THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS, HOSTILITY, AND BLOOD-PRESSURE REACTIONS TO MENTAL STRESS IN MEN - DATA FROM THE WHITEHALL-IISTUDY

This study investigated the relationship among blood pressure reaction s to mental stress, cynical hostility, and socioeconomic status (SES) in 1,091 male public servants. Occupational grade served to index SES and cynical hostility was assessed using the Cook-Medley scale. (Cook & Medley, 1954). The magnitude of systolic, but not diastolic, blood p ressure change scores to stress was positively associated with occupat ional grade: the higher the grade, the greater the reactions. Mental s tress task performance also varied with occupational grade but was unr elated to reactivity. Ratings of task difficulty aid not vary with occ upational grade. Cynical hostility-was negatively related to occupatio nal grade, and, contrary to previous findings, negatively related to s ystolic blood pressure reactivity. Cynical hostility was also negative ly related to mental stress task performance but unrelated to ratings of task difficulty.