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Illness Behavior: Prediction by Symptoms, the Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck Personality Types, Neuroticism, Life Events, Coping, Health Locus of Control, Social Support, and Attribution Style

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Santos Orejudo Hernández ,
María Xesús Froján Parga  and
Carmen Malo Aznar
Santos Orejudo Hernández*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Zaragoza
María Xesús Froján Parga
Affiliation:
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Carmen Malo Aznar
Affiliation:
Servicio de Salud Pública. Gobierno de Aragón
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Santos Orejudo Hernández, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain). E-mail: sorejudo@unizar.es
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Abstract

A study was carried out with 501 persons to analyze the predictive capacity of various psychosocial variables—symptom perception, neuroticism, Personality Types 2 and 4 of Grossarth-Maticek and Eysenck, beliefs about health, social support, or certain coping styles—on two health-related behaviors: the frequency of visits to the doctor and self-medication. The results were analyzed by two structural equation models that revealed that some of the variables have direct effects on the behaviors, whereas other variables, such as attribution style, coping styles, or the impact of the stressors, have indirect effects via the reported symptoms or neuroticism. In addition, self-medication and the frequency of health service visits are independent of each other, which shows that their determinants are different. It is concluded that to address these factors in the two health indicators, it is also necessary to take in account the psychosocial variables considered herein.

Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio con 501 personas en el que se intenta analizar la capacidad predictiva de algunas variables psicosociales—la percepción de síntomas, el neuroticismo, los tipos de personalidad 2 y 4 de Grossarth-Maticek y Eysenck, las creencias sobre la salud, el apoyo social y algunos estilos de afrontamiento - sobre dos conductas relacionadas con la salud, la frecuencia de visitas al médico y la automedicación. Los resultados han sido analizados a través de dos modelos de ecuaciones estructurales que ponen de manifiesto que algunas de las variables predictoras tienen efectos directos sobre las conductas consideradas, mientras que otras lo hacen de manera indirecta a través de los síntomas informados o del neuroticismo. Además, la automedicación y la frecuencia de asistencia a los servicios de salud son independientes entre sí, lo que vendría a poner de manifiesto que los determinantes de ambas son distintas, como se comprueba en este trabajo. Se concluye que al abordar los factores implicados en estos dos indicadores de salud, es preciso también tener en cuenta las variables psicosociales aquí consideradas.

Keywords

personality typesillness behaviorcoping stylesself-medicationsymptom complaintsTipos de personalidadconducta de enfermedadestilos de afrontamientoautomedicaciónquejas de síntomas
Type
Articles
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , November 2007 , pp. 388 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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