Abstract
M.A.
This research has been undertaken against the background of Coronary Heart
Disease (CHD) as being one of the major causes of death in South Africa. An indepth
literature study made it evident that, despite intervention programs that have
been successful in reducing the CHD rate, it still remains a number one killer. This
could possibly be attributed to CHD prevention programs that historically have
focused on biologically related lifestyle factors, and neglected a very important
adjuvant risk factor for CHD, namely Type A behaviour. The aim of this dissertation was to study the viability of changing Type A behaviour in childhood through group sport participation in view of the fact that the Type A behaviour pattern (TABP) already present in childhood, has to date not been addressed as a primary preventative possibility. Group sport was chosen as an intervention by nature of it being co-operative, socially supportive and successful in the improvement of a number of relevant factors. Sport has also been demonstrated to be an appropriate outlet for aggressive impulses apparent in Type A behaviour. Twenty subjects participated in the intervention program that took place over a period of eight weeks. A second group of ten Type A subjects served as a no-treatment control group. The intervention was carried out at a primary school in Johannesburg. The results of the study revealed that Type A behaviour (TAB) was not reduced, save for the impatience component, by participation in group sport. Aggressive potential and anxiety in the Type A child, were also not reduced.
It is concluded that the intervention of group sport in the reduction of TAB was not
successful, and that future studies should investigate an intervention that is
successful for the reduction of the TABP in childhood.