Type A, marital adjustment, and life stress

Abstract

Prior research has indicated that both the Type A behavior pattern and recent life stress may increase risk for heart disease and has suggested that social (e.g., marital) support may (a) be influenced by Type A and (b) serve as a moderating influence in the stress-illness relationship. To assess relationships among these variables, both members of 101 married couples were assessed among these variables, both members of 101 married couples were assessed on self-reports of A-B status, life stress, and marital adjustment. Results indicated substantially lower adjustment in one of the four possible husband-wife pairings: A husband/B wife. The poor adjustment of this pairing may reflect the work (rather than home and marriage) orientedness of the A husband, a negative force in the marriage which may be contrasted with the wife's traditional commitment to the successful functioning of the home, a commitment which is sufficient to counter the Type A husband's negative effect only when the wife is a Type A herself.