[Myocardial infarct as a critical life event]

This retrospective study attempted to explore life events, personality factors, and subjective perceptions in myocardial infarction (MI) patients. 67 MI individuals and 22 control persons participated in the study. The PERI Life Events Scale, the 16 PF personality inventory and interviews covering dimensions of subjective perception were used to assess event-related influences. Results indicated a trend that MI patients experienced more negative and work-related events. MI survivors were high on emotionality, pessimism, guilt and tensions and perceived their situation as negative, restricted and not anticipated. Individual differences for the MI sample were assessed with regard to gender, age and socioeconomic status.