The role of mastery, self-efficacy expectancies and neuroticism in explaining individual differences in physical and psychological adjustment to cardiac disease was studied in 208 patients. Premorbid data were available from a community-based survey in the Netherlands. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that self-efficacy expectancies at baseline were significantly related to adjustment in terms of physical functioning in the short- and longterm and depressive symptoms in the short-term (six weeks after diagnosis). Mastery was significantly related to depressive symptoms and anxiety in the long-term (1 year after diagnosis). Neuroticism was a predictor for depressive symptoms and anxiety both in the short- and long-term. The results of this longitudinal study showed that premorbidly assessed psychological attributes do have a role in explaining individual differences in vulnerability to negative consequences of cardiac disease. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.