Abstract
John Henryism (JH) is an active style of coping characterized by a belief that environmental events can be negotiated successfully via hard work and determination. Prior research suggests that high JH coupled with low socioeconomic status, an indirect measure of coping resources, predicts blood pressure status. This study examined the relation among JH, anger-coping, and mean arterial pressure changes in a sample of 39 African American female college volunteers. Mean arterial pressure was assessed before and during astandardized speaking task. Findings from the regression analyses indicated that JH was positively related to mean arterial responses during the speech period (p < .003). This main effect was qualified by a significant JH x anger-out interaction (p < .004). Although preliminary, these findings highlight the importance of examining psychological and physiological mechanisms that may underlie the previously observed relation among coping resources, JH, and arterial pressure.
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Clark, R., Adams, J.H. & Clark, V.R. Effects of John Henryism and anger-coping on mean arterial pressure changes in African American women. Int. J. Behav. Med. 8, 270–281 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0804_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0804_2