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last. Another study (44) of 20 subjects with TBI compared Qigong exercise session for one hour per week over eight
weeks. Control participants engaged in non-exercise-based social and leisure activities for the same time period.
Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post intervention using the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Physical Self-
Description Questionnaire and the Social Support for Exercise Habits Scale, to measure perceived mood, self-esteem,
flexibility, coordination, physical activity and social support.
This study provides preliminary evidence that a brief Qigong exercise intervention program may improve mood and selfesteem
for individuals with traumatic brain injury. There were no significant differences in physical functioning
between groups. The result needs to be tested in a large-scale randomized trial. A longer period of Tai Chi group
practice would probably show significant physical improvements compared to a leisure group.
6. Personality Types
Types A and B personality theory was proposed by Jacob Goldsmith in the 1950’s to describe two contrasting
personalities. A Type A individual is described as impatient, aggressive, competitive, ambitious, very competitive,
controlling, highly, status conscious, and high-strung. Type B’s are patient, laid-back, easy-going, sometimes
procrastinate and not easily stressed. Although controversial, Type A personality is associated with a higher risk of
cardiovascular diseases.
Some oncologists have recently attempted to characterize patients who have a greater risk of developing cancer. This
personality, designated as Type C, has the following traits: denial, rigid control and suppression of emotions (in
particular anger), pathological niceness, avoidance of conflicts, exaggerated social desirability, extreme compliance,
patience, and rationality. A Type C is more vulnerable to depression than type A or type B, because of their lack of
assertiveness which often causes tremendous stress.
Type C may not do well in fighting cancer because they tend to accept their fate passively and lack ―fighting
spirit‖. Professor David Spiegel of Stanford University discovered that cancer patients who joined a support group
which fostered a "fighting spirit" had a tendency to live on average, 18 months longer than those who were not in such a
group.
Professor Johan Denollet, a medical psychologist, developed the concept of Type D personality by observing cardiac
patients. Type D personality is distinguished by a tendency towards negativity and. experiences a lot of stress, anger,
worry, hostility, tension, and other distressing emotions. This type is also characterized by low self-esteem and social
inhibitions, and a tendency towards depression. The prevalence of Type D personality is 21% in the general population
and ranges between 18 to 53% in cardiac patients. Research has shown that Type D’s with cardiovascular heart disease
have a worse prognosis following a myocardial infarction (MI) as compared to patients without a Type D
personality. Type D is also associated with a 4-fold increased risk of mortality, sudden cardiac death, or recurrent
MI, independently of traditional risk factors, such as disease severity.
The role of Qigong on type A behavior pattern was also studied in (22). A questionnaire of type A behavior pattern was
administered to 89 subjects who practiced Qigong and 144 non-practitioners. The research results indicate that the
Qigong group's percentage of type A behavior pattern was 22.43 percent. The non-practitioners’ percentage of type A
behavior pattern was 51.39 percent. The Qigong group's percentage of type A behavior pattern is remarkably lower than
the control group. However, Wang did not have the percentage of type A behavior before the 89 people began to
practice Qigong. The results may have been biased because type A personalities may not be drawn to Qigong.
Another paper (45) also studied the effect of Qigong on Type A personality using Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
(EPQ) and Type A Behavior Pattern Questionnaire. One hundred and twenty-two subjects who had practiced Qigong
more than two years with a mean age of 65 were used as the experimental group. Ninety subjects aged, over 60, who had
never practiced Qigong were used as the control group.
September, 2011 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) 33