Abstract. Ten years ago a sample of N = 5.133 male and female subjects (age 28-74) responded to questionnaires including scales for personality, life style, work stress as well as questions on prevalent disease. We now report on the follow-up regarding self-reported incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer. During a mean follow-up of 10 years, 257 participants had died. Of those alive, N = 4.010 (82%) participated in the follow-up. Of these, 120 and 180 persons reported incident cardiovascular disease and cancer, respectively. The incidence of cardiovascular disease could be significantly predicted by the personality factors “Emotional Lability”, “Behavioral Control” and “Type-A-Behavior” as well as by the “Rationality/Antemotionality”-scale according to Grossarth-Maticek. After controlling for age, gender and smoking behavior only the significant effect of “Emotional Lability” remained and the predictors according to Grossarth-Maticek had no incremental validity. Cancer could not be predicted by any personality factors.
