Type A (Coronary-Prone) Behavior and Transient Blood Pressure Change

A study was conducted to delineate further the physiological mechanisms underlying the type A behavior patternʼs influence on coronary heart disease. It was suggested that while chronically elevated blood pressure is apparently not associated with overall A–B distinctions (at least not for males), acting in a type A fashion may be accompanied by temporary increases in blood pressure. Changes in the speech characteristics of 33 black inner-city women during the A–B interview and subsequent unstructured dialogue were analyzed at one-minute intervals and correlated with concomitant blood pressure measurements. Differences in the speech characteristics of women classified type A as opposed to B were consistent with recent studies of white males (e.g., type As spoke significantly faster than type Bs). Further, within-subject blood pressure elevations were significantly associated with louder/more explosive, longer speech episodes. Additional research is urged which examines biochemical and physiological changes as a function of type A behavior considered as a transient state as well as a relatively enduring trait.