Personality Traits and Coping Styles in Patients With Essential Hypertension

Essential hypertension is psychophysiological disorder that both biological process and psychological risk factors such as stress, personality traits and coping style play a basic role on its creation and persistence. In this research we investigated personality traits and coping style of essential hypertension individuals and compared them with normal individuals. In this research, 50 essential hypertension individuals (22 males and 28 females) and 50 normal individuals (20 males and 30 females) were chosen in random matching with patient group. Data gathering was performed by Eysenck Personality Inventory (EOQ-R) and coping strategy questionnaires in both groups. The result showed that patients with essential hypertension had significantly different personality traits compared to the normal group (P<0/001). Also there was difference in emotion focus coping style between two study groups (P<0/001). However, no significant difference was in problem focus coping style between two groups (P<0/475). Furthermore, a significant difference was noted between extroversion personality trait and emotion and problem focus coping style between male and female individuals in two groups. Result of this research revealed that essential hypertension individuals are angry, furious, anxious and ready to be depressed. When they encounter with stressful conditions they use more emotion focus coping styles than normal persons.