Personality and Constitution as Mediators in the Stress-Illness Relationship

Utilizing a prospective design, this study considers the mediating effects of personality-based hardiness (commitment, control, and challenge) and constitutional predisposition (parents' illness) on the stressful life events-illness relationship. The subjects are middle- and upper-level managers who filled out questionnaires covering a period of five years. Results indicate that stressful life events and constitutional predisposition increase, but hardiness decreases, subsequent illness. Possible additive effects of the three independent variables are discussed.