The Study of the Relationship between Alexithymia and Type D Personality with Perceived Stress as Mediator on the Blood Pressure of Heart Patients
Author(s): Saleh Zadeh S, Agha Mohammadian Sharbaf HR, Kareshki H
Abstract
The research aimed to study the relationship between alexithymia and type D personality with stress as the mediator variable on blood pressure of heart patients. The research method is descriptive and correlational. The research population consisted of all heart patients who referred to Imam Reza Hospital of Mashahd in 2014. Available sampling method was used and 200 patients have been selected from 623 heart patients. The participants filled the demographic, perceived stress, type D personality and Farsi version of alexithymia questionnaires, and data were analyzed using path analysis and correction coefficient. Results showed that type D personality and alexithymia with perceived stress as mediator can increase blood pressure and other heart diseases. Path analysis pattern had been approved and accordingly, the path of type D personality to blood pressure with standard coefficient of 0.24 and the path of stress to blood pressure with standard coefficient of 0.22 were significant. Moreover, the path of alexithymia to blood pressure with standard coefficient of 0.11 and the path of alexithymia to stress with standard coefficient of 0.02 weren’t significant. It must be noted that in this causal model, Type D personality direction to stress, alexithymia to blood pressure, and alexithymia to stress don’t have casual effect and the relationship is just correlational. It can be concluded that psychological variables such as type D personality and alexithymia and perceived stress can increase physical chronic disorders such as blood pressure and other heart diseases.
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