Emotional and familial determinants of elevated blood pressure in black and white adolescent females

Abstract

The relationship between various measures of the expression and experience of anger (and anxiety), traditional risk factors and blood pressure were examined in a sample of black and white female adolescents who were enrolled in health science courses in Tampa, Florida. Whereas a number of the personality and traditional risk factors were significantly correlated with blood pressure, body mass ( w/h 2) was the most consistent predictor of blood pressure (SBP and DBP) for both black and white females. The findings examining the relationship between suppressed anger (AX/Anger-In) and blood pressure show that SBP and DBP was significantly higher for both black and white females who frequently harbored grudges and held in their angry feelings. In addition, the relationship of AX/Anger-In scores and blood pressure appears to have a ‘threshold’.