谈论婚姻问题也许会升高血压
NEW YORK, Nov 06 (Reuters Health) - Discussing marital problems with a spouse may be an expected part of the relationship for many people, but in some cases, their partners may wish to avoid such talks, considering them to be a heart-pounding, stressful experience, according to recent study findings.
"Physiologic differences may partially explain the common problem in relationships where one person wants to talk about relationship problems while the other person tries to avoid such discussions," Dr. Wayne H. Denton of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, told Reuters Health.
, http://www.100md.com
To investigate, Denton and his colleagues performed a series of tests to measure blood pressure and heart rate reactivity among 58 married couples. The couples were also interviewed together about their proposed responses to a variety of hypothetical conflict-causing situations. Blood pressure was measured continuously during the interview.
Overall, 46 individuals, roughly two-thirds of whom were male, were classified as avoiders of relationship discussions and 70 individuals, about 60% of whom were female, were classified as initiators, the investigators report in the October issue of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
, 百拇医药
"It is commonly assumed that women want to discuss relationship problems while men want to avoid those discussions and this is usually attributed to the upbringing of children," Denton said. "In fact, however, the results of this study...found that this stereotype is only accurate about two-thirds of the time."
In general, avoiders exhibited a greater increase in their systolic blood pressure during the interview than did initiators, the report indicates.
, http://www.100md.com
Systolic blood pressure--the first number in a blood pressure measurement--describes the pressure in the heart during contraction. The second number, the diastolic value, represents the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
Females exhibited a greater increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure than did males, but female avoiders exhibited a greater increase in their systolic blood pressure than female initiators.
, 百拇医药
Males who initiated relationship discussions, in contrast, exhibited larger increases in their heart rate during the interview than their male peers who avoided such discussions. And male initiators who were married to females who avoided relationship discussions exhibited greater increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the interview than initiator males married to initiator females.
The wife's status as an avoider or initiator only affected the reactivity of husbands who initiated relationship discussions, and not those who avoided such talks, the report indicates.
, http://www.100md.com
"It may be that the frustration of dealing with an avoiding spouse led to the increase in blood pressure," Denton said.
In light of the study's findings, Denton said that if an individual is reluctant to discuss problems with their partner, "it may not be because they don't care about the relationship. Rather, it may be that such discussions are more difficult for them because of physiologic reactions they are experiencing."
The study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health.
SOURCE: Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2001;24:401-421., http://www.100md.com
"Physiologic differences may partially explain the common problem in relationships where one person wants to talk about relationship problems while the other person tries to avoid such discussions," Dr. Wayne H. Denton of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, told Reuters Health.
, http://www.100md.com
To investigate, Denton and his colleagues performed a series of tests to measure blood pressure and heart rate reactivity among 58 married couples. The couples were also interviewed together about their proposed responses to a variety of hypothetical conflict-causing situations. Blood pressure was measured continuously during the interview.
Overall, 46 individuals, roughly two-thirds of whom were male, were classified as avoiders of relationship discussions and 70 individuals, about 60% of whom were female, were classified as initiators, the investigators report in the October issue of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
, 百拇医药
"It is commonly assumed that women want to discuss relationship problems while men want to avoid those discussions and this is usually attributed to the upbringing of children," Denton said. "In fact, however, the results of this study...found that this stereotype is only accurate about two-thirds of the time."
In general, avoiders exhibited a greater increase in their systolic blood pressure during the interview than did initiators, the report indicates.
, http://www.100md.com
Systolic blood pressure--the first number in a blood pressure measurement--describes the pressure in the heart during contraction. The second number, the diastolic value, represents the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
Females exhibited a greater increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure than did males, but female avoiders exhibited a greater increase in their systolic blood pressure than female initiators.
, 百拇医药
Males who initiated relationship discussions, in contrast, exhibited larger increases in their heart rate during the interview than their male peers who avoided such discussions. And male initiators who were married to females who avoided relationship discussions exhibited greater increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the interview than initiator males married to initiator females.
The wife's status as an avoider or initiator only affected the reactivity of husbands who initiated relationship discussions, and not those who avoided such talks, the report indicates.
, http://www.100md.com
"It may be that the frustration of dealing with an avoiding spouse led to the increase in blood pressure," Denton said.
In light of the study's findings, Denton said that if an individual is reluctant to discuss problems with their partner, "it may not be because they don't care about the relationship. Rather, it may be that such discussions are more difficult for them because of physiologic reactions they are experiencing."
The study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health.
SOURCE: Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2001;24:401-421., http://www.100md.com