Disentangling the relationship between the achievement striving and impatience—irritability dimensions of type A behavior, performance and health

This study was conducted to replicate and extend previous findings that two independent dimensions of type A behavior, namely Impatience—Irritability (II) and Achievement Striving (AS), differentially predict health and performance. One hundred and thirteen university students provided their grade point average and completed questionnaires to measure II, AS and several health measures. They also performed a five‐minute proof‐reading task which yielded a behavioral measure of attention and concentration. As predicted, after partialling out the effects of II, AS predicted GPA and proof‐reading performance, but not health. After controlling for age and AS, II predicted headaches and sleep habits, but neither respiratory infections nor digestive problems. Implications for the differential prediction of health and performance by AS and II, and interventions designed to decrease risk from type A behavior by reducing II but not AS, are discussed.