Psychological pathways between type D personality and COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Type D personality is associated with poorer social functioning, mental health, and negative outlook.
• Individuals with Type D personality exhibit greater affective constraints.
• Understanding the psychological underpinnings of COVID-19 susceptibility is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the mediating role of stress and anxiety in the association between Type D personality and COVID-19 infection.
• To adjust for demographic characteristics and perceived symptoms as potential confounders.
• To elucidate the psychological pathways influencing COVID-19 risk in different personality types.

Main Methods:

• 196 patients suspected of COVID-19 completed personality, stress, and anxiety assessments prior to testing.
• Participants were categorized into infected (n=90) and non-infected (n=106) groups post-testing.
• Statistical analysis examined the indirect effects of Type D personality on infection, mediated by stress and anxiety.

Main Results:

• Type D personality did not directly predict COVID-19 infection.
• Stress fully mediated the relationship, increasing infection odds by 2.21 times for Type D individuals (p=.027).
• Anxiety fully mediated the relationship, increasing infection odds by 2.62 times for Type D individuals (p=.011).

Conclusions:

• Stress and anxiety act as full mediators in the relationship between Type D personality and COVID-19.
• The findings underscore the significant indirect impact of psychological factors on infectious disease outcomes.
• Interventions targeting stress and anxiety may be beneficial for individuals with Type D personality to mitigate COVID-19 risk.