The effects of induced stress on the management of hostility in essential hypertension

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityThis investigation studied the mode of hostility management in persons with essential hypertension. The mode of adjustment to hostile impulses of hypertensive persons was viewed as a defensive adaptation which was different from the normal mode. The hypothesized differences between these groups were to be observed under two conditions, one with and one without hostility arousal. Under both conditions it was predicted that the hypertensive would be over-inhibited with respect to expressions of hostility. In the first condition a higher level of inhibition and tension was expected to characterize the hypertensive group. Under the second condition greater change from the earlier levels of inhibition and tension were also expected to characterize the hypertensive group. The independent variable of essential hypertension was defined on the basis of presence or absence of a medical diagnosis of essential hypertension. The second independent variable was hostility arousal. The method employed was an adaptation of the Wisconsin card sort that involved punishment for failure [TRUNCATED