Typed personality as predictor of somatic symptoms among depressive clients

Abstract

Type D personality is a relatively new phenomenon in the field of clinical psychology and is consisted of two components; Negative Affectivity (NA) and Social Inhibition (SI). Some of the symptoms of Type D personality components are interrelated with depression and somatic symptoms. Thus, current study aimed to explore these variables by using Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS-8) to assess the somatic symptoms, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression, and DS14 for Type D Personality. Present study was divided into two parts; translation and adaptation of the SSS-8, pilot study (Part I) and main study (Part II). The present study was intended to explore the predictive role of Type D personality on somatic symptoms among depressive clients. Furthermore, relationship between the study variables, gender differences, difference on educational level, and family system was also explored. Data was collected from diagnosed depressive individuals and cross checked by PHQ-9 questionnaire. The sample consisted of 150 (male; 43%, female 57%) depressive clients. Findings revealed that there was a significant positive association between somatic symptoms, depression and type D personality at (p< 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that Type D personality positively predicts (SI, β= 0.58; (NA, β= 0.96) somatic symptoms among depressed clients at the level of (p < 0.01). Adjusted R2 of model 1 is 0.10 and 0.25 for model 2. This means that somatic symptoms accounts for 15% change in variance. Additionally, there were more somatic symptoms among male (M= 20.86) as compare to female (M= 18.12) depressive clients. The current study also revealed that Social inhibition (component of Type D Personality) is high among residents of nuclear family system (M= 25.14) as compare to joint family system residents (M= 24.18). Furthermore, results also revealed that the illiterate depressive clients (M= 21.72) are having significantly high level of somatic symptoms as compared to literate individuals (matric, intermediate, graduate, and master). One limitation of this study was that data was collected only from Rawalpindi/Islamabad, for generalizability of results it should be collected from all over Pakistan. For future researches, the findings of current study would be beneficial for psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and other health professionals to understand client’s personality dynamics. As Type D personality is comparatively a new phenomenon, so this area is usually neglected by the mental health professionals. Much focus is on depression rather than the other factor as type D Personality. Due to this, the affected individual did not get the right treatment on right time and they face difficulty in their daily lives.