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Assessing type a behavior in 8-year-olds: Exploring the overlap between the constructs of type a behavior and hyperactivity

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine volume 4, pages 292–306 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

This study attempted to examine, by using behavioral observations, the overlap found between Type A behavior, as measured by the Matthews Youth Test for Health (MYTH) questionnaire, and measures of hyperactivity in children. The sample consisted of 91 children (46 boys and 45 girls) between the ages of 8 and 9 who were part of a longitudinal study in Uppsala. Sweden. Behavioral observations of Type A behavior and various questionnaire data were used, The behaviorally observed Type A behavior correlated significantly with MYTH Type A behavior, whereas only the MYTH Type A behavior correlated with hyperactivity measured by questionnaires. The results indicated that behavioral observations make it possible to measure Type A behavior as distinct from hyperactivity, implying that the MYTH is too indiscriminate a measure of Type A behavior. This has implications for future measurement and perhaps conceptualization of Type A behavior in children, and thereby also for studying the developmental aspects of Type A behavior.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, S-751 42, Box 1225, Uppsala, Sweden

    Lilianne Eninger

  2. Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Gunilla Bohlin & Berit Hagekull

Authors
  1. Lilianne Eninger
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  2. Gunilla Bohlin
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  3. Berit Hagekull
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Additional information

This study was supported by Grant 92-0227:03 from The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation.

We thank Mats Brandberg, Gunilla Burell, Ulf Lundberg. Ame Öhman, and Örjan Sundin for their evaluation of our observational items.

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Eninger, L., Bohlin, G. & Hagekull, B. Assessing type a behavior in 8-year-olds: Exploring the overlap between the constructs of type a behavior and hyperactivity. Int. J. Behav. Med. 4, 292–306 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0404_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0404_3

Key words

  • Type A behavior
  • hyperactivity
  • children
  • observation
  • MYTH