Final answer:
Personality type associated with mistrustful and chronically hostile individuals is Type A, characterized by excessive competitiveness, impatience, and hostility, which can lead to health issues like heart disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The personality type that is often associated with mistrustful and chronically hostile people is Type A. According to research, particularly the findings by Friedman and Rosenman, individuals with Type A personality patterns showcase characteristics such as excessive competitive drive, impatience, and hostility towards others.
These characteristics can lead to a chronic struggle to achieve more and often result in a state of constant urgency and aggression. Specifically, the anger/hostility dimension of Type A behavior is significantly related to the development of heart disease, illustrating the profound impact personality traits can have on health.
Another significant finding was that those who responded to pressures with higher levels of anger were substantially more likely to experience heart attacks and heart disease by middle age. Therefore, personality assessments that measure these traits could be crucial in the preventive healthcare context, identifying individuals at risk and devising strategies to manage their stress and hostility more effectively.