Characterization of a comprehensive type A measure for children in a biracial community: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

To evaluate the development of Type A-like behavior in children, responses to the Hunter-Wolf Instrument were studied in 2128 children in Bogalusa, Louisiana, a biracial community. Test-retest reliability measures were generated by retesting a random subsample of 387 children 2 weeks after the initial testing. Norms were tabulated for each of the age, race, and sex groups. Increases in total and subscale scores with age were noted except for the Hostility subscale, which decreased dramatically in the older groups. White males had higher average scores during the entire period than other groups and scored significantly higher than other groups on subscales, created from principal-components analysis, measuring Eagerness and Hostility. Low test-retest correlations were observed in children younger than 13 years of age. Of the four race-sex groups studied, white males appear to accrue the highest risk for coronary heart disease from type A-like behavior.