Identifying components of type-A behaviour: "toxic" and "non-toxic" achieving

Measures of the Type-A behaviour pattern (TABP) have generally failed to di stinguish between different components of the construct, some of which may not constitute risk factors at all. Based on the responses of a total of 63 2 subjects. the present paper reports on the development of student and wor king adult questionnaires which comprise discrete and unambiguous indices o f "toxic" and "non-toxic" behaviour. Both components reflect high achieveme nt motivation, but in the toxic scale this is compounded by hostile competi tiveness and impatience. The scales were related in predictable ways to oth er relevant indices of personality, and while the toxic factor was signific antly associated with deterioration in health status during adaptation, the non-toxic factor conferred a protective effect. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.