1
|
Lang JC, Peters BJ, Tudder A, Gresham AM, Zoccola PM, Allan NP. Conflicting patterns of cardiovascular reactivity, self-report, and behavior associated with social anxiety during a conversation with a close friend. Psychophysiology 2024:e14629. [PMID: 38886908 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Social anxiety (SA) is characterized by anxious symptomology and fear during social situations, but recent work suggests that SA may not necessarily be associated with negative interpersonal and intrapersonal outcomes in support contexts. The current research investigates the discrepancies between self-perceptions, behavior, and physiological responses associated with SA in social support conversations with close friends. Specifically, we examined the associations between SA and positive and negative affect, perceptions of demands and resources, and responsiveness. Additionally, we used the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat to understand the physiological responses associated with SA. Participants (79.9% White, 9.8% Black or African American, 10.3% Multiple races or other; 78.7% Female), totaling 172 undergraduate friend dyads, completed self-report measures and had physiological responses recorded while they discussed a problem unrelated to the friendship. Trained coders rated responsive behaviors exhibited during the conversation. Results revealed that greater SA was associated with greater negative perceptions of social interactions (greater negative affect, fewer perceived resources, and greater perceived demands). However, cardiovascular reactivity and behavioral responses within the conversation, as well as perceptions of partners' behavior after the conversation, contrasted with these negative perceptions. Indeed, greater SA was associated with greater sympathetic arousal (indicative of greater task engagement), but not with greater challenge or threat, and SA was not associated with perceived partner responsiveness or responsive behaviors. These results add to the growing body of research that suggests people with greater SA show inconsistencies between their conscious appraisals of social situations and their physiological responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C Lang
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Brett J Peters
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Ashley Tudder
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Peggy M Zoccola
- Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Nicholas P Allan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tyne WP, Fletcher D, Stevinson C, Paine NJ. Cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress is associated with generalized self-efficacy and self-efficacy outcomes during adventure challenges. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14540. [PMID: 38361367 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Outdoor adventure challenges are commonly used to enhance self-efficacy, but the physiological mechanisms involved remain unexplored. Additionally, while studies have documented the influence of self-efficacy on stress management, general self-efficacy has yet to be fully understood in the context of cardiovascular stress reactivity (CVR). This study investigated the influence of self-efficacy beliefs on CVR during acute psychological stress tasks. Additionally, it explored whether CVR serves as a novel mechanism underlying the outcomes of outdoor adventure challenges. As part of a wider randomized controlled trial, participants (n = 55) were invited to complete a laboratory session to assess CVR to an active (paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT)) and a passive (cold pressor test (CPT)) stress task. Randomized participants (n = 33) to the experimental condition also engaged in a high ropes challenge course after the laboratory session. It was found that greater self-reported self-efficacy was associated with larger CVR during the CPT and positively associated with perceived engagement and performance during the PASAT. Secondly, participants reporting positive change in self-efficacy post-intervention were associated with greater CVR and greater CVR was associated with higher ratings of intervention engagement and perceived challenge. This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that greater efficacy beliefs may heighten CVR to passive acute psychological stressors. Habitual stress reactivity may represent a novel mechanism involved in outdoor and adventure-based interventions. Future research should continue to explore the impact of psychological variables on stress physiology and examine CVR as a potential mechanism in adventure experiences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William P Tyne
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - David Fletcher
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Clare Stevinson
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Nicola J Paine
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gamaiunova L, Brandt PY, Kliegel M. Challenge or Threat? The Effects of the Standard and a Second-Generation Mindfulness Intervention with Buddhist Practices on Cognitive Appraisals of Stress: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Experiment Performed in Switzerland. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2023:10.1007/s10943-023-01964-8. [PMID: 38135834 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-023-01964-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Contemplative approaches rooted in Buddhist traditions have been linked to the attenuation of response to social stress. Anticipatory cognitive appraisals of social situations potentially represent a mechanism explaining the stress-reducing effects of contemplative practices. The cognitive appraisal of threat is associated with an anticipated loss of social self-esteem. In contrast, the cognitive appraisal of challenge involves recognizing the potential for gain or growth in stressful situations and is associated with a more adaptive cardiovascular response. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled experiment performed in Switzerland, we evaluated the effects of two contemplative interventions on cognitive appraisals of challenge and threat and associated physiological profiles. The interventions were a standard Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and a new program (MBSR-B), which included several elements from Buddhist practices. After an eight-week intervention, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and underwent the assessment of primary cognitive appraisals and cardiovascular response to stress. The results demonstrated greater challenge appraisal in the MBSR (n = 20) and MBSR-B (n = 21) groups compared to Control (n = 24), and MBSR-B participants scored higher on the challenge than threat appraisal. At the physiological level, the groups did not differ on changes in cardiac output and total peripheral resistance. Still, an exploratory analysis demonstrated that the MBSR-B group's cardiovascular profile best resembled challenge appraisal. The results suggest that contemplative approaches foster challenge appraisal, contributing to a more adaptive response to stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liudmila Gamaiunova
- Institute for Social Sciences of Religions (ISSR), University of Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Chamberonne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Swiss National Center of Competences in Research LIVES-Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Pierre-Yves Brandt
- Institute for Social Sciences of Religions (ISSR), University of Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Chamberonne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Swiss National Center of Competences in Research LIVES-Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu Y, Zhao X, Hu W, Ren Y, Wei Z, Ren X, Tang Z, Wang N, Chen H, Li Y, Shi Z, Qin S, Yang J. Neural habituation during acute stress signals a blunted endocrine response and poor resilience. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7735-7745. [PMID: 37309913 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to acute stress is associated with psychiatric symptoms. Although the prefrontal cortex and limbic areas are important regulators of the HPA axis, whether the neural habituation of these regions during stress signals both blunted HPA axis responses and psychiatric symptoms remains unclear. In this study, neural habituation during acute stress and its associations with the stress cortisol response, resilience, and depression were evaluated. METHODS Seventy-seven participants (17-22 years old, 37 women) were recruited for a ScanSTRESS brain imaging study, and the activation changes between the first and last stress blocks were used as the neural habituation index. Meanwhile, participants' salivary cortisol during test was collected. Individual-level resilience and depression were measured using questionnaires. Correlation and moderation analyses were conducted to investigate the association between neural habituation and endocrine data and mental symptoms. Validated analyses were conducted using a Montreal Image Stress Test dataset in another independent sample (48 participants; 17-22 years old, 24 women). RESULTS Neural habituation of the prefrontal cortex and limbic area was negatively correlated with cortisol responses in both datasets. In the ScanSTRESS paradigm, neural habituation was both positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with resilience. Moreover, resilience moderated the relationship between neural habituation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and cortisol response. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that neural habituation of the prefrontal cortex and limbic area could reflect motivation dysregulation during repeated failures and negative feedback, which might further lead to maladaptive mental states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Weiyu Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yipeng Ren
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhenni Wei
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xi Ren
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zihan Tang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Haopeng Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yizhuo Li
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhenhao Shi
- Center for Studies of Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Magnúsdóttir BB, Gylfason HF, Jóhannsdóttir KR. Blunted Cardiovascular Reactivity Predicts Worse Performance in Working Memory Tasks. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040649. [PMID: 37190615 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
When we experience psychological challenges in the environment, our heart rate usually rises to make us more able to solve the task, but there is an individual difference in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR). Extreme CVR to environmental demands has been associated with worse health outcomes, with blunted CVR (little or no rise in heart rate) related to maladaptive behavior, including depression. The blunted CVR has been explained by motivational disengagement, which involves giving up on a task when facing obstacles. Disengagement is thought to be a habitual response that people might not be aware of, and, therefore, objective measures such as test performance might serve as a good measure of engagement. In this study, 66 participants solved different cognitive tasks while their CVR was measured. The aim was to test the association between test performance and reactivity, measured with the difference in heart rate at baseline and the mean heart rate while solving the tasks. Our results show a significant association between reactivity scores and performance in all tests, of various difficulty, indicating that blunted cardiovascular reactivity predicts poorer cognitive performance. Furthermore, we find an association between reactivity in one test and the performance in the other tests, suggesting that disengagement from environmental demands can be more general and not depend on the task at hand. The results, therefore, support earlier research suggesting that blunted CVR is associated with worse cognitive performance, and extends the literature by indicating that disengagement could be a more general maladaptive response to the environment.
Collapse
|
6
|
O' Riordan A, Howard S, Gallagher S. Blunted cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress and prospective health: a systematic review. Health Psychol Rev 2023; 17:121-147. [PMID: 35445639 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2068639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Novel research demonstrates that lower or 'blunted' cardiovascular reactions to stress are associated with a range of adverse outcomes. The aim of the current review was (1) to examine the prospective outcomes predicted by blunted cardiovascular reactivity and (2) to identify a range of blunted cardiovascular reaction levels that predict these outcomes. Electronic databases were systematically searched (Medline, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science). Studies were included if they examined the prospective influence of blunted cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress (SBP, DBP or HR) on a negative health, behavioural or psychological outcome. A total of 23 studies were included in the review. Blunted reactivity predicted (1) adverse cardiovascular health, primarily in cardiac samples (e.g., myocardial infarction, carotid atherosclerosis) and (2) outcomes associated with motivational and behavioural dysregulation in healthy samples (e.g., obesity, smoking addiction, depression). The cardiovascular reactivity threshold levels that were predictive of adverse health outcomes ranged between -3.00-12.59 bpm (14.41% to 136.59% lower than the sample mean) and -2.4-5.00 mmhg (65.99% to 133.80% lower than sample mean), for HR and DBP respectively. We posit that blunted reactions lower than, or equal to, the ranges reported here may be utilised by clinicians and researchers to identify individuals who are at increased risk of adverse cardiovascular health outcomes, as well as outcomes associated with motivational and behavioural dysregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam O' Riordan
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Siobhán Howard
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Stephen Gallagher
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Scheepers D, Keller J. On the physiology of flow: Bridging flow theory with the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat. Int J Psychophysiol 2022; 182:119-128. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
8
|
Villains or vermin? The differential effects of criminal and animal rhetoric on immigrant cardiovascular responses. GROUP PROCESSES & INTERGROUP RELATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/13684302221098009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Prejudicial stressors are well documented and have been shown to elicit both cardiovascular threat responses as well as poor poststressor cardiovascular recovery among targets of prejudice, but these responses may be even stronger if those prejudicial stressors involve dehumanizing, animalistic content. We predicted that immigrant participants who are exposed to animal metaphors in an attempt to elicit feelings of dehumanization (i.e., metadehumanization) would exhibit both larger cardiovascular threat responses and poorer poststressor recovery, as mediated by the presence of state-rumination, than participants exposed to criminal metaphors. We examined the cardiovascular reactivity and recovery of 150 first- and second-generation U.S. immigrants during nonimmigration and immigration speech tasks. For the immigration speech, participants were randomly assigned to read a fabricated article that either primed prejudicial attitudes via animal metaphors or via criminal metaphors about immigrants. Controlling for nonimmigration speech reactivity, results showed that threat responses were significantly greater among those primed with animal metaphors compared to those primed with criminal metaphors. These effects were prolonged, such that participants in the animal condition displayed poorer recovery after the task compared to those in the criminal condition. Participants with greater levels of state-rumination also exhibited poorer recovery than those who ruminated less. These results showcase the more insidious cardiovascular stress responses to dehumanizing prejudice compared with nondehumanizing rhetoric. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Collapse
|
9
|
Loeb EL, Gonzalez MZ, Hunt G, Uchino BN, de Grey RGK, Allen JP. Socioeconomic status in early adolescence predicts blunted stress responses in adulthood. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22294. [PMID: 35748628 PMCID: PMC9328275 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Individuals who grow up in families with lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to experience disproportionate rates of chronic stress. The “freeze” response, characterized by blunted cardiovascular reactivity and reduced engagement with the environment, is associated with chronic stress and may be utilized when an individual is unable to escape or overcome environmental stressors. Using a diverse community sample of 184 adolescents followed from the age of 13 to 29 years, along with their friends and romantic partners, this study examined links between family SES and stress responses in adulthood. Low family SES at the age of 13 years directly predicted blunted heart rate responding and fewer attempts to answer math problems during a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Task at the age of 29 years. Indirect effects were found from low family SES to blunted respiratory sinus arrhythmia responding and the number of words spoken during a speech task. SES at the age of 29 years mediated many of these relations. Findings held after accounting for a number of potential confounds, including adolescent academic and attachment functioning and body mass index. We interpret these findings as evidence that low familial SES may predict freezing‐type responses in adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Loeb
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Gabrielle Hunt
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | - Joseph P Allen
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
de Oliveira LFG, Souza-Junior TP, Fechio JJ, Gomes-Santos JAF, Sampaio RC, Vardaris CV, Lambertucci RH, de Barros MP. Uric Acid and Cortisol Levels in Plasma Correlate with Pre-Competition Anxiety in Novice Athletes of Combat Sports. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060712. [PMID: 35741598 PMCID: PMC9221204 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-competition anxiety is very prevalent in novice athletes, causing stress and drastic decreases in their performances. Cortisol plays a central role in the psychosomatic responses to stress and also in the physiology of strenuous exercise. Growing evidence links uric acid, an endogenous antioxidant, with oxidative stress and anxiety, as observed in many depressive-related disorders. We here compared anxiety inventory scores (BAI and CSAI-2), cortisol and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the plasma of novice combat athletes (white and blue belts) before and after their first official national competition, when levels of stress are presumably high. Although the novice fighters did not reveal high indexes of anxiety on questionnaires, significant correlations were confirmed between cortisol and cognitive anxiety (Pearson’s r = 0.766, p-value = 0.002, and a ‘strong’ Bayesian inference; BF10 = 22.17) and between pre-post changes of plasmatic uric acid and somatic anxiety (r = 0.804, p < 0.001, and ‘very strong’ inference; BF10 = 46.52). To our knowledge, this is the first study to report such strong correlations between uric acid and pre-competition anxiety in novice combat athletes. The cause-consequence association between these indexes cannot be directly inferred here, although the interplay between uric acid and anxiety deserves further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Garcia de Oliveira
- Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Science (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno 868, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil; (L.F.G.d.O.); (J.A.F.G.-S.); (R.C.S.); (C.V.V.)
- Physical Education Program, University Center of Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio (CEUNSP), Program in Physical Education, Rua Madre Maria Basília 965, Itu 13300-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Tácito Pessoa Souza-Junior
- Research Group on Metabolism, Nutrition and Strength Training (GPMENUTF), Campus Politécnico, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Rua Coronel Francisco Heráclito dos Santos 210, Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil;
| | | | - José Alberto Fernandes Gomes-Santos
- Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Science (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno 868, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil; (L.F.G.d.O.); (J.A.F.G.-S.); (R.C.S.); (C.V.V.)
| | - Ricardo Camões Sampaio
- Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Science (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno 868, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil; (L.F.G.d.O.); (J.A.F.G.-S.); (R.C.S.); (C.V.V.)
| | - Cristina Vasconcelos Vardaris
- Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Science (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno 868, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil; (L.F.G.d.O.); (J.A.F.G.-S.); (R.C.S.); (C.V.V.)
| | - Rafael Herling Lambertucci
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Silva Jardim 136, Santos 11015-020, SP, Brazil;
| | - Marcelo Paes de Barros
- Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Science (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno 868, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil; (L.F.G.d.O.); (J.A.F.G.-S.); (R.C.S.); (C.V.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-11-3385-3103
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Keogh TM, Howard S, Gallagher S, Ginty AT. Cluster analysis reveals distinct patterns of childhood adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression that predict blunted heart rate reactivity to acute psychological stress. Ann Behav Med 2022; 57:61-73. [PMID: 35568985 PMCID: PMC9773378 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is considerable evidence documenting associations between early life adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression with blunted cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress. However, while often examined as independent predictors, it is also likely that a combination of these factors uniquely relate to cardiovascular reactivity. PURPOSE The present study employed multivariate cluster analysis to examine if distinct combinations of these outcomes relate to cardiovascular stress reactivity. METHODS Participants (N = 467) were predominantly female (60.6%) with a mean age of 19.30 years (SD = 0.82). Measures of early life adversity, behavioral disengagement, and depression were completed; in addition, participants had their blood pressure and heart rate monitored throughout a standardized stress testing session. Cardiovascular reactivity was calculated as the difference between mean stress and mean baseline cardiovascular values. RESULTS Analyses revealed two clusters with distinct patterns of exposure to early life adversity, levels of behavioral disengagement and depression, uniquely related to cardiovascular reactivity. In unadjusted models, Cluster 1 that was characterized by greater exposure to early life adversity, higher levels of behavioral disengagement and depression, was associated with lower systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) reactivity. Cluster 2 was characterized by reactivity values similar to the sample means. In fully adjusted models, Cluster 1 predicted heart rate reactivity to stress. CONCLUSIONS The present study identifies a behavioral cluster that is characteristic of a blunted heart rate reactivity profile, significantly extending the research in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Siobhán Howard
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Stephen Gallagher
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research, Study of Anxiety, Stress and Health Laboratory, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Annie T Ginty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Howard S. OLD IDEAS, NEW DIRECTIONS: RE-EXAMINING THE PREDICTIVE UTILITY OF THE HEMODYNAMIC PROFILE OF THE STRESS RESPONSE IN HEALTHY POPULATIONS. Health Psychol Rev 2022; 17:104-120. [PMID: 35452356 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2067210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The 'reactivity hypothesis' has a long and fruitful history in health psychology and behavioural medicine, with elements of its thesis taken as core and others lost in the plethora of research on its utility as a theory of psychosomatic disease. One such thesis is that the underlying hemodynamic profile of the stress response may be particularly revealing when detailing the impact of psychological stress on the development of cardiovascular disease. This paper re-examines old ideas surrounding the hemodynamic profile of the stress response, asking why its health-predictive properties were never fully explored. Further, this paper reviews the evidence that a vascular profile of stress responding may be especially predictive of disease development, particularly in the case of hypertension. In addition, measurement of hemodynamic profile as well as its known psychosocial moderators are reviewed including how examination of patterns of cardiovascular-stress response adaptation may extend the field. This paper highlights that the extension of the reactivity hypothesis to include both hemodynamic profile and patterns of cardiovascular stress-response adaptation may hold much explanatory power in detailing the impact of how stress responding and stress tolerance promotes disease development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán Howard
- SASHLab, Centre for Social Issues Research, Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Ireland.,Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Domen I, Scheepers D, Derks B, van Veelen R. It’s a man’s world; right? How women’s opinions about gender inequality affect physiological responses in men. GROUP PROCESSES & INTERGROUP RELATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/13684302211042669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In two experiments, we examined how men respond to women who either challenge or legitimize societal gender inequality, and how gender identification moderates these responses. We hypothesized that men feel less threatened by women who legitimize (vs. challenge) the gender hierarchy, and evaluate these women more positively. To investigate these expectations, we assessed self-reports (Studies 1 and 2) and cardiovascular threat/challenge responses (Study 2). Both studies showed that men experience less negative emotions when presented with a woman who legitimized (vs. challenged) the gender hierarchy. Moreover, among men with a relatively high gender identification, a woman who challenged the gender hierarchy elicited a physiological response pattern indicative of threat, whereas a woman who legitimized the gender hierarchy elicited a pattern indicative of challenge. Results are discussed in terms of social identity theory, status threat, and self-distancing behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daan Scheepers
- Utrecht University, The Netherlands
- Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Bourassa KJ, Sbarra DA. Cardiovascular reactivity, stress, and personal emotional salience: Choose your tasks carefully. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14037. [PMID: 35292974 PMCID: PMC9283235 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Both greater cardiovascular reactivity and lesser reactivity ("blunting") to laboratory stressors are linked to poor health outcomes, including among people who have a history of traumatic experiences. In a sample of recently separated and divorced adults (N = 96), this study examined whether differences in cardiovascular reactivity might be explained by differences in the personal emotional salience of the tasks and trauma history. Participants were assessed for trauma history, current distress related to their marital dissolution, and cardiovascular reactivity during two tasks, a serial subtraction math stressor task and a divorce-recall task. Participants with a greater trauma history evidenced less blood pressure reactivity to the serial subtraction task (a low personal emotional salience task) when compared to participants with less trauma history. In contrast, participants with a greater trauma history evidenced higher blood pressure reactivity to the divorce-recall task, but only if they also reported more divorce-related distress (high personal emotional salience). These associations were not significant for heart rate reactivity. Among people with a history of more traumatic experiences, a task with low personal salience was associated with a lower blood pressure response, whereas a task with higher personal emotional salience was associated with a higher blood pressure response. Future studies examining cardiovascular reactivity would benefit from determining the personal emotional salience of tasks, particularly for groups that have experienced stressful life events or trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Bourassa
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - David A Sbarra
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Behnke M, Hase A, Kaczmarek LD, Freeman P. Blunted cardiovascular reactivity may serve as an index of psychological task disengagement in the motivated performance situations. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18083. [PMID: 34508160 PMCID: PMC8433313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97670-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Challenge and threat models predict that once individuals become engaged with performance, their evaluations and cardiovascular response determine further outcomes. Although the role of challenge and threat in predicting performance has been extensively tested, few studies have focused on task engagement. We aimed to investigate task engagement in performance at the psychological and physiological levels. We accounted for physiological task engagement by examining blunted cardiovascular reactivity, the third possible cardiovascular response to performance, in addition to the challenge/threat responses. We expected that low psychological task engagement would be related to blunted cardiovascular reactivity during the performance. Gamers (N = 241) completed five matches of the soccer video game FIFA 19. We recorded psychological task engagement, heart rate reactivity, and the difference between goals scored and conceded. Lower psychological task engagement was related to blunted heart rate reactivity during the performance. Furthermore, poorer performance in the previous game was related to increased task engagement in the subsequent match. The findings extend existing literature by providing initial evidence that blunted cardiovascular reactivity may serve as the index of low task engagement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Behnke
- Faculty of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, 60-568, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Adrian Hase
- Department of Medicine, Université de Fribourg, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Lukasz D Kaczmarek
- Faculty of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, 60-568, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paul Freeman
- School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ginty AT, Tyra AT, Young DA, John-Henderson NA, Gallagher S, Tsang JAC. State gratitude is associated with lower cardiovascular responses to acute psychological stress: A replication and extension. Int J Psychophysiol 2020; 158:238-247. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
|
17
|
Ginty AT, Hurley PE, Young DA. Diminished cardiovascular stress reactivity is associated with higher levels of behavioral disengagement. Biol Psychol 2020; 155:107933. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|