COMPONENTS OF TYPE-A BEHAVIOR PATTERN AND OCCUPATIONAL STRESSOR-STRAIN RELATIONSHIP - TESTING DIFFERENT MODELS IN A SAMPLE OF INDUSTRIAL-MANAGERS

The authors analyzed empirically the roles of impatience-irritability and ambition-energy components of the Type A behavior pattern (TABP) i n the occupational stressor-strain relationship. They tested three mod els, using a sample of 659 industrial managers to determine whether th e TABP components affected strain independently from perceived stresso rs (the direct effects model); or indirectly, by moderating effects of perceived stressors (the moderated effects model); or whether perceiv ed stressors provoked TABP components, which influenced the number of strain symptoms (the mediated effects model). Multiple regression proc edures showed, as expected, that the two TABP components acted quite d ifferently in the stress process. With the direct effects model, the i mpatience-irritability component consistently increased numbers of psy chological and physiological symptoms, regardless of perceived occupat ional stressors. The ambition-energy component, on the other hand, was activated by an abundance of development possibilities experienced at work. This, in turn, partly explained the decrease in perceived level s of psychological and physiological symptoms. The results relating to the ambition-energy component supported the mediated effects model an d demonstrated a positive effect on subjective health perceptions.