric procedures MAMBAC and MAXCOV. Results: Graphical representations (comparing actual to simulated data) and fit indices indicated that Type-D is more accurately represented as a dimensional rather than categorical construct. Conclusion: Type-D is better represented as a dimensional construct. Implications for theory development and clinical practice with respect to Type-D are examined as well as the wider use of taxometrics within psychosomatic medicine (e.g., to investigate if there are medically unexplained syndrome taxons such as a Gulf War Syndrome taxon).

Keywords
Type-D; Taxometric Analysis; Dimensional; Functional Syndromes; Cardiovascular system Diseases Psychosomatic aspects; Cardiovascular Diseases psychology; Mental Disorders psychology

Journal
Psychosomatic Medicine: Volume 71, Issue 9

People

Professor Julia Allan

Professor in Psychology, Psychology

Professor Ronan O'Carroll

Professor, Psychology