News - Hypertension Week of July 27, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 30

Study: Ambivalent Relationships Increase Blood Pressure

Ambivalent relationships with acquaintances can raise stress and blood pressure levels, according to a study reported in the July issue of Health Psychology.

"Most people can think of someone they might feel ambivalent toward -- a mother you love very much but who is also overbearing or critical, or a good friend who's lots of fun yet very competitive," said lead researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad, an assistant psychology professor at Brigham Young University.

Holt-Lunstad and her colleagues had 102 study subjects wear portable, concealed blood pressure monitors for three days. Besides making detailed notes in a diary about how they felt about the people they met, the participants also pressed a button about five minutes into every social interaction to record their blood pressure.

The researchers found that in relationships, mixed feelings seemed to be more unsettling than outright hostility.

"When you're interacting with those you feel aversive or negative toward, these people are predictable and you will either avoid them or you can discount them because you know what to expect from them," Holt-Lunstad explained. "But for a person you feel both positive and negative toward, there could be hope and an expectation for something positive, and then, when you don't get the support you wanted, this can be very distressing."

The study also reaffirmed the sense of security that people tend to find among family members, said Kathleen Light, who directs the Stress and Health Research Program at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Light said the researchers found that people tend to have more frequent positive interactions with family members and spouses. Even when they have negative interactions with relatives, the blood pressure levels do not rise as much as when negative interactions occur with other people, she added.

"This may be one reason why people with strong family ties live longer and experience better quality of life," observed Light.

By recognizing nuances in their relationships, Holt-Lunstad said people can begin to evaluate their social networks to consider who might be most beneficial to approach in various circumstances.

"We might know some people who are unreliable in some situations but who are there for us in others," said Holt-Lunstad. "We can be strategic about our coping."

Holt-Lunstad said psychology is gaining in influence now that leading causes of death are influenced highly by behavior. "Many of them, like heart disease, develop slowly over time and are chronic, so people need to adjust their lifestyles to prevent and deal with those illnesses," she added.

Other sources: Brigham Young University