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Elevated blood pressure and self-reported symptom complaints, daily hassles, and defensiveness

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine volume 6, pages 177–189 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

The association between elevated blood pressure and low rates of self-reported problems has been hypothesized to be mediated by defensiveness. In a population screening study in which 1,120 women and 903 men between 20 and 55 years of age participated, multiple resting home blood pressure measurements were performed and questionnaires were administered measuring symptom complaints, daily hassles, and defensiveness. In women, after control for potential confounders, a low number of self-reported symptoms was associated with elevated blood pressure. However, this effect was not mediated by defensiveness, although repressive defensiveness predicted independently elevated blood pressure in women. In men, no significant associations were obtained. Furthermore, no relations emerged between daily hassles and elevated blood pressure. In conclusion, although defensiveness was more prevalent among women with elevated blood pressure, it does not provide a good explanation for the low rates of self-reported symptoms found in these women.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Ivan Nyklíček, Ad J. J. M. Vingerhoets & Guus L. Van Heck

  2. Faculty of Social Sciences, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Ivan Nyklíček

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  1. Ivan Nyklíček
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  2. Ad J. J. M. Vingerhoets
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  3. Guus L. Van Heck
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Correspondence to Ivan Nyklíček.

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Nyklíček, I., Vingerhoets, A.J.J.M. & Van Heck, G.L. Elevated blood pressure and self-reported symptom complaints, daily hassles, and defensiveness. Int. J. Behav. Med. 6, 177–189 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0602_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0602_5

Key words

  • daily hassles
  • defensiveness
  • hypertension
  • self-reports
  • symptom complaints