Partners experienced similar levels of depression but higher levels of anxiety compared with ICD patients. Personality was an important explanatory factor of distress in both ICD patients and their partners. Research is now warranted to investigate the implications of this finding for the clinical course of ICD patients, as Type D personality has been associated with adverse prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease.

The interaction effect of social inhibition and negative emotions, rather than negative emotions per se, predicted poor clinical outcome following PCI. Social inhibition should not be overlooked as a modulating factor.

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