The Anger Recall interview and cardiovascular reactivity in women: An examination of context and experience

Recent research has focused on the role of hostility as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Hostility has been linked independently to cardiovascular mortality and, as a component of Type A behavior, to atherogenesis and myocardial infarction; however, the mechanisms by which hostility manifes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychosomatic research 1995-04, Vol.39 (3), p.335-343
Main Authors: Anderson, Sharon F., Lawler, Kathleen A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Anger
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular response
Evaluation
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Heart Rate
Hostility
Humans
Illness and personality
Interview, Psychological
Interviews
Mental Recall
Personality, behavior and health
Psychology and medicine
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Relationship
Type A Personality
Women
Women - psychology
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Summary:Recent research has focused on the role of hostility as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Hostility has been linked independently to cardiovascular mortality and, as a component of Type A behavior, to atherogenesis and myocardial infarction; however, the mechanisms by which hostility manifests its effects on the cardiovascular system have not been determined. In addition, hostility has been evaluated as a trait measure, with little emphasis on how anger-provoking episodes may be perceived by individuals. The present study seeks to evaluate the affective experience of hostility, through an anger recall interview, and relate qualities of that experience to one potential mechanism of cardiovascular risk, cardiovascular reactivity. Fifty-eight women, classified by structured interview as Type A or B, participated in an anger recall interview while their heart rate and blood pressure were monitored. Type A women manifested greater systolic reactivity when their anger was in response to frustration of autonomy needs, while Type B women exhibited greater heart rate reactivity in response to frustration of affiliation needs. All women who suppressed anger expression experienced higher pressor responses than women who expressed anger assertively. Future investigations may find the content of an interview as useful as the procedure itself in studies of cardiovascular reactivity.
ISSN:0022-3999
1879-1360
DOI:10.1016/0022-3999(94)00140-Z