Effects of occupational based behavioral counseling and exercise interventions on Type A components and cardiovascular reactivity

In an occupational setting, this study evaluated the effectiveness of several biobehavioral intervention strategies for reducing elements of Type A behavior and cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress. Type A behavior counseling, aerobic exercise, and a brief stress awareness workshop were compared singly and in combination for their effects at a one year retest period. Results indicated that behavioral counseling was most effective in reducing the hostility component of Type A, although Structured Interview (SI) assessments of global Type A were not altered by specific interventions. Exercise had the greatest effect for the 'anger-in' component derived from the SI. Correlational analyses (both cross-sectional and longitudinal) further suggested that level of fitness was negatively correlated with cardiovascular reactivity.