The Jenkins Activity Survey and the CPI-revised: Further Evidence of Adaptive and Maladaptive Type a Traits

This study investigated the relationship with college students (N = 142) between Type A characteristics, as measured by the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), and the personality traits measured by the revised California Psychological Inventory (CPI). Significant differences between As and Bs were found on 18 of the 23 CPI traits. Overall, results suggested that the JAS Competitiveness subscale measured adaptive, while the Type A and Speed and Impatience subscales measured maladaptive, characteristics. Furthermore, the thematic deficit associated with the maladaptive Type A characteristics was a lowered sense of integration. Recent explanations of Type A behavior, including those that focus on anger and cognitive appraisals, have not considered this possible lack of integration as a maladaptive aspect of the Type A pattern