THE DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF A STRUCTURED OBSERVATION ASSESSMENT OF TYPE A BEHAVIOR FOR CHILDREN

VERONICA ELAINE HOEGLER, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to develop an instrument to measure Type A behavior, or coronary-prone behavior, in children. A Structured Observation Assessment (SOA) was composed of items selected to represent three factors of coronary-prone behavior: competitiveness, achievement-striving; impatience; and speech stylistics. 128 children were tested, an equal number of male and female eight- and ten-year-olds. Race and residence (urban vs. rural) were represented in the same proportions reported in the 1980 U.S. Census. Some items were eliminated on the basis of insufficient variance. Inter-rater reliability estimates of the remaining items were exceptionally high, indicating that the training procedures were effective in standardizing scoring. Test-retest reliability estimates were poor, with some variation between item groups according to the sex and age of the subjects. Factor analyses of the items indicated moderate agreement with factor structures reported previously in research with adults and children. Very low correlations with a measure of hyperactivity, the CTRS, are encouraging. However, low correlations also were obtained between the SOA and the MYTH, a teacher-report measure of Type A behavior for children, and between the SOA and the incidence of coronary problems in the family, both of which were expected to be higher. Main effects for examiner on total scores and seven of the eleven item scores indicate that demand characteristics were probably operating. Suggestions for future research are based upon the need for further examination of examiner effects on the measurement of Type A behavior. Age differences with regard to test-retest reliability estimates indicate a need to reevaluate items in terms of developmental stages.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy

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