Behavioral and content components of the structured interview assessment of the Type A behavior pattern in women

The purpose of this study was to analyze relationships among (1) the global assessment of the Type A behavior pattern determined by the Structured Interview (SI), (2) the Type A score of the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), and (3) ratings of individual behaviors and content items in the SI. These relationships were analyzed in a sample of 88 white suburban women. The individual behaviors rated were four speech characteristics and motor pace. The correlation between SI global assessment of behavior pattern and JAS Type A score was only 0.27. SI global assessment was strongly correlated with ratings of individual behaviors such as speech speed, speech emphasis, and rapid motor pace. There was little or no correlation between these behaviors and the JAS Type A scores. For items reflecting the content of the interview responses, correlations with JAS Type A scores were generally stronger than correlations with SI global assessment. The findings for this sample of women are quite similar to results from previous studies of men. Thus, the characteristics that influence SI global assessment appear to be similar for women and men.