Influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostile attitudes and behaviors.

Studied the influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostility indices that have been related to rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). Ss were 119 girls and 95 boys (aged 6–18 yrs) and 141 women and 120 men (aged 31–62 yrs) from 142 families. Results showed little familial aggregation of Type A behavior and hostility. Adults had higher Structured Interview (SI) potential-for-hostility ratings than did children, whereas children had higher MMPI-derived hostility scores and SI anger-in ratings than did adults. Male adults and male children had higher SI potential-for-hostility ratings and MMPI-derived hostility scores than did their female counterparts. The heightened hostility of males may account, in part, for their heightened risk of CHD relative to females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)