The role of type D personality in pregnancy symptom severity, functional limitations, and maternal ambivalence.

Abstract

Back and objectives: Pregnancy is a biopsychosocial process in which personality traits may influence the perception of physical symptoms and emotional adaptation to motherhood. Type D personality, defined by negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), has been associated with adverse mental health outcomes, yet its relationship with pregnancy symptom burden and maternal ambivalence remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between Type D personality characteristics, pregnancy symptom frequency, symptom-related functional limitations, and maternal ambivalence.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 336 pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital. Participants completed the Type D Personality Scale (DS-14), the Pregnancy Symptom Inventory (PSI), and the Maternal Ambivalence Scale (MAS). Crude and adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the associations of negative affectivity, social inhibition, and their interaction with pregnancy symptom frequency, symptom-related functional limitations, and maternal ambivalence.

Results: Type D personality was identified in 12.2% of participants. In adjusted models, NA was significantly associated with increased pregnancy symptom frequency (β = 0.412, p < 0.001) and greater symptom-related functional limitations (β = 0.343, p < 0.001), whereas SI and the NA × SI interaction were not significantly associated with these physical symptom outcomes. For maternal ambivalence, nominal associations were observed for NA and SI across several domains. After false discovery rate correction, the most robust adjusted associations were observed between SI and total maternal ambivalence and between NA and the doubt dimension. The NA × SI interaction for suppression was nominally significant but did not remain significant after false discovery rate correction.

Conclusions: Negative affectivity appears to be the main Type D personality component associated with pregnancy-related symptom burden and functional limitations. Social inhibition may be relevant to maternal ambivalence, particularly the total score, while the possible role of the combined NA × SI profile in suppression of ambivalent maternal emotions requires cautious interpretation. These findings highlight the importance of considering personality-related psychosocial characteristics in antenatal assessment.