Description

The Type A Questionnaire (TAC-15) is a brief psychometric instrument designed to assess characteristics associated with Type A behavior, particularly as they relate to stress, psychosomatic functioning, and cardiovascular risk. The questionnaire consists of 15 items distributed across four behavioral subscales.

According to the available source material, the instrument has been used in large-scale studies in Finland and has also been translated and adapted into Greek through independent translation procedures and back-translation.

Purpose

The main purpose of the TAC-15 is to assess characteristics associated with the Type A behavioral pattern, which has traditionally been linked to increased cardiovascular risk.

By identifying these behavioral characteristics, the questionnaire may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between personality, behavior, stress, and psychosomatic health.

Structure of the Scale

The TAC-15 includes four main subscales:

  • Impatience, Irritability, and Speed
  • Activity and Effectiveness
  • Competition and Ambition
  • Tension and Difficulty Relaxing

This multidimensional structure allows the instrument to provide a more detailed behavioral profile rather than relying solely on a single overall score.

Scoring

Participants respond using a five-point Likert-type scale, ranging from:

  • 1 = Not at all
  • 5 = Very much

The 15 items are distributed across the four subscales, which are scored and interpreted separately.

According to the source material:

  • Subscale A includes items 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, and 14.
  • Subscale B includes items 13, 2, and 4.
  • Subscale C includes items 15, 8, 12, and 7.
  • Subscale D includes items 14, 11, 5, and 9.

Validity

The questionnaire has undergone conceptual and linguistic adaptation. Its validity is supported in the source material by its use in international research and by the correspondence of its structure with theoretically recognized dimensions of Type A behavior.

When used in different cultural or occupational populations, further examination of its factor structure and psychometric properties may be appropriate.

Reliability

In the Greek sample, the Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.57 to 0.69. These values are described in the available material as marginally satisfactory and similar to those reported for the original questionnaire and the Framingham scale.

Because the reliability coefficients are not particularly high, the instrument should be used with appropriate caution in research settings, and internal consistency should ideally be reassessed within each new sample.

Data Analysis and Use

The Greek study described in the source material included 375 participants, of whom 175 were students and 200 were non-students, with a mean age of 31.7 years. Data were collected in Kavala and Katerini, with participation being voluntary and anonymous.

The results may be used to investigate associations between Type A behavior and psychosomatic health, as well as to inform interventions related to stress and anxiety management.

Research Applications

The TAC-15 may be useful in research focusing on personality, occupational stress, psychosomatic health, burnout, and behaviors associated with cardiovascular risk.

It may also be used to investigate relationships between its subscales and variables such as job satisfaction, perceived time pressure, competitiveness, quality of life, and the ability to relax.

Interpretation

Interpretation of the TAC-15 should primarily focus on the profile of the four subscales rather than on a single overall label.

Higher scores on specific dimensions may indicate a stronger presence of characteristics such as impatience, competitiveness, increased activity, or difficulty relaxing. However, these scores should not be interpreted as a diagnosis or as evidence of cardiovascular disease.

The TAC-15 is best regarded as a behavioral and research assessment instrument, with results interpreted within the broader psychological and health context.

Reference

Järvikoski, A., & Harkapaa, K. (1987). A brief Type A scale and the occurrence of cardiovascular symptoms. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 19, 115–120.