REPORTING OF MINOR PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS AND FAMILY INCIDENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND HEART-DISEASE - RELATIONSHIPS WITH PERSONALITY AND TYPE-A BEHAVIOR

The relationships among neuroticism, extraversion and self-rated Type A behaviour, and the reporting of recent minor physical symptoms and the family incidence of hypertension and coronary heart disease were investigated in 100 medical students. Neuroticism but not extraversion scores were significantly related to Type A ratings. Both correlation and factor analysis indicated that, especially in women, high neuroticism and low extraversion were more closely linked to the reporting of recent minor physical symptoms than was Type A behaviour. Consideration is given to three hypotheses regarding the increased reporting of physical symptoms in high neuroticism, low extraversion individuals, viz 'symptom generation', 'symptom monitoring' and 'symptom reporting'. Those subjects with a family history of hypertension were distinguished by their high neuroticism scores (P <0.02). © 1991.