The relationship between personality type preferences and levels of coping resources among cardiac rehabilitation participants at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the relationships between personality type preference as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the self-reported coping resources scores as measured by the Coping Resource Inventory (CRI). Data were collected from 31 volunteers of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at the University of isc cons in-La Crosse. Each volunteer completed both the MBTI and the CRI. T-test, stepwise regression, and canonical correlation were used to analyze the research hypotheses. Particular attention was focused on anger for which the researcher Aeveloped a subscale from the CRI questions. The T-test results indicated that the mean score for anger did not differ significantly from the three other types; intuitive-perceiving, intuitivejudging, and sensing-perceiving combined. The stepwise regression procedure was used to determine whether anger could be predicted by the variables of the MBTI. There was a significant inverse correlation between anger and sensing-intuitive (SN) score and anger and extrovertintrovert (EI) score. As the score for anger increases, the SN continuum goes from S to N (p>.0085). Also, as the score for anger increases the EI continuum moves from I to E (p>.0082). The .05 alpha level was the accepted probability level for rejection of the null hypothesis. The canonical correlations between the MBTI variables and the variables of the CRI were moderate, the largest being .4952 between social and EI score, and -.4644 between anger and SN score. The first canonical correlation was .6671, which was substantially larger than any of the between-set correlations. The probability level for the null hypothesis that all the canonical correlations in the population was .I305 so no firm conclusion was drawn. The remaining canonical correlations seemed to indicate only a potential for a positive correlation. Results of the data analysis indicate there was a relationship between anger and the sensing and introvert type preferences.