Rationality/antiemotionality personality and selected chronic diseases in a community population in Japan

J Psychosom Res. 2000 Jan;48(1):31-5. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3999(99)00068-9.

Abstract

Objective: To clarify the relationships of the rationality/antiemotionality (R/A) personality with past histories of seven chronic diseases and current smoking habits in a community population in Japan.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted of all residents aged 35 years old or over (n = 37,287) in Takayama city, Gifu prefecture, Japan; the response rate was 90.3%. Data from 13,091 males and 14,061 females who completed all relevant questions were analyzed. The subjects were asked to complete an 11-item R/A personality scale developed by Grossarth-Maticek et al. (1985). Past histories of seven major chronic diseases and current smoking habit were also asked in the questionnaire.

Results: Among males, the R/A scale score was significantly lower in those who had stroke, diabetes or allergy than in those who did not. Among females, the R/A scale score was significantly lower in those who had stroke, allergy or stomach cancer than in those who did not. Among females, current smokers had significantly lower R/A scores than non-smokers. After controlling for age, smoking and drinking, the R/A score was significantly and negatively associated with stroke among males and females; it was significantly and negatively associated with diabetes and allergy among males.

Conclusion: Our findings are contrary to those observed in Yugoslavia and West Germany, and suggest a cultural difference in the relationship between the R/A personality and disease occurrence.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Coronary Disease / epidemiology
  • Coronary Disease / psychology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / epidemiology
  • Hypersensitivity / psychology*
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / psychology*
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptic Ulcer / epidemiology
  • Peptic Ulcer / psychology*
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Personality*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Sampling Studies
  • Stomach Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Stomach Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Stroke / psychology*
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / epidemiology
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / psychology*