Personality types in individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Objective The Type A personality, characterized by impatience, strong career ambition and competitiveness, is associated with greater sensitivity to external stress. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an auto-immune disease, which is potentially influenced by stress, unlike type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this study was to assess whether individuals with T1D and T2D exhibited significant differences on the Type A personality scale. We also assessed personality in patients with thyroid auto-immune diseases to validate potential links between auto-immune disease and Type A personality. Design and methods The Bortner questionnaire was used to assess Type A personality in 188 patients with T1D, 430 patients with T2D and 85 patients with auto-immune thyroid disease (Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). Results Type A Bortner scores were significantly higher in T1D patients than in T2D patients (188 ± 34 vs 177 ± 36, P < 0.0001). Patients with auto-immune thyroid diseases and T1D patients had similar Type A Bortner scores (189 ± 33 vs 188 ± 34, P = 0.860). Conclusion Patients with auto-immune T1D have higher Type A scores than T2D patients. Furthermore, patients with auto-immune thyroid disease also have elevated Type A scores similar to those observed in type 1 diabetes, suggesting that an elevated Type A score in T1D is potentially related to its auto-immune origin. This suggests a possible link between Type A personality and auto-immune diseases via stress-triggering psychobiological pathways. The different personality score between T1D and T2D is an important factor, which could influence self-care coping strategies in diabetes and long-term prognosis.

Impulsivity assessed ten years earlier and sociodemographic factors predict adherence to COVID-19 related behavioral restrictions in old individuals with hypertension

“…In the 70s and 80s Type A personality typology was at the center of studies on the link between personality and cardiovascular diseases [ 13 , 14 ]. Over the years, several studies have confirmed an association between the Type A personality and worse health conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes [ 15 – 19 ]. However, many other studies have obtained contrasting results [ 20 , 21 ].…”

Ischemic Heart Disease and Type A Behavior Pattern in Women in Kurdistan

“…It also does not agree with Rouland et al study, which found that Type A Bortner scores were significantly higher in T1D patients than in T2D patients. 8 Smoking was found not to be correlated to type A behavior pattern. This result is consistent with Hughes et al study, which found that Type A and Type B smokers do not differ in smoking behavior or tobacco and nicotine intake.…”

Psychological Characteristics of Patients with Diabetes

“…The personality of patients with type 2 diabetes is characterized by neuroticism and psychoticism and shows a negative correlation with extraversion (33), and diabetes type 1 is characterized by internalized anger that generates excessive competitiveness colored with aggression, perfectionism. (17) Following the processing of the results, the patients with diabetes, in terms of personality, presented significantly higher results from a statistical point of view to neuroticism / anxiety and activity than the control group. The high level of anxiety and neuroticism were also highlighted in other studies (8,9,33) but the need for high activity of patients with diabetes was outlined only in the present study.…”

“…Studies in the field (14,17) describe differently the personality of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The personality of patients with type 2 diabetes is characterized by neuroticism and psychoticism and shows a negative correlation with extraversion (33), and diabetes type 1 is characterized by internalized anger that generates excessive competitiveness colored with aggression, perfectionism.…”

“…( 16) Type D personality is characterized by a mixture of high levels of negative affectivity and social inhibition, which leads to a stable tendency to experience negative emotions and inhibition of the expression of these emotions. (14) In a study (17) of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it was found that people with type 1 diabetes have significantly higher scores on the type A personality than people with type 2 diabetes. Type A personality is characterized by hostility, an internalized anger that generates excessive competitiveness with aggression, perfectionism (high expectations of oneself and others), exaggerated ambition.…”