Trait negative affectivity and responses to a health education intervention for myocardial infarction patients

This study evaluated whether trait negative affectivity (NA) moderates the effects of an illness perceptions-based education programme on worry, disability and health behaviours following a first-time myocardial infarction (MI). The intervention targeted problem-focused regulation with minimal attention to emotion-focused regulation. The hospitalized MI patients (n = 65) completed measures of NA, heart attack worry and exercise, and they were randomized to a three-session intervention condition or standard care condition. Worry was assessed at hospital discharge, and disability, dietary fat intake and exercise were assessed 3 months and 6 months later. Cardiac rehabilitation attendance was recorded by the staff. Regression analyses revealed NA x condition interaction effects indicating that the intervention (relative to standard care) led to: (1) reduced worry only for patients with higher NA levels; (2) higher cardiac rehabilitation attendance and lower disability after three months, but only for patients with lower NA levels; and (3) lower exercise rates and higher dietary fat intake after six months for patients with higher NA levels. This intervention may benefit low NA patients, but it may have negligible or detrimental effects on disability and health behaviours for high NA patients.