The Role of Personality in Disease

ISBN-13: 9783836475112 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 312 str.

Justine Megan Gatt

Opis

Considerable research into the cause of cancer and heart disease has recognized the role of various health risk factors such as diet and tobacco use. In contrast, the role of personality or individual differences remains a contentious issue, despite the proliferation of theories put forth. This book will examine a new Integrative Theory of Personality-Disease which draws on and integrates several personality models, including that of Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck. All facets of human influence are incorporated into the model, including genetic and environmental factors, stress and coping behaviour, for which personality is proposed to hold a pivotal role. Three samples of individuals were analyzed to establish (i) a valid personality inventory that predicts disease versus longevity, (ii) an effective intervention pamphlet that alters stress and coping mechanisms implicated in disease inception, and (iii) a refined theoretical model using structural equation path modeling. These findings would be especially useful for health professionals, or individuals alike, who may be interested in understanding the complexity of integrative mechanisms in general wellbeing.

O autorze

Megan Gatt, Justine Justine M. Gatt, PhD: Studied Psychology at the University of Sydney. Dr Gatt likes to adopt an integrative approach in her research, with the aid of path modeling statistical techniques. She believes that in order to truly understand human behavior, factors from all domains of human function need to be integrated and examined as a whole.