Anger experience and anger inhibition in sub-populations of African American and European American older adults and relation to circulatory disease.

This study examined ethnic differences in the link between anger experience and anger inhibition and that of circulatory disease (CD). To ascertain the effects of anger inhibition in older persons, health data from groups of African American, African Caribbean, Eastern European and European American adults were collected. Experienced anger and anger inhibition were significant predictors of CD only for the African American group and the relation between experienced anger and CD was mediated by anger inhibition. The data suggest that cultural factors play a role in the development of an anger-inhibitory style and that this trait may pose a serious risk factor for circulatory disease.