The relationship between hostility and perceived parental rearing behaviour: A study of male myocardial infarction patients and healthy controls

This study examined the relationship between perceived parental rearing behaviour and individual differences in hostility in a sample of 67 middle-aged male myocardial infarction patients and 139 healthy neighbourhood controls. The EMBU was used to measure perceptions of parental rearing behaviour. Hostility was assessed by means of the Cook-Medley Hostility (Ho) scale and the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI). The present findings are generally in line with the results of our previous study among highly educated young adults (Meesters, Muris & Esselink, Personality and Individual Differences, 18, 567–570, 1995). The results show that in both cases and controls high hostility is related to perceived parental rejection and perceived lack of emotional warmth. Furthermore, perceived rejection by both parents seems to be the most strong predictor of an individualsʹ level of hostility. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.