Components of type A, hostility, and anger-in: relationship to angiographic findings

• Published in: Psychosomatic medicine 1985-05, Vol.47 (3), p.219-233
• Main Authors: DEMBROSKI, T. M, MACDOUGALL, J. M, WILLIAMS, R. B, HANEY, T. L, BLUMENTHAL, J. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anger; Angina Pectoris - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Coronary Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Disease - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hostility; Humans; Illness and personality; Male; Myocardial Infarction - psychology; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Radiography; Regression Analysis; Risk; Type A Personality
• ISSN: 0033-3174; 1534-7796
• DOI: 10.1097/00006842-198505000-00001

Previous research has linked the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern to angiographically documented severity of coronary atherosclerosis (CAD). The present study sought through component scoring of the Type A Structured Interview (SI) to determine what elements of the multidimensional Type A pattern are related to coronary disease severity in a selected group of patients with minimal or severe CAD. Multivariate analyses controlling for the major risk factors showed no relationship between global Type A and extent of disease. Of all attributes measured, only Potential for Hostility and Anger-In were significantly and positively associated with the disease severity, including angina symptoms and number of myocardial infarctions. Further analysis revealed that Potential for Hostility and Anger-In were interactive in their association, such that Potential for Hostility was associated with disease endpoints only for patients who were high on the Anger-In dimension. These findings support previous research in suggesting that anger and hostility may be the critical aspects of the Type A pattern in predisposing individuals to risk of CAD.