The Study of Psychological Treatment of Hypertension: Gender, Locus of Control, and Type a Personality
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Date
1999
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
One hundred patients (fifty males and fifty females) with essential hypertension
participated in the study, but eighty-two, (forty-six in the treatment group and thirtysix
in the delayed treatment groups), completed. All the patients were on medication.
The treatment group received cognitive behaviour intervention and progressive
muscle relaxation / biofeedback for 12 weeks. The gender, locus o f control and Type
A and B behaviour patterns were also examined in relation to the psychological
treatment. Treatment yielded a short-term success rate of 87 % defined as decrease in
mean systolic blood pressure and 83% mean diastolic blood pressure to within the
normal range, that is, study criteria. Other significant variables that were observed to
influence therapy were marital status, level of education and duration of illness. Three
months post treatment follow-up revealed that the blood pressure of patients were still
within the normal range. This suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy and
progressive muscle relaxation/biofeedback could be beneficial for short and long term
adjunctive treatment o f essential hypertension.
Description
Thesis (MPhil) - University of Ghana,