Search

Although dispositional optimism and pessimism are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), their relative independence and unique contributions to CVD risk are unclear. This study addressed these issues by using multiple indicators of optimism and pessimism and linking them to objective risk factors for CVD. A diverse sample of adults (N = 300) completed baseline assessments (including global reports of optimism and pessimism), a 2-day/1-night EMA protocol with ambulatory blood pressure (BP) at 45-minute intervals, and had inflammatory markers and carotid intima media imaging collected. EMA reports of momentary positive and negative expectations were averaged to form intraindividual (person) means of optimism and pessimism, respectively. Optimism and pessimism were only modestly correlated between- and within-assessment methods. Higher pessimism, regardless of assessment method, predicted both lower odds of whether BP dipping occurred and a smaller degree of dipping, but was unrelated to other biomarkers. Optimism was not uniquely predictive of CVD risk factors. Pessimism thus appears to exhibit stronger relative contribution to risk indicators of CVD than optimism.

ObjectiveResearch in psychosomatic medicine includes a long history of studying how responses to anger-provoking situations are associated with health. In the context of a marriage, spouses may differ in their anger-coping response style. Where one person may express anger in response to unf

Hispanic men have poor access to alcohol abuse treatment, low treatment engagement, and low treatment completion rates despite the contrasting burden of alcohol-related consequences they face. The purpose of this study was to examine Hispanic male perspectives regarding alcohol abuse treatment-seeking behaviors and the structural, sociocultural, and individual factors that may influence initiation and continued engagement in treatment in this population. Individual interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 Hispanic men (age: 44.6 ± 11.3 years). Thematic analysis was completed using a hybrid deductive–inductive approach centered in an a priori codebook that was further supplemented with iterative exploration of transcripts. Results suggested treatment-seeking behaviors were highly influenced by (a) structural factors related to poor treatment access, as well as lack of linguistic- and cultural-responsiveness of available treatment; (b) sociocultural factors related to difficulties problematizing alcohol abuse due to lack of community awareness, societal normalization of consumption, and stigmatization of alcohol abuse treatment; and (c) individual factors related to lack of individual knowledge. This work highlights the perceived lack of congruency between available treatment and the linguistic, cultural, and gender norms of Hispanic men. There is need for responsive treatment strategies that comprehensively consider the gendered- and sociocultural-factors that govern treatment seeking and engagement behaviors. Findings also suggest a need for targeted alcohol abuse awareness building efforts in the Hispanic community. Specifically, the detrimental effects of alcohol-related problems and potential benefits of treatment should be addressed in order to diminish social stigma of abuse and of treatment.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major impacts to social and financial status for many people, including those living in the vulnerable US-Mexico border region. This study examined relationships between changes in sleep and perceived impacts to social and financial stability due to the pandemic. Methods Participants were 155 individuals who completed the Nogales Cardiometabolic Health and Sleep (NOCHES) and were contacted about completing a COVID sub-study (95% Hispanic/Latino). Participants were asked if the COVID-19 pandemic was causing them to feel more socially isolated, negatively impacting their finances, causing increased worry about finances, affecting their primary job, causing a job loss, and impacting their belief life will one day return to normal. In addition, they were asked to report the degree to which they experienced pandemic-related changes to sleep, including a regularity, overall improvement/worsening, initial and middle-of-the-night insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and napping. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomics, and mental health (PHQ4). Results Those who kept a more regular schedule had lower odds of endorsing isolation (OR=0.32,p Conclusion Pandemic-related stress was linked with sleep disturbances. Worse sleep was indicative of increased social isolation, greater financial fears, more job-related impacts and less of a general sense that things would return to normal. Support (if any) Supported by T32HL007249, R01MD011600, R01DA051321

We report two studies of romantic couples that examine the interactive effects of actor and partner humility on individual, relational, and physiological well-being. Using both longitudinal (Study 1) and physiological (Study 2) methods from two samples of romantic couples, we explored the interactive effects of actor and partner humility. Individuals in dyads with complementary high humility reported better mental health over time following a major life transition, the birth of their first child, in Study 1 and higher relationship satisfaction and lower physiological responses (i.e. blood pressure) following the discussion of a topic of disagreement in Study 2. These results suggest that being humble is beneficial when one has a humble partner, but being arrogant – especially within a disagreement with one’s partner – could undermine the benefits of humility. That is, the benefits of humility are greatest in dyads in which both partners are humble.

Bereavement is associated with increased risk for morbidity and all-cause mortality across epidemiological, meta-analytic, and case-control studies. The body of research examining the association between bereavement and immune function, beginning in 1977, has yet to be reviewed. The current systematic review clarifies these findings, identifies limitations of the diverse literature, and suggests a model and directions for future research.The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were used to synthesize 41 years of research. Compared with a meta-analysis, a systematic review is appropriate given the heterogeneous nature of the studies. We used the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Study Quality Assessment Tool to assess the quality of select studies.Thirty-three publications met inclusion criteria. Most studies support the association between bereavement and maladaptive changes in immune parameters in adults, with mixed findings on bereavement-related changes in cellular immunity. A handful of recent, good-quality studies show bereaved people demonstrate higher levels of systemic inflammation, maladaptive immune cell gene expression, and lower antibody response to vaccination compared with nonbereaved controls. Individual differences in psychological response to bereavement (e.g., depression, grief) seem to influence the association between bereavement and immune function.Research examining the association between bereavement and biomarkers of immune function is heterogeneous in methods and quality. Despite these limitations, there is evidence supporting maladaptive changes in immune function after bereavement. The research area would benefit from longitudinal research with larger sample sizes, advanced immunological methods, and incorporating measures of psychological responses to bereavement. The field is poised to refine and scale up its investigation of this common and important phenomenon.

Evidence suggests that Hispanic and non-Hispanic White men (NHW) have comparable prevalence rates of alcohol use. However, Hispanic men consistently have higher prevalence rates of alcohol misuse compared with NHW men. Consequently, Hispanic men experience disproportionate levels of adverse health consequences of alcohol misuse when compared with NHW men. The aim of this study was to explore Hispanic male perspectives and opinions regarding alcohol use patterns that may lead to disparate rates of alcohol misuse in Hispanic males. Demographic data were collected with questionnaires. Twenty semistructured one-on-one interviews were completed in English and Spanish with Mexican-origin Hispanic men (age: 44.6 ± 11.3 years). A thematic analysis was conducted using a hybrid deductive–inductive strategy with an a priori codebook supplemented with iterative analysis of transcripts. Results suggest that alcohol misuse patterns in Hispanic males are influenced by an interaction between alcohol-related social norms and learned expressions of masculinity; a lack of knowledge of the alcohol-related health risks that further perpetuate the normalization of alcohol misuse; and expressions of masculinity and adaptive coping that lead to alcohol misuse as an escape from life stressors. Given the rapid expansion of the Hispanic population in the United States, and the disparate consequences of alcohol misuse in this population, it is imperative to consider the complex and often compounded impact of sociocultural norms and the social context on misuse-related behaviors. Viable prevention and treatment strategies should be addressed thought multicomponent, community-level strategies that more comprehensively address the complexities of alcohol misuse in this population.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many individuals at the vulnerable US-Mexico border region in a variety of ways. Fear, worry, and stress have increased for many, as has poor sleep. The present study evaluated the degree to which worsened sleep due to the pandemic impacted stress experiences. Methods Participants were N=155 individuals who completed the Nogales Cardiometabolic Health and Sleep (NOCHES) and were contacted about completing a COVID sub-study (95% Hispanic/Latino). They were asked the degree to which their sleep worsened due to the pandemic. They also reported the degree to which they agreed with statements regarding various pandemic-related stress experiences. These included infection-related stresses, stresses about community impact, personal psychosocial stresses, stresses about consequences of potential infection, media and society-related stresses, feelings of safety, and how the pandemic has impacted home life. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to determine whether changes in sleep were associated with agreement with statements about pandemic-related stress experiences, adjusted for age, sex, financial status, education, and mental health (PHQ4). Results Those who perceived that their sleep worsened were more likely to report greater endorsement of beliefs that they were infected (ordinal Odds Ratio [oOR]=2.82,p Conclusion Worse sleep due to the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increased reports of stresses across a wide range of domains. Perhaps sleep health interventions could improve social and emotional health in these domains and reduce stress experiences and better cope with the pandemic. Alternatively, mental health interventions should perhaps be targeted to this population. Support (if any) R01MD011600, R01DA051321

Introduction The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the border region is not well-described, including the impact of pandemic-related sleep disturbances on dream experiences, despite frequent reports of meaningful changes to dreams in the population. Methods Participants were 155 individuals who completed the Nogales Cardiometabolic Health and Sleep (NOCHES) Study and a COVID sub-study (95% Hispanic/Latino). Participants were asked whether, as a result of the pandemic, they have experienced more schedule regularity, improved/worsened sleep, more initial or middle-of-the-night insomnia, more sleepiness, and more napping. They were also asked whether they experienced more, fewer, or the same amount of dreams in general, positive dreams, and negative dreams. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine overall, positive, and negative dream recall (more or less vs same) as outcome and perceived change in sleep as independent variable, adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomics, and mental health symptoms (assessed with PHQ4). Results Those who reported more schedule regularity were less likely to report more negative dreams (Relative Risk Ratio [RRR]=0.40, p=0.010). Those who reported improved sleep were also more likely to report more positive dreams (RRR=3.97, p=0.004). Those with worsened sleep were more likely to report fewer dreams overall (RRR=2.23, p=0.037), fewer positive dreams (RRR=2.24, p=0.003) and more negative dreams (RRR=3.69, p Conclusion Those whose sleep worsened due to the pandemic reported less dream recall, and dream content that was more negative and less positive overall. Support (if any) R01MD011600, R01DA051321

Hospital safety culture is an integral part of providing high quality care for patients, as well as promoting a safe and healthy environment for healthcare workers. In this article, we explore the extent to which cultural humility, which involves openness to cultural diverse individuals and groups, is related to hospital safety culture. A sample of 2011 hospital employees from four hospitals completed measures of organizational cultural humility and hospital safety culture. Higher perceptions of organizational cultural humility were associated with higher levels of general perceptions of hospital safety, as well as more positive ratings on non-punitive response to error (i.e., mistakes of staff are not held against them), handoffs and transitions, and organizational learning. The cultural humility of one's organization may be an important factor to help improve hospital safety culture. We conclude by discussing potential directions for future research.

Similar to non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos experience a range of psychosocial and physical health challenges, including high rates of poverty, neighborhood segregation, discrimination, poor healthcare access, and high rates of obesity, diabetes, and undiagnosed and late-stage diagnosed diseases. Despite such risks, Hispanics generally experience better physical health and lower mortality than non-Hispanic Whites, an epidemiological phenomenon commonly referred to as the Hispanic or Latino health paradox. With the basic phenomenon increasingly well-established, attention now turns to the sources of such resilience. The current aims are to briefly examine the epidemiological paradox and highlight potential sociocultural resilience factors that may contribute to the paradoxical effects. We conclude with presentation of a framework for modeling sociocultural resilience and discuss future directions for psychological contributions.

Behavioral and psychosocial factors are well-established determinants of cardiovascular disease burden. These factors exert direct effects as well as interact with traditional risk factors to negatively, and positively, influence CVD outcomes. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of key behavioral and psychosocial CVD risk factors with a focus on sex, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic variations in prevalence and impact. This review includes a discussion of specific behaviors, clustered risk such as the American Heart Association’s (AHA) ideal cardiovascular health metrics, psychosocial stress and clinical syndromes. We conclude with a review of emerging psychosocial resilience factors and recommendations for care.

Although suicide clusters have been identified in many populations, research exploring the role of online communication in the aftermath of a suicide cluster is extremely limited. This study used the Consensual Qualitative Research method to analyze interviews with ten high school students 1 year after a suicide cluster in a small suburban school district. Interviewee’s responses were organized into four domains: The Suicide, Impact, Perceptions of School Environment, and Recovery. The role of social networking emerged as a common theme across domains, suggesting broad relevance to adolescents’ experience following the suicide of a peer. Implications for clinical intervention, research, and school policies in the response to student suicides are discussed.

We examined the role of humility in romantic relationships in this study. Specifically, we tested a theoretical model in which perceptions of humility are associated with commitment in romantic relationships, which in turn are associated with positive relationship outcomes. Participants (N 459) who reported being involved in romantic relationships completed measures of perceptions of their partners’ humility, as well as their levels of commitment to the relationships, relationship satisfaction, and forgiveness of their partners. Perceptions of humility were positively related to relationship outcomes (i.e., relationship satisfaction and forgiveness), and these associations were partially mediated by commitment. We conclude by providing implications for research and practice.

IntroductionPsychosocial factors are increasingly recognised as important determinants of cardiovascular disease risk. The North Texas Heart Study aims to understand the mechanisms responsible for this association with a focus on social vigilance (ie, scanning the environment for social threats). There is also growing interest in supplementing traditional methods (eg, survey assessment of psychosocial risk paired with cross-sectional and longitudinal health outcomes) with daily or repeated momentary assessment of psychosocial factors. However, there are relatively few longitudinal studies directly comparing these approaches with hard endpoints.Methods and analysisThe North Texas Heart Study proposes a longitudinal measurement burst design to examine psychosocial determinants of subclinical atherosclerosis. A sample of 300 healthy community participants, stratified by age and gender, will complete survey measures, as well as 2 days of ecological momentary assessment at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up. A range of psychosocial and behavioural factors, objective biomarkers, as well as carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) will be assessed at both time points. Unadjusted and adjusted models will evaluate cross-sectional associations and determinants of change in the cIMT.Ethics and disseminationThe Institutional Review Board at the study coordinating institute (University of North Texas) has approved this study. Positive, negative or inconclusive primary and ancillary findings will be disseminated in scientific journals and conferences.

Health Psychology 2017, Vol. 36, No. 8, 811– 818 © 2017 American Psychological Association 0278-6133/17/$12.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/hea0000466 This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly. Revisiting the Lack of Association Between Affect and Physiology: Contrasting Between-Person and Within-Person Analyses Matthew J. Zawadzki Joshua M. Smyth and Martin J. Sliwinski University of California–Merced Pennsylvania State University John M. Ruiz William Gerin University of Arizona Pennsylvania State University Objective: Despite experimental manipulations that reliably elicit affective and physiological responses, the relationship between the two frequently appears small or nonexistent. We propose that this is, at least in part, due to a mismatch between the nature of the question being asked and the analytic methods applied. For example, to test if levels of affect reliably covary with physiology over time—a within- person question— one cannot apply analytic approaches that test whether people are similarly reactive across domains—a between-person question. The purpose of this paper is to compare within-person and between-person analyses testing the association between affect and physiology. Method: Participants (N ⫽ 60) recalled an event from their lives that made them angry. Self-reported anger and objective blood pressure levels were recorded at baseline, after the recall, and 5 times during recovery. Results: Between-person correlations between anger and blood pressure were nonsignificant across all phases of the study, suggesting that those least/most reactive for anger were not least/most reactive for blood pressure. These null findings held regardless of whether linear or nonlinear assumptions were modeled. In contrast, within-person multilevel modeling indicated a clear relationship, suggesting that when a person was angrier that person’s blood pressure was higher compared with when that person was less angry. Conclusion: Results suggest the importance of appropriately matching analytic strategy to the nature of the question regarding the relationships between affect and physiology. Implications for past and future research are discussed. Keywords: affect, correlation, physiology, anger, blood pressure pressure [BP]), the relationship between the changes in affect and physiology is often statistically nonsignificant or modest in mag- nitude. For example, a meta-analysis indicated that changes in negative affect due to a stressor only accounted for 2–12% of changes in cardiovascular responses despite large changes in car- diovascular responses after the stressor (Feldman et al., 1999). If participants report more negative affect as a result of a stressor, and their bodies react to the same stressor, then one would rea- sonably expect that the changes in affect and physiology would be strongly associated. Measuring affect and physiology and examining how these variables relate and change over time are important questions for biobehavioral and psychophysiological research. Such evidence helps to better understand the etiology and progression of disease and inform interventions. However, researchers studying the asso- ciation between affective and physiological changes in the labo- ratory face a conundrum. Although experimental manipulations often increase self-reported negative affect (e.g., the experience of anger) and influence physiological responses (e.g., raise blood Understanding the Lack of Correspondence This article was published Online First March 9, 2017. Matthew J. Zawadzki, Department of Psychological Sciences, Univer- sity of California–Merced; Joshua M. Smyth, Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University; Martin J. Sliwinski, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; John M. Ruiz, Department of Psychology, University of Arizona; William Gerin, Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University. Portions of this work were presented in an oral session at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Miami, Flor- ida. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Matthew J. Zawadzki, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California–Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343. E-mail: mjz172@psu.edu Many explanations have been offered for the lack of association between affect and physiology (Gerin et al., 1999; Hilmert & Kvasnicka, 2010). For example, how variables are measured may not be adequate because affect is usually measured at the end of a study period (e.g., baseline) whereas physiology is often continu- ously measured (Feldman et al., 1999; Lovallo & Gerin, 2003). Another explanation questions the ability of participants to accu- rately report on their affective states (Sato & Kawahara, 2011; Thomas & Diener, 1990) and if self-reports of affect are valid indicators of one’s “true experience” (Russell & Barrett, 1999). For example, individuals may report how they want others to think they are feeling rather than what they are actually experiencing

In the U.S., immigrants and racial/ethnic minorities (e.g., Latinos) often report unfavorable neighborhood environments, which may hinder physical activity (PA). Among Latinos, PA levels are disproportionately lower in foreign-born, female, older, and low-education individuals. It is unclear whether these subgroups, including those from multiple disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g., low education, foreign-born), perceive worse neighborhood environments for PA. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine differences in neighborhood environment perceptions among Latinos in the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (N = 4643, 59% foreign-born). Logistic regression models examined nativity&mdash, and its interactions with age, gender, and education&mdash, in relation to the perceived presence of transportation infrastructure (two items) and destinations (four items), controlling for self-reported walking. Models used sample weights and accounted for the complex survey design. Nativity was not significantly associated with neighborhood environment perceptions. However, nativity interactions with age and education showed the greatest inequities (lowest perceptions) of neighborhood infrastructure (e.g., fewer sidewalks) or destinations (e.g., fewer places to relax) among disadvantaged U.S.-born (older or low education) and advantaged foreign-born (higher education) Latinos. Findings suggest neighborhood perceptions are shaped by complex interactions of nativity with structural (education) and contextual (age) factors. Additional research is needed to complement our findings and inform environmental interventions targeting Latinos.

The interpersonal tradition (Horowitz & Strack, 2011) provides a rich conceptual and methodological framework for theory-driven research on mechanisms linking religiousness and spirituality (R/S) with health and well-being. In three studies, we illustrate this approach to R/S. In Studies 1 and 2, undergraduates completed various self-report measures of R/S, interpersonal style, and other aspects of interpersonal functioning. In Study 3, a community sample completed a wide variety of R/S measures and a measure of interpersonal style. Many, but not all, aspects of religiousness (e.g., overall religiousness, intrinsic religiousness) were associated with a warm interpersonal style, and most aspects and measures of spirituality were associated with a warm and somewhat dominant style. Spirituality and related constructs (i.e., gratitude, compassion) were associated with interpersonal goals that emphasize positive relationships with others, and with beneficial interpersonal outcomes (i.e., higher social support, less loneliness, and less conflict). However, some aspects of R/S (e.g., extrinsic religiousness, belief in a punishing God) were associated with a hostile interpersonal style. R/S have interpersonal correlates that may enhance or undermine health and emotional adjustment. This interpersonal perspective could help clarify why some aspects of religiousness and spirituality are beneficial and others are not.

As immigration reform discussions reach a fever-pitch in Washington, DC, Dr. Melba J. T. Vasquez and the APA Presidential Task Force on Immigration released their report, Crossroads: The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century. Vasquez was the first Latina and first woman of color to be president of the American Psychological Association, and we commend her for commissioning this Task Force as part of her presidential initiatives. We also note the contributions of J. Manuel Casas to the report, as he is a member of the National Latina/o Psychological Association. This report is an important step for psychologists as we continue to balance the dialogues and discourse around immigration today in the United States. The report aims to describe the demography and experiences of immigrants and second-generation individuals, and takes a balanced approach in highlighting the strengths of this population and their contributions, as well as identifying key challenges, including issues of xenophobia, discrimination, and educational and clinical service limitations that adequately address their unique needs. The report underscores the importance of social, political, and economic contexts as a backdrop to understanding the challenges of immigrant communities, and provides a framework for reducing the educational, research, and applied disparities within psychology. Although the Task Force’s report focuses on all immigrant communities, this commentary highlights specific aspects that address the processes associated with Latina/o communities, while also identifying specific issues that warrant further consideration.

Using the interpersonal perspective, we examined social correlates of dispositional optimism. In Study 1, optimism and pessimism were associated with warm-dominant and hostile-submissive interpersonal styles, respectively, across four samples, and had expected associations with social support and interpersonal stressors. In 300 married couples, Study 2 replicated these findings regarding interpersonal styles, using self-reports and spouse ratings. Optimism-pessimism also had significant actor and partner associations with marital quality. In Study 3 (120 couples), husbands' and wives' optimism predicted increases in their own marital adjustment over time, and husbands' optimism predicted increases in wives' marital adjustment. Thus, the interpersonal perspective is a useful integrative framework for examining social processes that could contribute to associations of optimism-pessimism with physical health and emotional adjustment.

Introduction: There is mounting evidence linking positive psychological functioning to restorative health processes and favorable medical outcomes. However, very little is known about the relationship between optimism--an indicator of psychological functioning--and the American Heart Association ( AHA ) defined concept of cardiovascular health ( CVH ), particularly in Hispanics/Latinos of diverse backgrounds. Hypothesis: Persons with greater optimism will have more favorable CVH profiles. Methods: We analyzed data from adults ages 18-75 that participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos ( HCHS/SOL ) Sociocultural Ancillary Study in 2010-11. Optimism was assessed using the Life-Orientation Test-Revised, with scores ranging from 6-24 and higher scores indicative of greater levels of optimism. AHA classification standards were used to derive a composite CVH score with subsequent grouping into categorizes of poor (0-7 points), intermediate (8-11 points), and ideal (12-14 points). Metrics considered when calculating the overall CVH score included diet, body mass index, physical activity, cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and smoking status. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations of optimism with ideal and intermediate CVH (poor CVH—ref. group), after adjusting for socio-demographic factors and depressive symptoms. Results: Among 4,960 participants with complete data, 9.2% were categorized as having ideal CVH. In multivariable-adjusted models, participants with moderate levels of optimism were more likely to have intermediate [OR = 1.37: 95%CI = 1.08, 1.74] and ideal [OR = 1.61: 95%CI = 1.04, 2.48] CVH when compared to the least optimistic group ( Table 1 ). Conclusions: The current study offers preliminary evidence for an association between optimism and CVH in a large heterogeneous group of Hispanic/Latino adults. Future studies should explore the concept of optimistic bias and whether exaggerated levels of optimism are detrimental to health.

Neuroticism is a unifying personality trait that underlies a number of psychosocial risk factors for cardiovascular disease. One means by which Neuroticism may influence health risk is through effects on cardiovascular reactivity and recovery. Eighty-six women scoring high or low in Neuroticism took part in a paired interpersonal stressor task with a laboratory confederate. Conditions differed on the basis of the confederate's interpersonal behavior: hostile, neutral, or friendly. Neuroticism interacted with condition to affect blood pressure recovery such that women high in Neuroticism showed less recovery following hostile interactions and greater recovery following friendly interactions. Main effects of Neuroticism on anger and anxiety reactivity were found. Results indicate that Neuroticism is relevant to cardiovascular health in the context of valenced social interactions. Implications for future study of Neuroticism and interpersonal stressors as risk factors for cardiovascular disease are discussed.

Objective: The familial context plays an important role in psychosocial responses to genetic testing. The purpose of this study was to compare sibling pairs with different combinations of BRCA1/BRCA2 test results on measures of affect, interpersonal responses, and physiological reactions. Design: Forty-nine sibling dyads with different combinations of BRCA1/BRCA2 test results (i.e., mixed, positive, negative) completed a questionnaire, and 35 of the dyads also participated in a laboratory-based discussion of genetic testing. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome variables included participant reports of supportive actions toward their sibling, state anger and anxiety, perceptions of sibling behavior, and electrodermal responses. Results: Compared to positive and negative dyads, mixed pairs reported less friendly general support actions, noted more anger, and perceived their sibling to be less friendly and more dominant during the interactions. In comparisons between same-result (i.e., positive, negative) pairs, positive dyads reported more dominant support behaviors and perceived their sibling to be friendlier during the interactions. Conclusion: Data suggest that siblings who have different test results may experience more interpersonal strain than siblings who have the same test result. Future research on genetic testing and family relationships can expand upon these findings.

Previous research suggests that the structure of adult attachment is dimensional, but the specific dimensions remain unclear. Given its relational nature, studies should examine attachment structure in association with conceptually related interpersonal constructs. The interpersonal model (Kiesler, 1996) provides an integrative framework to examine this structure and associations between dimensions of attachment security (i.e., Anxiety and Avoidance) and: 1) the dimensions of the interpersonal circumplex, 2) the five-factor model of personality, 3) recollections of mothers and fathers, and 4) current self-processes and adult social functioning. In two samples of undergraduates, the Anxiety and Avoidance dimensions were associated with a hostile-submissive interpersonal style. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that dimensions representing combinations of Anxiety and Avoidance, and roughly corresponding to the dimensions from Secure (i.e., low Anxiety and Avoidance) to Fearful (i.e., high Anxiety and Avoidance) attachment and from Preoccupied (i.e., high Anxiety and low Avoidance) to Dismissive (i.e., low Anxiety and high Avoidance) attachment related to the interpersonal constructs. The Secure to Fearful dimension (i.e., overall attachment security) seemed to share relatively more variance with the interpersonal constructs. These dimensions were associated with theoretically consistent characteristics, recollections of early experiences with parents, self-representations, and social functioning.

Findings from a study of 27 victims of the Oklahoma City bombing are reported. This research focused on the importance of subjective appraisals of coping self-efficacy in predicting psychological distress following this tragedy. Results supported the hypothesis that judgments of coping self-eficacy taken 2 months after the bombing added significantly to the explanation of general and trauma-related distress after controlling for income, social support, threat of death, and loss of resources. Coping self-eficacy judgments taken I year later were also important in explaining psychological distress after controlling for loss of resources and social-support perceptions. Although coping self-efficacy perceptions taken at 2 months were related to distress levels 1 year later, they did not remain significant in a regression analysis controlling for loss of resources and income. Implications of these findings for post-terrorist bombing interventions are discussed.

Growing evidence suggests that a number of personality traits associated with physical disease risk tend to be social in nature and selectively responsive to social as opposed to non-social stimuli. The current aim was to examine dispositional optimism within this framework. In Study 1, optimism was projected into the Interpersonal Circumplex and Five Factor Model revealing significant interpersonal representation characterized by high control and affiliation. Study 2 demonstrated that higher dispositional optimism attenuated cardiovascular responses to a social (speech) but not non-social stressor (cold pressor) task. Optimism-related attenuation of reactivity to the social vs. non-social stressor contributes further evidence to an emerging picture of psychosocial risk as largely reflecting person x social environment interactions.

Charles Jacobs and his wife were going through their normal Saturday morning routine when he experienced sudden and severe chest pressure, radiating pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. Mrs. Jacobs quickly called for paramedics before returning to monitor and comfort her husband while experiencing her own emotional reactions. In the days that followed, Mr. Jacobs was diagnosed with CAD and significant occlusion in several vessels. He underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and was given a post-surgical regimen of medications, exercise, and diet before being discharged a week after the initial event. Due to the surgical incision and recovery process, Mr. Jacobs must adhere to a number of behavioral restrictions, which limit his ability to do household chores, drive a car and go to his job (he is an independent auto mechanic). In addition to his health and medical regimen concerns , Mr. Jacobs struggles with worries about his family’s financial situation. He is also concerned about the prospect of being a burden to his wife, who must help in his care while managing their household and family. Mrs. Jacobs has always been somewhat of a worrier, and this incident has left her concerned about her husband’s health and the possibility of life without him. Now her day revolves around her husband, watching what he eats and how he takes his medications, asking him to “slow down,” and vigilantly monitoring for signs of physical problems. In response to his wife’s concerns, Mr. Jacobs tries to convince her of his health by pushing himself to resume his normal activities, while denying his own concerns and suppressing any illness behaviors.

Research suggests that presurgical personality attributes influence postsurgical well-being in both patients and their spouses in the context of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The authors hypothesized that a spouse's characteristics would influence a partner's psychological well-being, regardless of whether he or she was the patient or the caregiver. In this study, 111 male patients and their caregiver spouses completed measures of neuroticism, optimism, perceived marital satisfaction, and depression prior to elective CABG. Follow-up was conducted at 18 months. As expected, higher caregiver presurgical neuroticism predicted higher patient depressive symptoms at follow-up, with caregiver's concurrent 18-month affect controlled for. Likewise, higher patient presurgical neuroticism predicted higher caregiver depressive symptoms at follow-up. Additionally, higher patient presurgical depressive symptoms and lower presurgical optimism contributed to greater caregiving burden. Relationship satisfaction moderated these effects. These results suggest that partners' personality traits are important determinants of both patients' and their caregiving spouses' well-being.

The related traits of hostility, anger, and aggressiveness have long been suggested as risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Our prior review of this literature (Smith, 1992) found both considerable evidence in support of this hypothesis and important limitations that precluded firm conclusions. In the present review, we discuss recent research on the assessment of these traits, their association with CHD and longevity, and mechanisms possibly underlying the association. In doing so, we illustrate the value of the interpersonal tradition in personality psychology (Sullivan, 1953; Leary, 1957; Carson, 1969; Kiesler, 1996) for not only research on the health consequences of hostility, anger, and aggressiveness, but also for the general study of the effects of emotion, personality and other psychosocial characteristics on physical health.

Narcissism and hostility are both characterized by dysfunctional social interactions, including tendencies to perceive slights, experience anger, and behave aggressively. The aim of this study was to examine the similarities and differences of narcissism and hostility, using 2 conceptual tools-the interpersonal circumplex and the Five-factor model. In a sample of 292 undergraduate men and women, composite measures of hostility (i.e., Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire [Buss & Perry, 1992] and Cook-Medley Hostility [Cook & Medley, 1954] total scores) were inversely correlated with affiliation and unrelated to dominance. In contrast, composite narcissism scores (i.e., Narcissistic Personality Inventory) were positively correlated with dominance and inversely correlated with affiliation. Examination of components of these traits revealed additional similarities and differences, as did associations with other dimensions of the Five-factor model. These findings suggest that the traits of narcissism and hostility are distinguishable by their interpersonal referents, as are their components.