Autonomic Balance and Control of Stress for Participants Identified as High or Low Hostile and as Having a Positive or No Family History of Cardiovascular Disease

The influence of autonomic activation in response to controllable versus noncontrollable stress, anger imagery induction, and relaxation imagery was studied among 80 participants between the ages of 18 and 34. Participants differed in level of trait hostility as assessed by the Irritability Subscale of The Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (Buss & Durkee,1957) and the Ho scale of the Cook-Medley Hostility Inventory (Cook & Medley, 1954). Groups were further subdivided with regards to either having a positive family history of cardiovascular disease or having no significant history. Results were obtained through analyses of electrocardiograph R-R intervals which produced an index of autonomic nervous system activation. Findings supported hypotheses involving the relations between autonomic balance and stress and hostility for the female and male populations. Among both populations, parasympathetic regulation was diminished during anger induction for individuals with high levels of trait hostility and having a family history of cardiovascular disease. Similar results were obtained for men during relaxation imagery induction.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2003

Author dc:creator

• Nelson, Charles

Contributors dc:contributor

• Franks, Susan F.
• Raven, Peter
• McGill, Jerry
• Williamson, Jon
• Harrell, Ernest

• Stress (Psychology)
• Hostility (Psychology)
• Cardiovascular system -- Diseases -- Psychological aspects.
• Autonomic nervous system.
• relaxation imagery
• stress
• hostility
• cardiovascular disease
• autonomic

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Nelson, Charles
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 53832569
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4301/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc4301

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc4301