Abstract:
Compares five groups in relation to type A behaviour: CHD, ulcer, asthma, non-psychosomatic patients and healthy controls. An attempt is made to establish whether a sample of white, male, South African CHD patients show a greater incidence of type A behaviour than the other groups. The investigation refers to the question of specificity of the type A behaviour to CHD. Clinical observations have suggested the possibility that type A behaviour may be characteristic of both CHD and duodenal ulcer patients. The study illuminates those personality variables associated with the type A behaviour pattern. Two questionnaires were individually administered: the J.A.S. (the type A behaviour questionnaire) and the PRF (personality research form). One of the J.A.S. scales, the speed and impatience scale, revealed a significant difference between the CHD group and all the other groups while CHD alone scored higher only at the (p<.10) level. These results suggest that there is not sufficient evidence for viewing type A behaviour as specific to CHD; the possibility exists that duodenal ulcer is also characterised by a greater incidence of type A behaviour. The scales "job involvement" and "hard driving" of the J.A.S. were not significant in comparing the groups. Correlational analysis between the J.A.S. and PRF scales showed achievement, aggression and dominance to be the central variables in type A behaviour. However, it is found that additional variables appear when, in the set of predictors, the variable "autonomy" is negatively correlated to the type A scale. This suggests a possible element of dependence. A high correlation between the PRF scales of aggression and dependence suggests the possibility of viewing the aggressive behaviour characteristic of the type A person as a defence mechanism against underlying insecurity.
