TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on distressed (Type D) personality traits
T2 - A randomized controlled trial
AU - Nyklicek, I.
AU - van Beugen, S.
AU - Denollet, J.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Distressed (‘Type D’) personality, the combination of negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), has been associated with adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine if an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program could reduce Type D personality characteristics. Distressed individuals from the Dutch general population (N = 146; mean age = 46.07; 69 % female) participated in a randomized trial comparing the mindfulness intervention with waitlist control. Although change in Type D caseness did not differ between groups, the intervention group showed stronger reductions for both NA (p < .001) and SI (p < .05) dimensions, even when change in state negative affect was statistically controlled. These effects were mediated by change in self-reported mindfulness. In conclusion, MBSR may reduce characteristics of the distressed personality type, likely through the mechanism of increased mindfulness.
Keywords: Mindfulness, Distressed (Type D) personality, Social inhibition, Negative affectivity, Randomized controlled trial
AB - Distressed (‘Type D’) personality, the combination of negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), has been associated with adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine if an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program could reduce Type D personality characteristics. Distressed individuals from the Dutch general population (N = 146; mean age = 46.07; 69 % female) participated in a randomized trial comparing the mindfulness intervention with waitlist control. Although change in Type D caseness did not differ between groups, the intervention group showed stronger reductions for both NA (p < .001) and SI (p < .05) dimensions, even when change in state negative affect was statistically controlled. These effects were mediated by change in self-reported mindfulness. In conclusion, MBSR may reduce characteristics of the distressed personality type, likely through the mechanism of increased mindfulness.
Keywords: Mindfulness, Distressed (Type D) personality, Social inhibition, Negative affectivity, Randomized controlled trial
U2 - 10.1007/s10865-012-9431-3
DO - 10.1007/s10865-012-9431-3
M3 - Article
SN - 0160-7715
VL - 36
SP - 361
EP - 370
JO - Journal of Behavioral Medicine
JF - Journal of Behavioral Medicine
IS - 4
ER -