Psychological charactheristics of personality and internal pattern of the disease in patients with different types of heart rhythm disorders

Abstract

Abstacts. We investigated psychological characteristics: anxiety, depression rate, hostility and aggression, subjective control level, dispositional optimism, and types of attitude to the disease in patients with different types of heart rhythm disorders.Objective. To determine psychological characteristics of personality, characteristics of the internal pattern of the disease, and quality of life in patients with different types of heart rhythm disorders.Results. 352 patients were examined. They were divided into 4 groups depending on the type of heart rate disorders: extrasystole (frequent – over 30 per 1 hour), atrial fibrillation, paroxysmal tachycardia, and deterioration of impulse conductivity, accompanied by bradycardia (sinoatrial block and sinus node dysfunction syndrome). All patients underwent a comprehensive psychodiagnostic study using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Spielberger-Khanin Personal and Reactive Anxiety Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Questionnaire (DASS-21), the Bass-Darky test for aggressiveness and hostility diagnostics, study of the type of attitude to the disease (LOBI), the Rotter's Locus of Control Scale and the Dispositional Optimism Scale. It was found that with the same level of personality anxiety, patients with atrial fibrillation and life-threatening heart block demonstrated high levels of situational anxiety and depression. The index of aggression was the highest in patients with bradyarrhythmias and paroxysmal tachycardias. Harmonious, anxious and sensitive types of attitude to the disease are more common within all studied groups of patients with cardiac arrhythmias. Low levels of internality in health are observed in patients with extrasystole, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation. The Dispositional Optimism Test demonstrated a medium level of optimism among patients with extrasystole and paroxysmal tachycardia and a low level in patients with atrial fibrillation and cardiac conduction disorders.Conclusion. As a result of a comprehensive psychodiagnostic study, the psychological characteristics of the individual and the type of attitude to the disease in patients with various types of cardiac arrhythmias were determined. Mentioned disparities form the relevant internal pattern of the disease, which should be taken into account when planning treatment and rehabilitation measures.