Personality correlates of type a behavior

Abstract

Associations were examined between the Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP), as assessed by the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), and personality indices. A total of 131 patients were administered a psychosocial questionnaire examining life events, hassles, health behaviors, and responses to the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the JAS as part of a psychological evaluation. Initial correlation analyses revealed important associations between JAS subscales and EPQ dimensions. Also, positively correlated with JAS job involvement were socioeconomic status and the severity of life events. Positive health behaviors were negatively correlated, and level of anger positively correlated with JAS speed and impatience. Multiple regression showed the EPQ dimensions of extraversion and neuroticism, and life event measures to be positively associated with JAS Type A. EPQ psychoticism and neuroticism were strong correlates with JAS speed and impatience, while EPQ extraversion was the only psychosocial factor independently associated with JAS hard driving and competitiveness. Age was a strong negative correlate of JAS job involvement, and females had much lower scores on this scale than did males. Socioeconomic status and EPQ extraversion also emerged as indicators of JAS job involvement scores. These analyses were adjusted for the effects of age and sex, and for associations with other psychosocial factors. These findings suggest relationships between the Type A Behavior Pattern and established personality dimensions.