Skip to main content
Log in

Type D Personality and Chronic Pain: Construct and Concurrent Validity of the DS14

  • Published:
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A body of research has demonstrated that the Type D personality is a risk factor among cardiac patients. Previous studies validating the Type D Scale (DS14) across other clinical groups have not included chronic pain patients in their samples. The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct and concurrent validity of the DS14 using the MMPI-2. The DS14 and its two component subscales demonstrated strong internal consistency among chronic pain patients. The two subscales of the DS14 were found to be related to similar clinical scales on the MMPI-2, and significant differences were found in the MMPI-2 profiles of individuals with and without the Type D personality. Considerations for clinical practice and research are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aquarius, A. E., Denollet, J., Hamming, J. F., & De Vries, J. (2005). Role of disease status and Type D personality in outcomes in-patients with peripheral arterial disease. American Journal of Cardiology, 96, 996–1001. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.05.059.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Asendorpf, J. B. (2003). Head-to-head comparison of the predictive validity of personality types and dimensions. European Journal of Personality, 17, 327–346. doi:10.1002/per.492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonica, J. J., & Loeser, J. D. (2000). History of pain concepts and therapies. In J. D. Loeser, S. H. Butler, C. R. Chapman, & D. C. Turk (Eds.), Bonica’s management of pain (3rd ed., pp. 3–16). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, J. N., Dahlstrom, W. G., Graham, J. R., Tellegen, A., & Kaemmer, B. (1989). Manual for the restandardized Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory: MMPI-2: An interpretive and administrative guide. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carson, J. W., Keefe, F. J., Lowry, K. P., Porter, L. S., Goli, V., & Fras, A. M. (2007). Conflict about expressing emotions and chronic low back pain: Associations with pain and anger. Journal of Pain, 8, 405–411. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2006.11.004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, B. P., Duberstein, P. R., & Lyness, J. M. (2007). The distressed personality type: Replicability and general health associations. European Journal of Personality, 21, 911–929. doi:10.1002/per.645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, P. T., Herbst, J. H., McCrae, R. R., Samuels, J., & Ozer, D. J. (2002). The replicability and utility of three personality types. European Journal of Personality, 16, S73–S87. doi:10.1002/per.448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Fruyt, F., & Denollet, J. (2002). Type D personality: A five-factor model perspective. Psychology and Health, 17, 671–683. doi:10.1080/08870440290025858.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denollet, J. (2005). DS14: Standard assessment of negative affectivity, social inhibition, and Type D personality. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 89–97. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000149256.81953.49.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denollet, J., Pedersen, S. S., Vrints, C. J., & Conraads, V. M. (2006). Usefulness of type D personality in predicting five-year cardiac events above and beyond concurrent symptoms of stress in patients with coronary heart disease. American Journal of Cardiology, 97, 970–973. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.10.035.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denollet, J., Vaes, J., & Brutsaert, L. (2000). Inadequate response to treatment in coronary heart disease: Adverse effects of Type D personality and younger age on 5-year prognosis and quality of life. Circulation, 102, 630–635.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denollet, J., & Van Heck, G. L. (2001). Psychological risk factors in heart disease—what type D personality is (not) about. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 51, 465–468. doi:10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00230-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denollet, J. K., Sys, S. U., Stroobant, N., Rombouts, H., Gillebert, T. C., & Brutsaert, D. L. (1996). Personality as independent predictor of long-term mortality in patients with coronary heart disease. Lancet, 347, 417–421. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(96)90007-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emons, W. H. M., Meijer, R. R., & Denollet, J. (2007). Negative affectivity and social inhibition in cardiovascular disease: Evaluating type-D personality and its assessment using item response theory. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 63, 27–39. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.03.010.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Engel, G. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196, 129–136. doi:10.1126/science.847460.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fishbain, D. A., Cole, B., Cutler, R. B., Lewis, J., Rosomoff, H. L., & Rosomoff, R. S. (2006). Chronic pain and the measurement of personality: Do states influence traits? Pain Medicine, 7, 509–529. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2006.00239.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greene, R. L. (2000). The MMPI–2: An interpretive manual. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagglund, K. J., Haley, W. E., Reveille, J. D., & Alarcon, G. S. (1989). Predicting individual differences in pain and functional impairment among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 32, 851–858.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kupper, N., & Denollet, J. (2007). Type-D personality as a prognostic factor in heart disease: Assessment and mediating mechanisms. Journal of Personality Assessment, 89, 265–276.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lumley, M. A., Kelley, J. E., & Leisen, P. C. (1997). Predicting pain and adjustment in rheumatoid arthritis: The role of stressful life events and emotional processing. Journal of Health Psychology, 2, 255–264. doi:10.1177/135910539700200221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martens, E. J., Smith, O. R. F., Winter, J., Denollet, J., & Pedersen, S. S. (2008). Cardiac history, prior depression and personality predict course of depressive symptoms after myocardial infarction. Psychological Medicine, 38, 257–264.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mounce, K. (2002). Comment. Rheumatology, 41, 1–5. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/41.1.1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, S. S., Lemos, P. A., van Vooren, P. R., Liu, T. K., Daemen, J., Erdman, R. A., et al. (2004a). Type D personality predicts death or myocardial infarction after bare metal stent or sirolimus-eluting stent implantation: A Rapamycin-Eluting Stent Evaluated at Rotterdam Cardiology Hospital (RESEARCH) registry sub-study. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 44, 997–1001. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2004.05.064.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, S. S., van Domburg, R. T., Theuns, D. A., Jordaens, L., & Erdman, R. A. (2004b). Type D personality is associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with an implantable cardioverter defribillator and their partners. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66, 714–719. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000132874.52202.21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Porcelli, P., & McGrath, R. E. (2007). Introduction to the special issue on personality assessment in medical settings. Journal of Personality Assessment, 89, 211–215.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, P. T., & Zautra, A. J. (1997). Stressful life events’ effects on rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 319–323. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.65.2.319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schiffer, A. A., Pavan, A., Pedersen, S. S., Gremigni, P., Sommaruga, M., & Denollet, J. (2006). Type D personality and cardiovascular disease: Evidence and clinical implications. Minerva Psichiatrica, 47, 79–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiffer, A. A., Pedersen, S. S., Broers, H., Widdershoven, J. W., & Denollet, J. (2008). Type-D personality but not depression predicts severity of anxiety in heart failure patients at 1-year follow-up. Journal of Affective Disorders, 106, 73–81. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2007.05.021.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schiffer, A. A., Pedersen, S. S., Widdershoven, J. W., Hendriks, E. H., Winter, J. B., & Denollet, J. (2005). The distressed (type D) personality is independently associated with impaired health status and increased depressive symptoms in chronic heart failure. European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, 12, 341–346. doi:10.1097/01.hjr.0000173107.76109.6c.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sher, L. (2005). Type D personality: The heart, stress, and cortisol. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 98, 323–329. doi:10.1093/qjmed/hci064.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. A., Lumley, M. A., & Longo, D. J. (2002). Contrasting emotion approach coping with passive coping for chronic myofascial pain. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, 326–335. doi:10.1207/S15324796ABM2404_09.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spindler, H., Pedersen, S. S., Serruys, P. W., Erdman, R. A. M., & van Domburg, R. T. (2007). Type-D personality predicts chronic anxiety following percutaneous coronary intervention in the drug-eluting stent era. Journal of Affective Disorders, 99, 173–199. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2006.09.009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tan, G., Jensen, M. P., Thornby, J., & Sloan, P. A. (2008). Negative emotions, pain, and functioning. Psychological Services, 5, 26–35. doi:10.1037/1541-1559.5.1.26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomason, B. T., Brantley, P. J., Jones, G. N., Dyer, H. R., & Morris, J. L. (1992). The relation between stress and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15, 215–220. doi:10.1007/BF00848326.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Urrows, S., Affleck, G., Tennen, H., & Higgins, P. (1994). Unique clinical and psychological correlates of fibromyalgia tender points and joint tenderness in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 37, 1513–1520. doi:10.1002/art.1780371016.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zautra, A. J., Okun, M. A., Robinson, S. E., & Lee, D. (1989). Life stress and lymphocyte alterations among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Health Psychology, 8, 1–14. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.8.1.1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeff Baker.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barnett, M.D., Ledoux, T., Garcini, L.M. et al. Type D Personality and Chronic Pain: Construct and Concurrent Validity of the DS14. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 16, 194–199 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-009-9152-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-009-9152-0

Keywords

Navigation