Hierarchical Structure of Personality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

The personalities in coronary heart disease have often been investigated using the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) of Cattell. The aims of this study were to verify the third-order factor structure of 16 PF and to assess the third-order factors in a group of patients with acute myocardial infarction as compared with a group of normal subjects. The primary 16 factor scores of the over-all population of infarcted patients and normal subjects were factored and the results rotated obliquely (dquart solution) to produce nine second-order factors. In a second step the nine second-order factors extracted were processed again by factor analysis and the third-order structure was achieved. The five third-order factors obtained were named Inhibition (α), Internal Feeling (β), Maladaptation (γ), Self-concern and Control (δ), plus an Unidentified Factor (ε). The patients with acute myocardial infarction were significantly different from normal subjects in scores on α, β, γ, and δ. The profile analysis of these four third-order psychological variables differentiated the two groups. In conclusion, the patients with acute myocardial infarction are characterized by difficulties in communication, emotional expression, and adaptation to stress and by a tendency to strong self-control and poor attention to their internal feelings.