The relationship between hostility and blood pressure in children.

The relationship between two dimensions of hostility and resting blood pressure was examined in 98 children aged 7 to 10 years. The children completed the expressive and experienced hostility subscales of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and one week later had blood pressure and obesity levels assessed. Multiple regression analyses and analyses of variance showed that expressive hostility was positively associated with blood pressure, although this relationship became marginally significant when the effects of obesity were controlled. A significant inverse relationship was found between experienced hostility and systolic blood pressure. These results are discussed as they relate to findings in adults on hostility and cardiovascular disease and the relationship between hostility, blood pressure, and obesity.