The Effect of Positive and Negative Perfectionism and Type D Personality on General Health of the Aged

Introduction & Many factors such as retirement، work disability، being isolated from the society، physical illness… affect the general health of the aged، one factor among many، is the role of psychological variables. The purpose of this study has been the investigation of the effect of positive and negative perfectionism and type D personality on general health of the aged. In this descriptive-correlational study، 80 subjects (47 males and 33 females) were selected through available sampling method among the aged in nursing homes in Hamadan and Malayer. Then the positive and negative perfectionism questionnaire of Terry- Short et al، that of type D personality and Goldberg and Hiller''s general health questionnaire were administered to them. Positive perfectionism (r=-0. 30) and type D personality (r=0. 32) had significant correlations with general health. Multiple regression analysis also revealed that positive perfectionism and type D could explain at least 49 percent of the variance of general health. The females’ mean was higher than that of males concerning the variables of depression-anxiety، speech inhibition and irritability and in positive perfectionism، general health and social function variables the males’ mean was higher than that of females. Creating optimistic attitudes and enhancing social functions، positive perfectionism may cause the mental disorder to be decreased in old age and type D personality; however، positive perfectionism makes the aged apt to physical illness and mental disorder.