Interactive but not direct effects of perceived racism and trait anger predict resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in black adolescents.

This correlation study explicated the association of perceived racism and trait anger to resting blood pressure in a high school sample of 234 Blacks. Perceived racism and trait anger were assessed via self-report, and resting blood pressure was measured with a noninvasive blood pressure monitor. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that perceived racism and trait anger were not independent predictors of systolic or diastolic blood pressure. However, these analyses revealed that the interactive effects of perceived racism and trait anger were predictive of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Although perceived racism was not significantly related to blood pressure among those who were high in trait anger, perceived racism was inversely associated with blood pressure among those who were low in trait anger. The findings may have important longer term implications for future research examining the contribution of psychosocial factors to cardiac and vascular functioning in Blacks.