Abstract
This study investigated possible relations between hypertension, stress, optimism and cognitive distortions. The instruments used were a sociobiodemographic questionnaire, Lipp´s Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults, the Cognitive Distortion Questionnaire and the Life Orientation Test. The sample consisted of 50 people with hypertension and 50 without ranging from 42 to 69 years. Most people were not stressed (67%), and there was no significant difference between groups regarding the presence of stress, level of optimism or cognitive distortions. In the hypertension group, the presence of stress was significant and directly related to cognitive distortions, not relating to optimism. In the group without hypertension, the presence of stress was inversely related to optimism, but there was no relation to the general score of cognitive distortions. The results showed that the presence of hypertension can act upon the relations between stress, cognitive distortions and optimism.
Keywords:
Stress; Hypertension; Optimism; Cognitive Processes