Personality as a moderator of the effects of cigarette smoking on coronary risk

Abstract

This study pursues an earlier investigation by G. D. Friedman et al. [ Prev. Med. 12, 533–540 (1983)] which reported that a group of psychological questions moderated the effects of cigarette smoking on myocardial infarction. In a group of 65 smokers drawn from a study of 278 middle-aged men it is shown that, among smokers, the personality dimension entitled dependence/independence appears to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the amount smoked and the elevations of diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and uric acid. It is suggested that the moderating effects of this personality dimension, which is sometimes called “Promethean Will,” and which appears similar to the concept of hardiness introduced by S. C. Kobasa [ J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 37, 1–11 (1979)] may be attributable to either the differential effect of coincident dietary behavior or variation in sympathetic response. It is noted that this type of investigation may provide greater insight into how cigarette smoking affects coronary risk, and it is suggested that a potentially interesting future investigation would examine whether, among smokers, such personality dimensions have associated dietary effects or might moderate the relationship between the amount smoked and catecholamine response.