A 16-item self-report instrument was designed and cross-validated, comparing essential hypertensives with normotensives. After item selection using two sets of standardization groups, scores obtained from three additional sets of hypertensive and normotensive groups were significantly different. The scores were not significantly related to variables such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, hypochondriasis, social desirability or target organ involvement. The instrument's factorial structure for hypertensives consisted of factors labeled anger arousal, resentment, anxiety, and attention seeking. Hypertensives reported higher levels of hostility and anxiety than normotensives. High and low scoring subgroups on the instrument were examined on the 16 PF, with hypertensive high scorers demonstrating a different profile than low scoring hypertensives. The existence of two psychological types of essential hypertensives was suggested.
Three modified replications (N = 32, 46, and 32) investigated verbal and nonverbal interactions during role playing of family conflict by family groups of father, mother, and one child. Half the fathers had essential hypertension and half were normotensive. Nonverbal but not verbal behavior differed between families with hypertensive vs. normotensive fathers. Hypertensive fathers and their normotensive wives and children looked at each other less (gaze aversion), both while listening and speaking, than did the members of normotensive families. The difference in duration of gaze aversion occurred more prominently during emotionally negative verbalizations. The results suggest a pattern of conflict avoidance in families with a hypertensive father.
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