The Japanese characteristic of type A behavior pattern.

This was a retrospective study of 285 patients with coronary heart disease and 393 healthy subjects. They were administered a questionnaire composed of 15 items regarding traditional coronary risk factors and 45 items concerning behavior patterns. The 45 multiple-choice questions were computed by multiple regression analysis to develop a coronary-prone behavior pattern score. As a result, the traditional risk factors were reconfirmed and the behavior pattern scores were found to be significantly different between the two groups. The behavior pattern scores were uncorrelated with other risk factors except for cigarettes smoked daily by 40-49 year-old males. Hence, specific behavior patterns can be said to be an independent coronary risk factor also among the Japanese. In order to investigate the relationship between those behavior patterns and the Type A behavior pattern, factor analysis (normal varimax method) was conducted. Comparing three major factors among Americans, Japanese-Americans and Japanese, hard-working and workaholic tendencies were found to be more stressed rather than the hard-driving and competitive components among the Japanese. This property might be a reflection of the Japanese culture which stresses harmonious relationships rather than individualism and competitiveness. As such, it is seen that Type A behavior pattern is necessarily modified according to culture and nationality. Therefore, the authors propose the term "Japanese Type A behavior pattern" for distinction of the modified form of Type A behavior pattern.