The Cook-Medley hostility scale: item content and ability to predict survival.

Abstract

Previous studies have identified the MMPI-based Cook and Medley hostility scale (Ho) as a predictor of health outcomes. To achieve a better understanding of the construct measured by this scale, Ho items were classified on an a priori basis. Six subsets were identified: Cynicism, Hostile Attributions, Hostile Affect, Aggressive Responding, Social Avoidance, and Other. Study 1 examined the correlations of these subsets with scales of the NEO Personality Inventory in two samples of undergraduates. Good convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated, but there was some evidence that items in the Social Avoidance and Other categories reflect constructs other than hostility. Study 2 examined the ability of the Ho scale and the item subsets to predict the 1985 survival of 118 lawyers who had completed the MMPI in 1956 and 1957. As in previous studies, those with high scores had poorer survival (chi 2 = 6.37, p = 0.012). Unlike previous studies, the relation between Ho scores and survival was linear. Cynicism, Hostile Affect, and Aggressive Responding subsets were related to survival, whereas the other subsets were not. The sum of the three predictive subsets, with a chi 2 of 9.45 (p = 0.002), was a better predictor than the full Ho scale, suggesting that it may be possible to refine the scale and achieve an even more effective measure of those aspects of hostility that are deleterious to health.

A Brain Phenotype for Stressor‐Evoked Blood Pressure Reactivity

“…As a manipulation check, we verified that participants reported feeling less pleasant and more aroused during the tasks (paired t test t‐values ranged from 10.3 to 19.4; Ps ≤0.001). For ancillary analyses, participants also completed psychosocial inventories to assess suspected correlates of CVD risk, namely: depressive symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory‐II26; dispositional anxiety by the State‐Trait Anxiety Index27; and hostility by the Cook‐Medley Hostility Inventory 28, 29…”

Self-mutilative behaviors in male veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

“…The short form has shown good construct validity for the primary hostility components of cynicism and mistrust (Barefoot et al, 1989). The original scale was derived empirically from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and has demonstrated adequate validity (Smith and Frohm, 1985) and test-retest reliability (Barefoot et al, 1983).…”

Proneness to hypomania/mania symptoms or depression symptoms and asymmetrical frontal cortical responses to an anger-evoking event.

“…In addition to more fully elucidating theoretical models integrating the BAS, psychopathology, and autonomic responses, such research might shed light on the oft-observed relationship between trait anger and cardiovascular disease and morbidity (e.g., Barefoot, Dodge, Peterson, Dahlstrom, & Williams, 1989;Williams, Paton, Seigler, Eigenbrodt, Nieto, & Tyroler, 2000), and other research linking anger with cardiovascular reactivity (e.g., Smith, 1992). It has been suggested that the elevated cardiovascular reactivity associated with anger may lead to cardiovascular disease and death (e.g., Suarez & Williams, 1989), which may suggest that hypomania/mania may predispose individuals toward exaggerated cardiovascular reactivity in approach-related situations and ultimately may lead to cardiovascular problems.…”