DIMENSIONS OF HOSTILITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR-RESPONSE TO INTERPERSONAL STRESS

Emerging research suggests that hostility is a multidimensional constr uct with different dimensions conferring different cardiovascular dise ase risk. This study examined two dimensions of hostility, expressive and neurotic, and their hemodynamic response patterns upon exposure to interpersonal stress. Fifty-seven male undergraduates were categorize d into high and low expressive hostility (HiEH, LoEH) and high and low neurotic hostility (HiNH, LoNH) groups based on their Buss-Durkee Hos tility Inventory scores. Subjects engaged in a mathematical subtractio n task, with half of the subjects harassed through anger-provoking sta tements. Separate analyses were conducted for the expressive and neuro tic hostility groupings. For expressive hostility, results indicated t hat HiEH/harassed subjects exhibited greater systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output responses than did HiEH/nonharassed sub jects or LoEH subjects irrespective of harassment. Neurotic hostility analyses revealed elevated forearm blood flow in HiNH/harassed subject s as compared to HiNH/nonharassed subjects or LoNH subjects in either harassment condition. The hemodynamic response pattern of expressive h ostiles is consistent with their risk for heart disease. The response pattern of neurotic hostiles may indicate risk for hypertension, thoug h this remains to be established.