Chapter 5 - Personality and Type 2 Diabetes: An Overview of the Epidemiological Evidence

Abstract

The relationship between personality and physical disease has long been studied. Recent advances in this research include the use of individual-participant data metaanalyses of longitudinal cohort studies, an approach that is often more protected from random error than single studies. Prioritizing results from such large-scale pooled data sets, we review the evidence on personality, as defined by the Big Five traits, and both the risk and progression of type 2 diabetes. The Big Five personality traits, including openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, comprise the most commonly used conceptualization of personality in psychology. Of these traits, low conscientiousness has been most consistently associated with type 2 diabetes. The personality–diabetes association is not unidirectional. The onset of not only chronic conditions, such as diabetes, but also other chronic diseases is associated with subsequent changes in personality traits. These include decreases in conscientiousness, emotional stability (neuroticism), extraversion, and openness to experience. Further research is needed to better understand the personality–diabetes association and evaluate whether findings could be utilized in individualized prevention and treatment strategies for people with high risk of diabetes or preexisting type 2 diabetes.