Type A and Type B personality among Undergraduate Medical Students: Need for psychosocial rehabilitation

OBJECTIVES To find out the frequency of Type A and Type B personality among the students of Undergraduate Medical College. To find association between student year and personality type. METHODS A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Undergraduate Medical College, Rawalpindi from Sept. 2012 till Feb. 2013. Among 500 sample size, 100 students from each MBBS year were inducted by probability systematic sampling technique. After taking consent from the institute and students, data was collected on BECK anxiety inventory (BAI) questionnaire. According to BAI scale, students were identified as Type A or B personality. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. To find association between student year and personality type, Chi-square test of significance with 95% confidence level was used. RESULTS First, second, third, fourth and final year students had 5 (1%), 6 (1.2%), 11 (2.2%), (13 (2.6%) and 19 (3.8%) type A personality respectively. Among all the study participants (n=500), total number of type A was 54 (10.8%) and type B personality students were 446 (89.2%). Type A personality was 29 (11.6%) in female students (n=250) and 25 (10%) in male students (n=250). Association between student year and personality type was significant (p=0.010) at 95% confidence level. CONCLUSION Type A personality students existed in every class and there was a gradual increase in the number of type A personality students from 1st year to final year in an undergraduate medical college of Rawalpindi. Significant association was observed in student year and type A personality.