Blood pressure, self-reported symptoms and job-related problems in schoolteachers

Acute Relaxation Response Induced by Tibetan Singing Bowl Sounds: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The prevalence of anxiety has increased dramatically due to COVID-19, so effective preventive interventions are welcome. The main objective of our study was to compare the acute relaxation response (RR) induced by Tibetan singing bowl (TSB) sound-based treatment against progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and a control waiting list group (CWL) in a single treatment session in an adult nonclinical anxious population. In this cross-sectional randomized control trial, 50 participants selected based on high state anxiety were randomly assigned to one of the experimental groups. Pre/post self-reported anxiety, electroencephalographic activity (EEG), and heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded at baseline (T1), minute 15 (T2), minute 30 (T3), and minute 45 (T4). The TSB group showed significant reductions in alpha power (from T2 to T4) and increased HRV (from T3 to T4) compared with the PMR and CWL groups. Moreover, TSB and PMR both showed significant reductions in self-reported anxiety compared with CWL, with this effect being more evident in the TSB group. We concluded that a single session of TSB treatment was able to induce a more evident psychological/physiological relaxation response compared with PMR and CWL. TSB could be a relevant acute intervention in stressful situations or crisis intervention and while waiting for conventional interventions.

Relationship between blood pressure and psychological features of experience and behaviour among teachers

<b>Background</b><br /> Relationships between psychological features and psychophysical parameters, such as blood pressure, have a high relevance in research on coping with stress. We want to investigate the correlation between blood pressure and these psychological features.<br /> <br /> <b>Participants and procedure</b><br /> We investigated 79 teachers from high schools and secondary schools in and around Leipzig, Germany. Using the systolic blood pressure as an indicator, we formed three groups: hypotensive, normotensive, and hypertensive. We assessed several psychological health dependent variables and looked for differences between these groups (χ2 test).<br /> <br /> <b>Results</b><br /> Hypotensive subjects experienced more stress and less planning and goal behaviour. Furthermore, they more often used physical exercises in order to increase their social well-being. Hypertensive subjects, on the other hand, were driven by fear of loss of control and showed a higher sense of feeling threatened.<br /> <br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> We found for each group different relationships that are highly relevant to health. This result shows how psychological features and physiological regulation mechanisms are linked.

Elevated blood pressure and self-reported symptom complaints, daily hassles, and defensiveness

The association between elevated blood pressure and low rates of self-reported problems has been hypothesized to be mediated by defensiveness. In a population screening study in which 1,120 women and 903 men between 20 and 55 years of age participated, multiple resting home blood pressure measurements were performed and questionnaires were administered measuring symptom complaints, daily hassles, and defensiveness. In women, after control for potential confounders, a low number of self-reported symptoms was associated with elevated blood pressure. However, this effect was not mediated by defensiveness, although repressive defensiveness predicted independently elevated blood pressure in women. In men, no significant associations were obtained. Furthermore, no relations emerged between daily hassles and elevated blood pressure. In conclusion, although defensiveness was more prevalent among women with elevated blood pressure, it does not provide a good explanation for the low rates of self-reported symptoms found in these women.

Defensive coping in relation to casual blood pressure and self-reported daily hassles and life events

Our aim was to investigate the relationships between defensiveness and repression, on the one hand, and self-reported stressor exposure and resting blood pressure, on the other hand. In addition, different operationalizations of defensiveness and repression were compared. Participants were 310 male and 90 female employees representing a wide range of occupations. Before a medical examination, all subjects completed questionnaires measuring defensiveness, anxiety, repression, daily hassles, and life events. After controlling for potentially confounding variables, multiple regression analyses revealed an inverse association between defensiveness and self-reported number of daily hassles and a positive link between defensiveness and resting systolic blood pressure. In general, the interaction between defensiveness and anxiety (representing repression) did not add to the predictive power of defensiveness and anxiety alone. The results support the notion that defensive individuals tend to underreport problems, while exhibiting elevated resting blood pressures.