Education Is Associated with the Magnitude of Cortisol Responses to Psychosocial Stress in College Students

Examining Reactivity and Recovery Patterns of Pain-Evoked Cortisol and Alpha-Amylase Trajectories: Relations Between Psychological Markers of Risk and Resilience

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the leading causes of disability globally and represents an enormous burden to aging adults. While numerous factors contribute to cLBP, dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system functioning have been implicated in its pathogenesis. It is well documented that negative psychological states can modulate biological stress responsivity in chronic pain; however, little is known regarding the influence of positive psychological factors in this relationship. The aim of this study was to examine the association between psychological risk and resilience factors with patterns of physiological stress reactivity and recovery in 60 older adults with cLBP. Participants completed measures of hope, optimism, pain catastrophizing, and perceived stress, and underwent psychophysical pain testing assessing responses to painful pressure, heat, and cold stimuli. Salivary samples were obtained prior to pain induction and at 7 time points spanning 90 minutes after pain testing terminated. To examine reactivity and recovery profiles in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system function, samples were assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase, respectively. Results revealed higher levels of hope and optimism were associated with increased cortisol reactivity (p's < .003) and more rapid recovery (p's = .001). Further, pain catastrophizing and perceived stress were associated with cortisol reactivity, with lower levels of these factors predicting larger increases in cortisol from baseline to peak levels (p's < .04). No significant differences in reactivity or recovery patterns emerged for alpha-amylase. Overall, findings highlight the role of psychological risk and resilience factors in modulating physiological stress reactivity. PERSPECTIVE: This article investigated whether psychosocial risk and resilience factors were associated with stress reactivity and recovery in response to laboratory-based pain testing in older adults with chronic low back pain. Results indicate that high resilience factors may be protective by modulating adrenocortical reactivity and recovery profiles.

The effect of animal-assisted intervention on undergraduate students' perception of momentary stress

Background

Student mental wellness is a priority in higher education. Animal Assisted Interventions (AAIs') are gaining momentum in universities across North America (Dell et al., 2015).

Aims

This study explored the relationships between AAIs', demographic variables, and perceived momentary stress among university students.

Methods

Using a descriptive correlational design, students completed a Perceived Momentary Stress questionnaire that included the Stress Numerical Rating Scale-11 (Stress NRS-11) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to measure perceived stress before and after AAIs'. Data were analyzed using R (4.1.2) (R Core Team, Vienna, Austria) to identify relationships between students' perceptions of momentary stress, AAIs' and sociodemographic and demographic variables.

Results

First-year students, female students, and students identifying as sexual minorities were found to benefit the most from AAIs'.

Conclusion

Results from this study reflect relationships between exposure to animal-assisted interventions and student demographic variables.

Predictors of stress in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

College students experience high stress levels during emergency remote classes in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not clear whether this is due to the summation effect of both stressors (classes and pandemic). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate predictors of stress in college students before and during remote classes five months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The study was conducted before (BRC, July-August 2020) and during remote classes (DRC, October-November 2020). The sample consisted of 177 individuals (80 in BRC, 97 in DRC). Students were asked to self-collect saliva for cortisol analysis at each moment of the study, and to fill out a form to characterize the individual and assess the chronotype (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and the stress (Perceived Stress Scale–10).

Results

There was no difference between the evaluated periods for cortisol, perceived stress or sleep quality. Predictors for cortisol levels were gender, academic semester, chronotype, sleep quality and sadness due to pandemic (p<0.001).

Limitations

Short interval between BRC and DRC assessments of perceived stress and salivary cortisol.

Conclusions

Age, sex, income, academic semester, chronotype, and the impact of the pandemic on mood are predictors of stress among college students. In addition, emergency remote classes and sleep quality contribute to less perceived stress.

Salivary cortisol concentrations in hematogy/oncology nurses on working days and days off

OBJECTIVE

to assess salivary cortisol concentrations in hematology/oncology nurses on working days and days off.

METHODS

a cross-sectional study carried out with 28 nurses from a university hospital. A sociodemographic, employment and health profile questionnaire was applied. For saliva collection, Salivette® tubes were used. Descriptive and analytical analysis was used.

RESULTS

there was no significant difference in cortisol concentrations between working days and days off (p>0.05). The high cortisol concentration was associated with not having children (0.621±0.340; p=0.046), not using medication (0.623±0.133; p=0.017) and birth control pills (0.556 ± 0.228; p=0.047) and intention to leave work (0.951±0.154; p=0.001). A positive correlation was identified between cortisol and absence from work due to health issues (0.72; p=0.05) and weight gain (0.935; p=0.02).

CONCLUSION

in general, cortisol concentration is within the reference parameters, with no significant difference in its secretion on working days and days off.