title: Convergent validity of type A behavior pattern scales and their ability to predict physiological responsiveness in a sample of female public employees.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the construct validity of the structured interview (SI), Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), Thurstone Activity Scale, and Bortner Type A Scale in a sample of female employees from a government service agency. Criteria for validity assessment were physiological reactance to a mental stressor, psychological strains experienced at work, physical symptoms associated with work, and urinary catecholamine production at work. A continuous Type A SI scale demonstrated better convergent and construct validity than did the SI category scores. All of the SI Type A scales were reliable. Among the questionnaire measures only the Thurstone Activity Scale was reliable and showed the strongest construct validity. The SI measures of Type A tended to correlate with physiological responsiveness (changes in heart rate, skin temperature, and skin conductance), while the questionnaire measures correlated with self-reports of job strains (satisfaction, irritation, depression, physical symptoms), thus indicating the operation of measurement artifacts in validity assessment. No significant correlations were obtained between Type A and catecholamines. Comparison of correlation analysis with subgroup analysis revealed the former to be a more powerful test of the relationships that may exist between Type A behavior pattern and relevant criteria.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine; D011594:Psychometrics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine