Type A personality as psychopathology: personality correlates and an abbreviated scoring system

This study investigated the relationship between the Jenkins Activity Survey, a questionnaire developed to measure the Type A 'coronary-prone' personality described by Friedman and Rosenman, and other personality measures, comprising the Eysenck Personality Inventory, the Personal Deviance Scale, and a measure of Achievement Need. Significant correlations were obtained between Neuroticism and both the Type A scale, and the Speed and Impatience subscale of the J.A.S. The Type A scale was also found to correlate with Dominance and Extrapunitiveness, and the Speed and Impatience subscale correlated with Extrapunitiveness. No correlation was found between any J.A.S. scale and the measure of Achievement Need. When subjects were divided into Types A and B using the group mean as division point, significant differences in certain questionnaire variables, most noticeably in Neuroticism were apparent, with the Type A group being found significantly more Neurotic. Theoretical implications of this for susceptibility to stress-related disease were discussed. Additionally, the paper explored a briefer alternative to the complex, computerised scoring system for the J.A.S., and found this to correlate well with the weighted scoring system.