Abstract
M.Sc. (Psychology)
It is an accepted fact that The Type A behaviour pattern is deemed to be an accurate
predictor for the propensity for the development of coronary heart disease. It is also an
estabished fact that this behaviour pattern is already in existence from adolescence.
Type A behaviour, in the context of stress-related CHD, is often described as the
behavioral pattern in which individuals create their own stress by means of hostile
attitudes, uncertainty and time urgency.
It thus seems likely that these individuals are already, at adolescence experiencing a
higher daily frequency of stressors in this manner.
In order to test this hypothesis a sample of 20 high index Type A adolescents were
chosen as well as 20 low index adolescents.
These two groups were then compared with one another on measures of the frequency
of daily stressors, the intensity of these daily stressors and their capacity to deal with. The results obtained indicate that students with the high index Type A behaviour do in
fact manifest significantly higher cardiovascular reactivity to stressors than do students
with a Low Type A index.
The former group were also found to exhibit a higher degree of time urgency and work
related stressors than do the latter group.
There was no significant difference in the experience of the intensity of stressors. There
was also no differences in their abilities to deal with the perceived stressors.
these stressors they were also compared with regard to their cardiovascular reactivity.