A Psychological Perspective on the Management of Hypertension: Social Problem-Solving as a Non-Pharmacological Intervention

Abstract

In this thesis the medical condition of hypertension, considered as a major public health challenge, is being discussed from a psychological perspective. A historical overview of research on the hypothesised association between psychological characteristics and hypertension is provided, followed by a discussion of theoretical and methodological issues. The initial knowledge concerning the existence of such an association can serve to improve the management of hypertension by developing effective non-pharmacological interventions in addition to medical treatments. In this context, psychological and behavioural treatments for hypertension are being discussed. The present study focused on the relationship between certain components of social problem-solving (D’Zurilla & Goldfield, 1971; Maydeu-Olivares & D’Zurilla, 1995, 1996) and blood pressure (BP). The impulsivity-carelessness style (ICS) was significantly and positively correlated with BP. Moreover, some predictive validity for BP was found for ICS, a negative problem orientation (NPO) and the avoidance style (AS) when controlling for age. Further studies are needed in order to determine whether the inclusion of social problem-solving in interventions for hypertension is useful.