Essential hypertension: hostility, psychiatric symptoms and marital stress in patients and spouses.
Scores on self-report questionnaire measures of hostility, psychiatric symptoms, marital dissatisfaction, and assertion discomfort/behaviour were compared for male (n = 26) and female (n = 25) patients with essential hypertension and their spouses, and matched normotensive controls. Correlations and factor analysis revealed clinically meaningful associations between elevated psychiatric symptoms, hostility, and assertive behaviour. These differed for male and female patients, especially regarding assertive behaviour. The findings suggest that communication training might be helpful for a sizeable proportion of married patients with essential hypertension.
Hafner
R J
RJ
Dibden Research Unit, Glenside Hospital, Eastwood, Australia.
Miller
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001242:Assertiveness; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents