Beliefs and fears and Type A behavior: Implications for academic performance and psychiatric health disorder symptoms.

Lee, Cynthia; Jamieson, Linda F.; Earley, P. Christopher

This study begins by examining the dimensionality of the Type A behavior pattern using four frequently employed self-report measures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified nine meaningful factors (dimensions) across the four scales. A measure of hostility was added since hostility has been found to be highly predictive of coronary heart disease and originally was included in Rosenman, Swan and Carmelli's (1988) definition of Type A behavior. Supporting the utility of examining Type A behavior as a multidimensional personality construct, the Type A dimensions and hostility reveal differential effects on academic performance and a general health or psychiatric disorder symptom profile. Achievement striving is positively related to academic performance, and time pressure, anger, and hostility seem to significantly increase somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression. In addition, there is support for Price's (1982) conceptualization that some cognitive beliefs and fears promote the development and maintenance of Type A behavior. As expected, the belief and fear that one must prove oneself or else be judged unworthy relates positively to work involvement and achievement striving, but it also directly and positively impacts the overt Type A behaviors of hurry and time pressure and two psychiatric health disorder symptoms, performance dysfunction and anxiety. Lastly, implications and future research directions are discussed.

CORONARY disease; SYMPTOMS; TYPE A behavior; ACADEMIC achievement; BEHAVIOR; ANGER; HOSTILITY; ANXIETY; PSYCHOLOGY

Journal of Organizational Behavior, 1996, Vol 17, Issue 2, p151

0894-3796

Academic Journal

10.1002/(SICI)1099-1379(199603)17:2<151::AID-JOB738>3.0.CO;2-1