Anger-related traits and response to interpersonal conflict among New York City traffic agents

Evaluated the psychosocial correlates of anger-related traits. Ss included New York City traffic enforcement agents (TEAs; aged 22–64 yrs), who issue summonses for vehicular and parking violations and are frequently confronted by angry motorists. Ss completed surveys at 2 points, 4 mo apart, which measured attitudinal, affective, and expressive components of hostility and anger, as well as dimensions of workplace psychosocial response. Results indicate that trait anger-in was positively associated with frequency of conflict, anger intensity, and burnout in cross-sectional analyses; and positively associated with frequency of conflict in prospective analyses. Trait anger was positively associated with an increase in burnout over a 4-mo period. These findings provide support for the transactional model of hostility and health and have implications for worksite interventions promoting cardiovascular health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)