This study investigated the relation of dispositional hostility to cardiovascular reactivity during an anger-recall task and of hostility and distraction to posttask recovery in 80 healthy women (ages 18-30). Half were randomly assigned to distraction during recovery. Hostility predicted slower systolic blood pressure and preejection period during recovery. Distraction was related to faster cardiac recovery, higher high-frequency (HF) power, lower low-frequency (LF) power and LF:HF ratios, and lower state anger and rumination during recovery. These results indicate deleterious influences of hostility on cardiovascular recovery but not during anger recall. The findings also show beneficial effects of distraction in expediting cardiovascular recovery, possibly through reducing rumination and anger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Published: 2004
Hostility and Distraction Have Differential Influences on Cardiovascular Recovery From Anger Recall in Women
Senna A. Neumann, Shari R. Waldstein, John J. Sellers III, Julian F. Thayer, John D. Sorkin
Anger, Cardiovascular Reactivity, Distraction, Hostility, Human Females, Rumination (Cognitive Process)
- Item Type: journalArticle
- Publication Title: Health Psychology
- Volume: 23
- Pages: 631-640
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- DOI: /10.1037/0278-6133.23.6.631
- ISSN: 1930-7810
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- Library Catalog: APA PsycNet
