Association among type D personality, non-motor symptoms, and quality of life in Parkinson's disease: A cross-sectional study

Patients with type D personality are vulnerable to stress, show poor prognosis in disease, and experience low quality of life. The aims of this study were to identify the associations among type D personality, non-motor symptoms, and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Data were collected between May 28 and August 6, 2015 from a convenience sample of 196 PD patients. About 20% of participants were classified into the type D personality group. This group experienced statistically significantly higher non-motor symptoms and lower quality of life compared to the non-type D personality group. Based on stepwise multiple regression analysis, the most significant factor affecting quality of life was non-motor symptoms, followed by type D personality, disease severity, and duration of disease. Understanding the clinical implications of type D personality might be beneficial in the management of non-motor symptoms and quality of life in PD patients.