Some psychological correlates of hemophilia.

Personality characteristics, as measured by the Personality Research Form (PRF-E) and a specially designed questionnaire, of 33 male hemophiliacs were investigated. Subjects were subdivided into three separate categories, bases on the severity of their clinical manifestations of the disease. Results showed that, as a whole, all scored within plus or minus one standard deviation of the mean on all PRF-E scales.

Interpersonal interaction and cardiovascular response in type A subjects and coronary patients.

The present study tested the hypothesis that Type A subjects respond with greater cardiovascular response than Type B subjects during the structured interview used to assess the Type A pattern. Coronary patients (n = 31) and patient controls (n = 33) were subjected to the interview and a history quiz while ECG and blood pressure were monitored. As predicted, Type A relative to Type B subjects evidenced significantly greater increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which were sustained over the course of the entire 12-15 minute interview.

Components of the type A coronary-prone behavior pattern and cardiovascular responses to psychomotor performance challenge.

The present study tested the general hypothesis that behavioral attributes most predictive of the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in epidemiological research would also be most predictive of sympathetic autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal in response to performance challenges. Subjects (n = 50) were challenged to respond rapidly and accurately on three tasks involving either perceptual-motor or cognitive skills, while the experimenter monitored blood pressure, heart rate, and galvanic skin potential. The hypothesis was generally confirmed in that (1) type A subjects showed significantly greater cardiovascular changes indicative of sympathetic ANS arousal than type B subjects, (2) the Rosenman and Friedman structured interview was a better predictor of this arousal than the Jenkins Activity Survey, as is the case in CHD, and (3) the stylistic and behavioral components of the type A pattern (as defined by the structured interview) which are most predictive of CHD were also found to be the best predictors of challenge-induced sympathetic ANS arousal.