Young adults with a short temper or mean disposition also tend to have compromised lung function, says a recent study published in the journal Health Psychology, by the American Psychological Association (APA).
This occurred even when asthma and smoking were ruled out as possible causes of lung dysfunction.
In a study of 4,629 Black and White 18-30 year olds from four metropolitan areas (sampled from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults Study cohort (CARDIA), psychologists examined whether the tendency to be hostile went along with having decreased lung function in otherwise healthy young adults. The results indicated that the more hostile one's personality, characterized by aggression or anger, for example, the lower levels one's of lung function even after controlling for age, height, socioeconomic status, smoking status and presence of asthma.
People with higher levels of general frustration predicted statistically significant reductions in pulmonary function for Black women, White women, and Black men. The only marginally strong finding occurred among the White men sampled. The authors speculate that people in lower status roles, Black women, White women, and Black men, who display hostility (and may be pushing against social expectations), elicit stronger social consequences than White men, resulting in higher levels of internalized stress that can make them sick. Further research is required to rule out if environmental toxins such as air pollution may contribute to both higher hostility and lower lung function.