Self-involvement and coronary heart disease incidence in the multiple risk factor intervention trial.
At intake into a multiple coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor intervention trial, 3110 individuals were interviewed to assess Type A behavior. After an average of 7 years followup, the 193 individuals who manifested their first CHD event were matched with 384 CHD-free individuals. To assess self-involvement, auditors counted all verbal self-references (I, me, my) and clauses spoken in the audiotaped baseline interviews. Self-references were entered into multiple logistic regression analyses that controlled for age, diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and Type A behavior. Relative to matched controls, those who incurred CHD spoke more self-references at baseline [p = 0.017; relative risk (RR) = 1.20], but did not self-reference more densely. Relative to matched controls, those who died from CHD spoke more self-references (p = 0.008; RR = 1.62) and self-referenced more densely (p = 0.027; RR = 1.54). Neither total self-references nor self-reference density was predictive of angina pectoris or nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI). However, among those who incurred MI, self-reference frequency was the strongest predictor of mortality among all the measured risk factors (p = 0.01, RR = 2.0). The results suggest that self-involvement is related to CHD incidence.
Scherwitz
L
L
Graham
L E
LE
Grandits
G
G
Buehler
J
J
Billings
J
J
D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000523:psychology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking; D014434:Type A Personality
D002784:Cholesterol