What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine whether Type A and Type B behavior patterns influence autonomic and cardiovascular stress reactivity among younger and older women during an acute experimental stressor.

May 1, 1989Psychophysiology

Psychophysiologic Stress Responsivity in Type A and B Female College Students and Community Women

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Why the study?

Does high stress compared to low stress affect physiological indices differently in Type A versus Type B women?

Key Points

To examine whether Type A and Type B behavior patterns influence autonomic and cardiovascular stress reactivity among younger and older women during an acute experimental stressor.
Randomly assigned 41 female undergraduates and 58 community women (aged 25–65 years) classified as extreme Type A or B via the Jenkins Activity Survey to low- or high-stress reaction time tasks.
Monitored heart rate (interbeat intervals), pulse transit time, skin conductance levels, and skin conductance responses across baseline, task, and recovery phases.
Evaluated physiological outcomes using multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance, with baseline physiological covariates applied to assess task-specific interactions.
Among student Type As, high stress elicited higher baseline skin conductance and greater heart rate and skin conductance responses during the task than low stress; covarying baseline eliminated the interaction for heart rate and skin conductance levels, but the interaction remained for skin conductance responses.
In the community cohort, the stress condition produced only a nonsignificant trend toward elevated heart rates in Type As compared to Type Bs.
Across both age cohorts, physiological indices demonstrated weak evidence that Type A behavior substantially amplifies cardiovascular or electrodermal stress responsivity in women.

Structured PICO

Does high stress compared to low stress affect physiological indices differently in Type A versus Type B women?

Population

99 women, comprising 41 female undergraduates (student sample) and 58 women aged 25-65 years (community sample), classified as extreme Type A and Type B (Jenkins Activity Survey)

Intervention

High stress condition of a forced choice reaction time task

Comparator

Low stress condition of a forced choice reaction time task

Outcome

Heart rate (interbeat intervals), pulse transit time, skin conductance levels, and skin conductance responses during baseline, task, and recovery periodssurrogate

The study demonstrates very weak evidence linking Type A behavior to heightened physiological stress responsivity in women.

Authors

MMMarie A. MorellUniversity of California, Los Angeles

Discussion

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Implication

Little support for Type A moderating physiological stress responses in women; challenges prior reactivity hypotheses and warrants refined phenotyping in future trials.

Cite This Study

Marie A. Morell (1989) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a98e9ceba1957220e75bc54 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1989.tb01936.x

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Implication

Little support for Type A moderating physiological stress responses in women; challenges prior reactivity hypotheses and warrants refined phenotyping in future trials.

Psychophysiologic Stress Responsivity in Type A and B Female College Students and Community Women

Key Points

Structured PICO

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Psychophysiologic Stress Responsivity in Type A and B Female College Students and Community Women

Key Points

Structured PICO

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Also Consider

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