Type A Personality, Self-Control, and Vulnerability to Stress

Abstract

Type A behavior (hard-driving, competitive, time-urgent, hostile-irritable) has been linked to high stress levels and the risk of eventual cardiovascular problems (i.e., coronary heart disease, CHD). However, this pattern of behavior closely resembles the traditional masculine instrumental (goal-oriented) orientation, and, if kept within limits, may be viewed as adaptive in success-oriented, middle-class college students. Hypothetically then, Type A behavior may be displayed by a broad group of individuals, and only in those cases when it is allowed to reach extreme proportions is stress sufficient enough to confer risk. This article considers two lines of reasoning. Is greater self-control required for college women to be Type As, because it involves crossing into traditional male role behavior? Type A women displayed significantly better self-control then Type B women; the opposite result was disclosed for college men with Type As displaying poorer self-control than Type Bs. The question of whether risk-conferring Type A behavior would result from poorer self-control was answered in the affirmative. Self-control assumed moderator status; poorer self-control in both male and female Type As was associated with high levels of day-to-day stress relative to Type As with better self-control. Self-control did not influence stress level in Type Bs. This moderator effect suggests that only Type As who cannot contain their behavior within adaptive limits will be vulnerable to excessive stress and at risk for CHD.

The Type B Behavior Pattern as a Moderating Variable of the Relationship between Stressor Chronicity and Health Behavior

“…adaptability), a variable thought by many to be an indicator of positive coping (Day et al, 2005;Saklofske, Austin, Galloway, & Davidson, 2007). Interestingly, despite the Type As' need for control through problem-focused coping and denial under uncontrollable stress, Type Bs appear to be better self-regulators (Holden & Wagner, 1991; see also Heilbrun, & Friedberg, 1988). This latter finding suggests that their ability to self-regulate may accrue an adaptive advantage, relative to Type As.…”

Assessment of the Type D Personality Construct in the Korean Population: A Validation Study of the Korean DS14

“…The construct of personality is also known to be associated with morbidity and mortality of coronary heart disease (CHD) as an independent predictor (1). One of the most well known personality constructs is type A behavioural pattern (TABP) which is characterised by aggressiveness, hostility, time-urgency, competitiveness and achievement striving (1).…”

The worried, the competitive and the indifferent—Approaches to the future in youth, their structural roots and outcomes in adult life

“…As is well known, a high level of competitiveness is one of the characteristics of a type-A personality [e.g. 53,54]. And as we also know, type-A personality is related to an heightened risk for coronary heart disease [e.g.…”

“…57]. It would also be reasonable to argue that there is a structural basis for this relationship, in the sense that type-A personality is more common among men than women [53]. In sum, however, further research in the fields of psychology and/or social medicine would be needed in order to transform these speculations into empirical facts.…”

“…High levels of competitiveness in individuals have also been discussed in relation to the concept of the type-A personality, a disposition that is further characterized by a continuously heightened stress level, high demands on performance, irritability and sometimes aggressiveness [53][54][55][56]. Research in social medicine has also shown type-A personality to be linked to an excess risk for coronary heart disease [57].…”