Type A behavior, coping mechanisms and emotions related to somatic risk factors of coronary heart disease in adolescents.

Type A behavior, coping mechanisms, emotions and somatic risk factors of coronary heart disease were studied in 208 randomly selected healthy adolescents. Type A behavior was evaluated by the Wolf-Hunter A-B Rating Scale and a questionnaire developed for the present study. Subjects' coping mechanisms and emotions were assessed by interviews. The somatic risk factors used were SBP, DBP, serum total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and body mass index. In boys, type A behavior consistently correlated negatively with somatic risk factors of CHD while in girls, 'traditional' type A components like impatience and a sense of hurry correlated positively with somatic risk. The key finding was that inability to recognize and express negative emotions and the denial of problems correlated with somatic risk.