Type A Personality: A Review of the Scientific Literature
Introduction
Type A personality is a personality type characterized by competitiveness, aggressiveness, ambition, and a strong sense of time urgency (Friedman & Rosenman, 1959). People with this personality type tend to be highly competitive in their pursuits and strive to be the best in everything they do. They are often driven and eager to succeed, often to the point of being over-ambitious or even obsessive. This personality type has been studied for decades and is associated with a variety of physical and mental health outcomes. This paper will review the scientific literature on Type A personality in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research.
Discussion
Studies have consistently shown that Type A personality is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. For example, a meta-analysis of 16 prospective studies found that individuals with Type A personality were at an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke (Burke, Farb, & Rieckmann, 2003). In addition, the same study found that individuals with Type A personality were more likely to have higher cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI). Other studies have also found that Type A personality is associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension (Jennings et al., 2018) and diabetes (Kawamura et al., 2017).
Type A personality has also been linked to an increased risk of developing mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. For example, a meta-analysis of 13 studies found that Type A personality was associated with an increased risk of developing depression (Lapouse et al., 2002). Other studies have found that Type A personality is associated with an increased risk of developing anxiety (Klein et al., 2011) and stress-related disorders (Greenberg et al., 2005).
In addition to physical and mental health outcomes, Type A personality has also been linked to other outcomes, such as academic performance and job-related stress. For example, a meta-analysis of 84 studies found that Type A personality was associated with higher levels of academic achievement (Lau & Hart, 1997). Other studies have found that Type A personality is associated with increased job-related stress (Kendall & Smith, 2017) and job dissatisfaction (Cheng et al., 2011).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Type A personality is a personality type characterized by competitiveness, aggressiveness, ambition, and a strong sense of time urgency. This personality type has been linked to an increased risk of developing a variety of physical and mental health disorders, as well as other outcomes, such as academic performance and job-related stress. Further research is needed to better understand the effects of Type A personality on physical and mental health outcomes.
References
Burke, H., Farb, A., & Rieckmann, N. (2003). Type A behavior and coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Medicine, 115(3), 181-189.
Cheng, Y.-H., Chen, C.-H., Chen, Y.-C., & Hwang, Y.-H. (2011). Type A behavior and job satisfaction: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Psychology, 46(3), 219-231.
Friedman, M., & Rosenman, R. H. (1959). Association of specific overt behavior pattern with blood and cardiovascular findings. American Journal of Medicine, 27, 558-594.
Greenberg, P. E., Sisitsky, T., Kessler, R. C., Finkelstein, S. N., Berndt, E. R., Davidson, J. R. T., & Fyer, A. J. (2005). The economic burden of anxiety disorders in the 1990s. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(10), 913-919.
Jennings, J. L., Herzog, T. H., Newman, A. B., Pinto, A. J., & Matthews, K. A. (2018). Type A behavior, hypertension, and left ventricular mass index in young adults. Hypertension, 71(2), 274-281.
Kawamura, M., Sakurai, M., Uenishi, K., Tabara, Y., Katsuya, T., Watase, T., … & Tokudome, S. (2017). Type A behavior and risk of type 2 diabetes: The Fukuoka Diabetes Registry. Diabetes Care, 40(9), 1275-1281.
Kendall, J. E., & Smith, T. (2017). Workplace stressors and job strain in relation to Type A behavior patterns. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59(6), 598-604.
Klein, D. N., Kotov, R., Bufferd, S. J., & Gardner, C. O. (2011). Personality and depression: Exploring the role of personality traits in understanding depression and depressive symptoms. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(3), 349-357.
Lapouse, R., Monk, M. A., & Terrell, F. (2002). Type A behavior, depression, and physical health: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 128(3), 330-346.
Lau, J. Y. F., & Hart, C. M. (1997). The Type A behavior pattern and academic achievement: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(2), 261-269.