Beliefs and fears underlying the Type A behaviour pattern in adolescents

Abstract

The present study was designed to test Price's (1983) cognitive social learning model of Type A in an adolescent population. A questionnaire measuring beliefs and fears thought to underlie Type A together with two measures of Type A (the Bortner scale and the student version of the Jenkins Activity Survey, SJAS) were administered to over 300 adolescents. Results showed that subscales measuring Type A beliefs and fears had acceptable levels of internal reliability and formed two separate components (beliefs and fears). Measures of beliefs and fears correlated significantly but modestly with measures of Type A thus providing some support for Price's cognitive social learning model. Furthermore, some striking sex differences were found. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of these beliefs and fears in studying the Type A behaviour pattern in children and adolescents and the modification of the behaviour pattern in the younger population.

Type A behaviour, problem‐solving style and health in male and female managers

“…Chusmir & Hood, 1988). Research that has explored sex differences tends to find that males and females do not differ on TAB but some studies have produced evidence of differences in beliefs and fears that are thought to underlie TAB (Shahidi, 1992).…”