ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Poursharifi   H. (1)
Alipour   A. (2)
Zare   H. (2)
Afkhami Ardakani   M. (3)
Arab Sheybani   Kh. (*)






(*) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Payam-e-Noor University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Payam-e-Noor University, Tehran, Iran
(2) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Payam-e-Noor University, Tehran, Iran
(3) Internal Department, Faculty of Medicine, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Correspondence

Article History

Received:   June  28, 2012
Accepted:   March 4, 2013
ePublished:   May 10, 2013

ABSTRACT

Aims Diabetes is the source of stress for people suffering from the disease. Diabetes-related stress has numerous negative psychological effects. This study was conducted aiming at determining the role of type D personality in the effect of stress on Hb Alc and cortisol secretion.
Materials & Methods the present correlational study which was a retrospective research, was conducted in 2011 and 2012 on all women with type II diabetes, who were member of Yazd Diabetes Research Centre, 80 patients were selected by multistage cluster sampling. They completed some questionnaires including the depression scale, anxiety scale (DASS), stress as well as type D personality questionnaires. Then, their fasting blood was tested and the effect of stress and personality type on Hb Alc and cortisol level was evaluated. Data was analyzed using SPSS 18 software and statistical tests including Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis.
Findings There were significant relationship between stress and personality type; cortisol and Hb Alc; and cortisol and Hb Alc. Based on the results of the regression analysis, stress factor by itself (p=0.001), and together with personality type (p=0.001) had effect on Hb Alc. Moreover, stress factor by itself (p=0.002), and together with personality type (p=0.001) had effect on cortisol level. Stress and personality type scales explained 0.312 of the Hb Alc variance and 0.28 of the cortisol variance.
Conclusion Stress and personality type are correlated with the level of cortisol serum and Hb Alc. Moreover, personality type acts in line with the increase in the impact of stress on patients with diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Type II, Personality, Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated,

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