On the validity of an Augmented Structured Interview for measuring subcomponents of the Type A behavior pattern

Area of Science:

• Psychological assessment
• Behavioral medicine
• Cardiology

Background:

• The Type A behavior pattern (TABP) is linked to coronary heart disease (CHD).
• Existing measures like the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) assess global TABP, but not its specific subcomponents.
• The Augmented Structured Interview (ASI) was developed to measure TABP subcomponents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide validity data for the ASI.
• To assess the ASI's ability to differentiate between individuals with and without CHD.
• To compare the ASI's classification accuracy against the JAS.

Main Methods:

• Eighty subjects (40 with post-infarction CHD, 40 without) were recruited.
• Participants completed the ASI and the JAS (a TABP self-report measure).
• Discriminant function analysis was used to compare classification accuracy.

Main Results:

• The ASI yielded significantly higher scores for all six measured Type A subcomponents in the CHD group compared to the non-CHD group.
• The ASI demonstrated superior accuracy in correctly classifying subjects with and without CHD compared to the JAS.
• Discriminant function analysis confirmed the ASI's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide initial support for the validity of the ASI in measuring Type A behavior pattern subcomponents.
• The ASI appears to be a more effective tool than the JAS for identifying individuals at risk for CHD based on behavior patterns.
• Further research is warranted to fully establish the ASI's clinical utility.