A Study of Type A Behavior in relation to Hostility, Stress and Optimism among Rural and Urban Male Coronary Heart Disease Patients

By : Sukhmani Singh, Jitendra Mohan

Page No: 447-458

Abstract
Friedman and Rosenman (1959) conceptualized Coronary Prone Behavior Pattern (also known as Type A Behavior Pattern). Type A individuals manifest intense striving for achievement, competitiveness, time urgency and hostility. Type A behavior pattern was exhibited by most of the patients suffering from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). The present study was planned with the aim to study Type A Behavior in relation to Hostility, Stress and Optimism among Rural and Urban Male CHD Patients. The sample comprised of 100 Male CHD Patients (50 Rural Males and 50 Urban Males). They were in age range of 45-55 years. They were administered the test of Type A Behavior (Bortner, 1969), Hostility (Manifest Hostility Scale, MHS, Kool, 1980), Stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS, Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein, 1983) and Optimism (Life Orientation Test, LOT-R, Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994). t-test and Inter-correlational analysis was done. t-test revealed that urban patients scored higher on Hostility and Perceived Stress. Rural patients scored higher on Optimism. Inter-correlational analysis revealed that Type A behavior was positively related with Stress and Hostility among rural and urban patients. Type A Behavior was negatively related with Optimism among Urban Male CHD patients only. Present research has been supported by theoretical foundations, latest researches and implications have been further discussed.

Authors :
Jitendra Mohan : Professor, Emeritus of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Sukhmani Singh : Research Student, Dept. of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh.