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Tian X, Li Y, Solomon DH. How Do Qualities of Supportive Conversations Affect Heart Rate Variability During Conversations About the Death of a Parent? HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2024; 39:1998-2013. [PMID: 37654001 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2252639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the impact of person-centered communication on bereaved young adults' physiological stress responses when they talked about the death of their parent. Heart rate variability - indexed by the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), the root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD), and the heart rate variability index (HRVi) - was monitored before, during, and after the interaction as an objective measure of stress reactivity and recovery. The final sample included 69 subjects, and they conversed with research confederates who provided varying levels of person-centered support. The results showed that participants who received highly person-centered support experienced faster stress recovery, as indicated by increased HRVi, compared to those who received moderately or low person-centered support. Bereaved adults' SDNN during the interaction was positively associated with subjective evaluations of cognitive reappraisal, emotional improvement, and support quality. The discussion highlights the significance of supportive interactions on physiological, psychological, and emotional well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Tian
- Department of Communication, University of Delaware
| | - Yuwei Li
- Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn State University
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2
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Hitchen R, Woolhouse M, Holch P. Breaking the silence: A qualitative exploration of parental perspectives of children with Goldenhar Syndrome. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24328. [PMID: 38318028 PMCID: PMC10839885 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Goldenhar Syndrome is a rare congenital condition, typically characterized by craniofacial abnormalities and vertebral malformations. Due to its rare and complex nature, the etiology is unconfirmed, resulting in parental uncertainty and subsequent emotional sequelae. Clinical manifestations have been researched but few studies have explored parental wellbeing and Quality of Life (QoL). In this qualitative study, we explore parental views of the challenges and lived experience of raising a child with Goldenhar Syndrome. Methods Ten biological parents (five mothers and five fathers), recruited at the Goldenhar UK Conference, took part in audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews. Interviews explored emotional wellbeing, views surrounding causation, support accessed, challenges faced, experience of stigma and future outlooks. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed, and transcripts were subject to deductive and inductive coding. Results Seven themes were identified: support networks (Goldenhar UK), rollercoaster of emotion; gendered coping; uncertainty; societal reactions; coping with challenge and acceptance. Conclusions This is the first-time the life perspectives of parents, raising a child with Goldenhar Syndrome, have been explored via interviews. We have unearthed prominent issues that impact parental QoL including isolation and distress at the point of diagnosis, and throughout the multidisciplinary health journey. We have also established significant indicators of the ongoing QoL challenges faced by young people with Goldenhar Syndrome. Future work is underway exploring these issues further with teenagers, young people and adults with Goldenhar to develop a conceptual framework of their QoL. This will be used to develop a bespoke patient reported outcome (PRO) to give voice to the challenges children and young adults face during their medical journey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Hitchen
- Leeds Beckett University, Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Portland Building, City Campus, Leeds, LS1 3HE, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Maxine Woolhouse
- Leeds Beckett University, Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Portland Building, City Campus, Leeds, LS1 3HE, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Patricia Holch
- Leeds Beckett University, Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Portland Building, City Campus, Leeds, LS1 3HE, West Yorkshire, UK
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3
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Bozkurt R, Terzioğlu F, Uysal Yalçın S, Zonp Z, Akkoç M, Sinko L, Saint Arnault DM. Healing After Violence: The Effect of Perception of Social Support on Posttraumatic Growth in Female University Students. Violence Against Women 2023:10778012231214771. [PMID: 37997377 DOI: 10.1177/10778012231214771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the Turkish validity and reliability of the Healing After Gender-based Violence Scale (GBV-Heal) and the relationship between social support perception, posttraumatic growth in university students who are victims of gender-based violence. The study sample consisted of 167 female students who experienced gender-based violence. The Turkish version of GBV-Heal of Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.892; the Bartlett Sphericity Test result was determined as χ2 = 195,053, and the obtained variables were found suitable for factor analysis. Perception of social support related to post-violence healing in female university students is effective on posttraumatic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramazan Bozkurt
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
| | - Füsun Terzioğlu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Avrasya University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Suna Uysal Yalçın
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Kocaeli Health and Technology University, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Zonp
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Independent Researcher, Turkey
| | - Mehtap Akkoç
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Kocaeli Health and Technology University, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Laura Sinko
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Fink BC, Claus ED, Cavanagh JF, Hamilton DA, Biesen JN. Heart rate variability may index emotion dysregulation in alcohol-related intimate partner violence. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1017306. [PMID: 36926463 PMCID: PMC10011701 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1017306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem that costs the United States more than $4.1 billion in direct medical and mental health costs alone. Furthermore, alcohol use contributes to more frequent and more severe intimate partner violence incidents. Compounding this problem is treatments for intimate partner violence have largely been socially informed and demonstrate poor efficacy. We argue that improvements in intimate partner treatment will be gained through systematic scientific study of mechanisms through which alcohol is related to intimate partner violence. We hypothesize that poor emotional and behavioral regulation as indexed by the respiratory sinus arrythymia measure of heart rate variability is a key mechanism between alcohol use and intimate partner violence. Method The present study is a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study with an emotion-regulation task that investigated heart rate variability in distressed violent and distressed nonviolent partners. Results We found a main effect for alcohol on heart rate variability. We also found a four-way interaction whereby distressed violent partners exhibited significant reductions in heart rate variability when acutely intoxicated and attempting to not respond to their partners evocative stimuli. Discussion These findings suggest that distressed violent partners may adopt maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as rumination and suppression when intoxicated and attempting to not respond to partner conflict. Such strategies of emotion regulation have been shown to have many deleterious emotional, cognitive and social consequences for individuals who adopt them, possibly including intimate partner violence. These findings also highlight an important novel treatment target for intimate partner violence and suggest that novel treatments should focus on teaching effective conflict resolution and emotion-regulation strategies that may be augmented by biobehavioral treatments such as heart rate variability biofeedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandi C. Fink
- The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Eric D. Claus
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - James F. Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A. Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Judith N. Biesen
- Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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van Brakel V, Barreda-Ángeles M, Hartmann T. Feelings of presence and perceived social support in social virtual reality platforms. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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6
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Tedeschi E, Armand S, Buyalskaya A, Silston B, Mobbs D. Fear in groups: Increasing group size reduces perceptions of danger. Emotion 2021; 21:1499-1510. [PMID: 34928692 PMCID: PMC8697704 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
When we face danger or stress, the presence of others can provide a powerful signal of safety and support. However, despite a large literature on group living benefits in animals, few studies have been conducted on how group size alters subjective emotional responses and threat perception in humans. We conducted 5 experiments (N = 3,652) to investigate whether the presence of others decreases fear in response to threat under a variety of conditions. In Studies 1, 2 and 3, we experimentally manipulated group size in hypothetical and real-world situations and found that fear responses decreased as group size increased. In Studies 4 and 5 we again used a combination of hypothetical and real-world decisions to test whether increased anxiety in response to a potential threat would lead participants to choose larger groups for themselves. Participants consistently chose larger groups when threat and anxiety were high. Overall, our findings show that group size provides a salient signal of protection and safety in humans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Tedeschi
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY
| | - Sophia Armand
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY
| | - Anastasia Buyalskaya
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Brian Silston
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
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Petrocchi S, Filipponi C, Schulz PJ. A longitudinal application of the Actor Partner Interdependence Model extended Mediations to the health effects of dyadic support. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254716. [PMID: 34280225 PMCID: PMC8289016 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Supportive communicative experiences within close relationships, such as dyadic support, have a protective effect on individuals’ health and emotional well-being. However, little is known about how partners interact in determining their own and others’ health or the mechanisms through which dyadic support influences physical health. We addressed those gaps by studying 1088 romantic couples from three consecutive years (T1, T2, T3; Swiss Household Panel). The study applied a data analysis strategy called Actor Partner Interdependence Model extended Mediation, which allows for mediation processes while considering the interdependence, or non-independence, of data coming from partners. Results showed that dyadic support was positively associated with perceived health over two years through the mediation of optimistic attitudes and depressive mood, both for person and partner effects. The present study demonstrates the interplay between the dyadic process and personality dispositions in maintaining good health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Petrocchi
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Chiara Filipponi
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Institute of Communication and Health, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Peter J. Schulz
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Institute of Communication and Health, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
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Zawadzki MJ, Gavrilova L. All the lonely people: Comparing the effects of loneliness as a social stressor to non-lonely stress on blood pressure recovery. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 167:94-101. [PMID: 34228984 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.06.016] [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: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined whether recalling a social stress that evoked lonely feelings produces greater affective and blood pressure responses than recalling non-social stress or a relaxing event. METHODS Young adults (n = 114) underwent one of three inductions: recalling a social stressor in which one felt lonely, recalling a non-social non-lonely stressor, and relaxation. Negative affect was assessed during baseline, induction, and recovery. Blood pressure was assessed continuously using a finger cuff. RESULTS Both the lonely and non-lonely stress conditions reported increased negative affect following the induction, with neither condition having fully recovered to baseline levels by the end of the study. For blood pressure, during recovery, blood pressure increased linearly for the lonely stress condition, but remained steady for the other conditions. CONCLUSIONS Recalling a social stress evoking lonely feelings may be more harmful for cardiovascular health than recalling non-social stressors. Results extend work demonstrating that in vivo stressors involving social evaluation elicit larger stress responses compared to stressors without this component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Zawadzki
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States of America.
| | - Larisa Gavrilova
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States of America
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Heimgartner N, Meier S, Grolimund S, Ponti S, Arpagaus S, Kappeler F, Gaab J. Randomized controlled evaluation of the psychophysiological effects of social support stress management in healthy women. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252568. [PMID: 34086752 PMCID: PMC8177426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering the high and increasing prevalence of stress, approaches to mitigate stress-related biological processes become a matter of public health. Since supportive social interactions contribute substantially to mental and physical health, we set out to develop a social support stress management intervention and examined its effects on psychophysiological stress responses as well as self-reported stress in healthy women. In a parallel-group randomized controlled trial, registered in the DSRK (DRKS00017427), 53 healthy women were randomly assigned to a social support stress management or a waitlist control condition. All participants underwent a standardized psychosocial stress test where physiological and emotional stress responses were assessed by repeated measurements of cortisol, heart rate, heart rate variability and state anxiety. Also, all participants completed self-report questionnaires of perceived stress and social support at pre-intervention, post-intervention and follow-up four weeks later. Participants in the social support stress management showed a significantly attenuated integrated state anxiety response in comparison to those in the control condition, but conditions did not differ in any of the assessed physiological stress responses. The intervention significantly reduced perceived stress in comparison to the control condition, but perceived stress levels returned to baseline at follow-up. Our results indicated that the intervention had no effect on physiological responses to acute psychosocial stress, even though anxiety responses to stress were attenuated. However, the social support stress management intervention had a significant, albeit transient impact on perceived stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Heimgartner
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Sibylle Meier
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Grolimund
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Svetlana Ponti
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Silvana Arpagaus
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Flurina Kappeler
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jens Gaab
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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10
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Nath EC, Cannon PR, Philipp MC. Co-acting strangers but not friends influence subjective liking and facial affective responses to food stimuli. Food Qual Prefer 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.103865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Teoh AN, Hilmert C. Social support as a comfort or an encouragement: A systematic review on the contrasting effects of social support on cardiovascular reactivity. Br J Health Psychol 2018; 23:1040-1065. [PMID: 30084181 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The stress-buffering hypothesis (Cohen & McKay, 1984, Handbook of psychology and health IV: Social psychological aspects of health (pp. 253-256). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum) suggests that one way social support enhances health is by attenuating cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to stress. Research that has tested this hypothesis has reported inconsistent findings. In this review, we systematically reviewed those findings and proposed a dual-effect model of social support and CVR as a potential explanation for the inconsistency in the literature. Specifically, we proposed that when participants are more engaged during a stressor, social support acts primarily as social comfort, attenuating CVR; and when participants are not engaged, social support acts primarily as social encouragement, elevating CVR. METHODS We reviewed 22 previous studies that (1) empirically manipulated social support in a stressful situation, (2) measured CVR, and (3) tested a moderator of social support effects on CVR. RESULTS Although a majority of studies reported a CVR-mitigating effect of social support resulting in an overall significant combined p-value, we found that there were different effects of social support on CVR when we considered high- and low-engagement contexts. That is, compared to control conditions, social support lowered CVR in more engaging situations but had no significant effect on CVR in less engaging situations. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that a dual-effect model of social support effects on CVR may better capture the nature of social support, CVR, and health associations than the buffering hypothesis and emphasize a need to better understand the health implications of physiological reactivity in various contexts. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? According to the stress-buffering hypothesis (Cohen & McKay, ), one pathway social support benefits health is through mitigating the physiological arousal caused by stress. However, previous studies that examined the effects of social support on blood pressure and heart rate changes were not consistently supporting the hypothesis. Some studies reported that social support causes elevations in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to stress (Anthony & O'Brien, ; Hilmert, Christenfeld, & Kulik, ; Hilmert, Kulik, & Christenfeld, ) and others showed no effect of social support on CVR (Christian & Stoney, ; Craig & Deichert, ; Gallo, Smith, & Kircher, ). What does this study add? When participants were in more engaging conditions, social support decreased CVR relative to no support. When participants were in less engaging conditions, social support did not have a significant effect on CVR. Provide an alternative way to explain the ways social support affects cardiac health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Ni Teoh
- Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia.,James Cook University Singapore, Singapore
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12
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Abstract
Even though chronic stress is a pervasive problem in contemporary societies and is known to potentially precede both adverse psychological as well as physiological conditions, its effects on decision making have not been systematically investigated. In this paper, we focus on the relation between self-reported chronic stress and self-reported as well as behaviorally shown social preferences. We measured chronic stress with the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress. To determine social preferences, participants played a double anonymous dictator game. In order to control for the robustness of social preferences we employed a 2x2x2x2 design where we manipulated four variables: the frame (Give to Recipient vs. Take from Recipient), the decision maker’s gender (Female vs. Male), the recipient’s gender (Female vs. Male), and the nature of the reward (Real vs. Hypothetical). Results show that perceived chronic stress is not significantly related to social preferences in monetarily rewarded dictator decisions for either gender. However, women’s displayed preferences for hypothetical rewards are negatively correlated to chronic stress levels. This indicates that higher chronic stress in women is associated with lower hypothetical transfers but not with altered actual behavior as compared to non-stressed women. For men, we do not observe such effects. Our findings suggest that, while chronic stress leaves social preferences unaffected in an incentive compatible task, it might foster what could be interpreted as a decrease in self-image promotion in women. Thus, we conclude that in a thoroughly controlled behavioral task differences in reported chronic stress do not entail differences in social preferences, but relate to variation in hypothetical decisions for women.
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Lischke A, Jacksteit R, Mau-Moeller A, Pahnke R, Hamm AO, Weippert M. Heart rate variability is associated with psychosocial stress in distinct social domains. J Psychosom Res 2018; 106:56-61. [PMID: 29455900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Psychosocial stress is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, there is a growing interest in biomarkers that indicate whether individuals show adaptive (i.e., stress-buffering and health-promoting) or maladaptive (i.e., stress-escalating and health-impairing) stress reactions in social contexts. As heart rate variability (HRV) has been suggested to be a biomarker of adaptive behavior during social encounters, it may be possible that inter-individual differences in HRV are associated with inter-individual differences regarding stress in distinct social domains. METHODS To test this hypothesis, resting state HRV and psychosocial stress was assessed in 83 healthy community-dwelling individuals (age: 18-35years). HRV was derived from heart rate recordings during spontaneous and instructed breathing to assess the robustness of possible associations between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress was determined with a self-report questionnaire assessing stress in distinct social domains. RESULTS A series of categorical and dimensional analyses revealed an association between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress: Individuals with high HRV reported less stress in social life, but not in family life, work life or everyday life, than individuals with low HRV. CONCLUSIONS On basis of these findings, it may be assumed that individuals with high HRV experience less psychosocial stress than individuals with low HRV. Although such an assumption needs to be corroborated by further findings, it seems to be consistent with previous findings showing that individuals with high HRV suffer less from stress and stress-related disorders than individuals with low HRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lischke
- Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Robert Jacksteit
- Department of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anett Mau-Moeller
- Department of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Rike Pahnke
- Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Alfons O Hamm
- Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Matthias Weippert
- Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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Colonnello V, Petrocchi N, Farinelli M, Ottaviani C. Positive Social Interactions in a Lifespan Perspective with a Focus on Opioidergic and Oxytocinergic Systems: Implications for Neuroprotection. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 15:543-561. [PMID: 27538784 PMCID: PMC5543675 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160816120209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a growing interest has emerged in the beneficial effects of positive social interactions on health. The present work aims to review animal and human studies linking social interactions and health throughout the lifespan, with a focus on current knowledge of the possible mediating role of opioids and oxytocin. During the prenatal period, a positive social environment contributes to regulating maternal stress response and protecting the fetus from exposure to maternal active glucocorticoids. Throughout development, positive social contact with the caregiver acts as a “hidden regulator” and promotes infant neuroaffective development. Postnatal social neuroprotection interventions involving caregiver–infant physical contact seem to be crucial for rescuing preterm infants at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Attachment figures and friendships in adulthood continue to have a protective role for health and brain functioning, counteracting brain aging. In humans, implementation of meditative practices that promote compassionate motivation and prosocial behavior appears beneficial for health in adolescents and adults. Human and animal studies suggest the oxytocinergic and opioidergic systems are important mediators of the effects of social interactions. However, most of the studies focus on a specific phase of life (i.e., adulthood). Future studies should focus on the role of opioids and oxytocin in positive social interactions adopting a lifespan perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Colonnello
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna. Italy
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15
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(Too) Anxious to help? Social support provider anxiety and cardiovascular function. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 123:171-178. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Affective Synchrony and Autonomic Coupling during Cooperation: A Hyperscanning Study. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:3104564. [PMID: 29279845 PMCID: PMC5723953 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3104564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous research highlighted that during social interactions people shape each other's emotional states by resonance mechanisms and synchronized autonomic patterns. Starting from the idea that joint actions create shared emotional experiences, in the present study a social bond was experimentally induced by making subjects cooperate with each other. Participants' autonomic system activity (electrodermal: skin conductance level and response: SCL, SCR; cardiovascular indices: heart rate: HR) was continuously monitored during an attentional couple game. The cooperative motivation was induced by presenting feedback which reinforced the positive outcomes of the intersubjective exchange. 24 participants coupled in 12 dyads were recruited. Intrasubject analyses revealed higher HR in the first part of the task, connoted by increased cognitive demand and arousing social dynamic, while intersubject analysis showed increased synchrony in electrodermal activity after the feedback. Such results encourage the use of hyperscanning techniques to assess emotional coupling in ecological and real-time paradigms.
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Zniva R, Pauli P, Schulz SM. Overprotective social support leads to increased cardiovascular and subjective stress reactivity. Biol Psychol 2017; 123:226-234. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Ulmer-Yaniv A, Avitsur R, Kanat-Maymon Y, Schneiderman I, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. Affiliation, reward, and immune biomarkers coalesce to support social synchrony during periods of bond formation in humans. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 56:130-9. [PMID: 26902915 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Social bonds are critical for survival and adaptation and periods of bond formation involve reorganization of neurobiological systems as mediated by social behavior. Theoretical accounts and animal studies suggest similarity between parent-infant and pair bonding, a hypothesis not yet directly tested in humans. In this study, we recruited three groups of human adults (N=189); parents who had their firstborn child in the last 4-6months, new lovers who began a romantic relationship within the past 4months, and non-attached singles. We measured plasma oxytocin (OT), beta endorphin (β-End), and interlukin-6 (IL-6), biomarkers of the affiliation, reward, and stress-response systems, and micro-coded gaze and affect synchrony between parents and infants and among new lovers during social interaction. OT significantly increased during periods of parental and romantic bonding and was highest in new lovers. In contrast, IL-6 and β-End were highest in new parents and lowest in singles. Biomarkers became more tightly coupled during periods of bond formation and inter-correlation among hormones was highest during romantic bonding. Structural equation modeling indicated that the effects of IL-6 and β-End on behavioral synchrony were mediated by their impact on OT, highlighting the integrative role of the oxytocinergic system in supporting human social affiliation. Findings suggest that periods of bond formation are accompanied by increased activity, as well as tighter cross-talk among systems underpinning affiliation, reward, and stress management and that research on the multidimensional process of bonding may shed further light on the effects of attachment on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Ulmer-Yaniv
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
| | - Ronit Avitsur
- School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Ruth Feldman
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel.
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Fritz HL, Nagurney AJ, Helgeson VS. Social Interactions and Cardiovascular Reactivity during Problem Disclosure among Friends. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2016; 29:713-25. [PMID: 15189627 DOI: 10.1177/0146167203029006004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The authors examined the relations of social interactions with cardiovascular response in the context of two friends disclosing a problem. They also examined the relations of the sex composition of the dyad and partner gender-related traits (communion/agency) with social interactions. Same-sex and opposite-sex dyads (N = 79) came to the lab. One friend disclosed a real-life problem while the partner provided support; cardiovascular response was monitored. Women provided more emotional support than men, and this sex difference was due to women's higher levels of communion. Agency was linked with greater advice, whereas unmitigated communion was linked with greater negative interactions. Negative interactions predicted slower diastolic blood pressure (DBP) recovery, whereas advice predicted slower heart rate (HR) recovery. Sex composition of dyad moderated some of these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi L Fritz
- Department of Psychology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5825, USA.
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Roberts MH, Klatzkin RR, Mechlin B. Social Support Attenuates Physiological Stress Responses and Experimental Pain Sensitivity to Cold Pressor Pain. Ann Behav Med 2016; 49:557-69. [PMID: 25623896 DOI: 10.1007/s12160-015-9686-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social support improves health and has been shown to attenuate stress and pain. The precise characteristics of social support responsible for these effects, however, remain elusive. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to examine the relative efficacy of social support versus a neutral non-verbal social presence to attenuate stress and pain. METHODS Seventy-six participants provided pain ratings and task assessments during a cold pressor task (CPT) in one of three conditions: verbal social support, neutral non-support, or alone. Reactivity to the CPT was assessed via cardiovascular measures, cortisol, and subjective ratings. RESULTS Participants receiving social support showed attenuated blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol reactivity, as well as reduced pain ratings, task difficulty, tension, and effort compared to neutral non-support and alone conditions. CONCLUSIONS Social support, not the mere presence of another individual, attenuated stress and pain during a CPT. Given the negative health consequences of stress and pain, clinical studies incorporating social support into medical procedures and treatments are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Roberts
- Department of Psychology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN, 38112, USA
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21
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Abstract
SummaryThis study’s objectives were, first, to examine the association between social engagement and the odds of taking hypertensive medications and treatment among adults in China; and second, to explore the lifestyle and psychological mechanisms underlying this association. Data were from the WHO Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (WHO-SAGE), a national survey of 11,046 participants aged 18 to 69 conducted in China in 2010. The key outcome was a dichotomous indicator of whether the respondent was taking hypertensive medication or other treatment. A series of logistic regression models were fitted to examine the research questions. Higher levels of social engagement were found to be associated with a lower odds of taking hypertensive medication or treatment, and the association was stronger for women than for men. Lifestyle factors (i.e. smoking and BMI) and perceived overall life satisfaction were significant covariates. Life satisfaction helped explain some of the social engagement benefit for both men and women and BMI only appeared to be a mediator for men. Being married was not significantly associated with lower odds of taking hypertensive medication or treatment in either men or women. Social engagement seems to be protective against hypertension for adult men and women in China, although causation could not be determined in this cross-sectional study. Psychosocial mechanisms are probably at work, but these vary by gender.
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Gallagher S, Howard S, Heffernan M. Differential hemodynamic effects during the provision of active and passive support in the laboratory. Psychol Health 2015; 30:1088-102. [DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2015.1024246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Krahé C, Paloyelis Y, Sambo CF, Fotopoulou A. I like it when my partner holds my hand: development of the Responses and Attitudes to Support during Pain questionnaire (RASP). Front Psychol 2014; 5:1027. [PMID: 25285083 PMCID: PMC4168814 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social support can have beneficial effects on psychological and physiological well-being. During acute bodily pain, however, the effects of social support on pain are mixed. This variability may be due to the multifaceted nature of both pain and social support, as well as individual differences. In this paper, we present the development, psychometric assessment, and initial validation of the first self-report measure designed to address this variability in the general population; the Responses and Attitudes to Support during Pain questionnaire (RASP). The RASP includes questions on social support from the romantic partner as well as healthcare professionals (HCPs) and addresses different types of social support and pain responses. The development and validation of the RASP comprised four studies. In Study 1, a preliminary RASP version was completed by 179 healthy individuals regarding any type of acute pain. In Study 2, the reduced RASP was completed by 256 women with experiences of menstrual pain. Principal component analysis indicated a 22-item solution with five underlying dimensions reflecting General Partner Support, Emotional Support from HCPs, Anxiety in the Context of HCPs, Pain Behaviors during Partner Support, and Distraction by the Partner. Construct validity was assessed using a measure of adult attachment style. The RASP showed good validity and test-retest reliability. In Study 3, the 5-factor model received initial support through confirmatory factor analysis in a new sample of 120 individuals with recent musculoskeletal pain. Study 4 provided additional validation of the RASP in a sample of 180 individuals responding in reference to acute back pain. Overall, the RASP is a valid and reliable measure for assessing individual differences in attitudes and responses to social support in relation to acute pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Krahé
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Chiara F. Sambo
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College LondonLondon, UK
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24
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Social support and prolonged cardiovascular reactivity: The moderating influence of relationship quality and type of support. Biol Psychol 2014; 101:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Revised: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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25
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Peters BJ, Overall NC, Jamieson JP. Physiological and cognitive consequences of suppressing and expressing emotion in dyadic interactions. Int J Psychophysiol 2014; 94:100-7. [PMID: 25109434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Engaging in emotional suppression typically has negative consequences. However, relatively little is known about response-focused emotion regulation processes in dyadic interactions. We hypothesized that interacting with suppressive partners would be more threatening than interacting with expressive partners. To test predictions, two participants independently watched a negatively-valenced video and then discussed their emotional responses. One participant (the regulator) was assigned to express/suppress affective signals during the interaction. Their partner was given no special instructions prior to the interaction. Engaging in suppression versus expression elicited physiological responses consistent with threat-sympathetic arousal and increased vasoconstriction-in anticipation of and during dyadic interactions. Partners of emotional suppressors also exhibited more threat responses during the interaction, but not before, compared to partners of emotional expressors. Partner and interaction appraisals mirrored physiological findings. Emotional suppressors found the task more uncomfortable and intense while their partners reported them as being poor communicators. This work broadens our understanding of connections between emotion regulation, physiological responses, and cognitive processes in dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett J Peters
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, United States.
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26
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Cook CJ, Crewther BT. The social environment during a post-match video presentation affects the hormonal responses and playing performance in professional male athletes. Physiol Behav 2014; 130:170-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Revised: 03/10/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Tzeng WY, Chen LH, Cherng CG, Tsai YN, Yu L. Sex differences and the modulating effects of gonadal hormones on basal and the stressor-decreased newly proliferative cells and neuroblasts in dentate gyrus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 42:24-37. [PMID: 24636498 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
This study was undertaken to assess sex differences and the modulating effects of gonad intactness and the estrous phase on basal and the stressor-decreased cell proliferation and early differentiation in Balb/C mouse dentate gyrus (DG). Besides, we compared the stress-reversing effects exerted by the presence of male and female Balb/C mouse odors in stressed male and female mouse DG in this regard. Female mice had lower baselines in the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts than male mice. Although the stressor induced decreases in the number of newly proliferative cells and neuroblasts in both male and female DG, an obvious decrease in neuronal lineage commitment was observed in female DG. Moreover, ovariectomy induced decreases in baselines in the number of proliferative cells and neuroblasts but did not affect the stressor-induced decrease in neuronal lineage commitment in female DG. Interestingly, pro-estrous mice exhibited the stressor-decreased neuronal lineage commitment, while estrous and diestrous mice did not display such a decrease. Furthermore, orchidectomy did not affect basal or the stressor-decreased newly proliferative cells or neuroblasts in male DG. Finally, male odors were less effective than female odors in abolishing the stressor-decreased neuronal lineage commitment in female mice, while male and female odors were comparable in reversing the stressor-decreased newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts in male mice. The protective effects of mouse odors' company in the stressed male mouse DG were associated with local BDNF and NGF replenishment. Taken together, sexual differences in baselines in the number of newly proliferative cells, neuroblasts, and the sensitivity to stress-altered neuronal lineage commitment in the DG could be, in part, due to gonadal hormone differences between the two sexes. Mouse odors may reverse stressor-decreased newly proliferative cells and neuroblasts in male, but not in female, mouse DG by restoring BDNF and NGF levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yu Tzeng
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Hsien Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chianfang G Cherng
- Department of Health Psychology, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 71101, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ni Tsai
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Lung Yu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC; Institute of Behavioral Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC.
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Williams ED, Magliano DJ, Tapp RJ, Oldenburg BF, Shaw JE. Psychosocial stress predicts abnormal glucose metabolism: the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study. Ann Behav Med 2013; 46:62-72. [PMID: 23389687 DOI: 10.1007/s12160-013-9473-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evidence supporting a relationship between stress and diabetes has been inconsistent. PURPOSE This study examined the effects of stress on abnormal glucose metabolism, using a population-based sample of 3,759, with normoglycemia at baseline, from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study. METHODS Perceived stress and stressful life events were measured at baseline, with health behavior and anthropometric information also collected. Oral glucose tolerance tests were undertaken at baseline and 5-year follow-up. The primary outcome was the development of abnormal glucose metabolism (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes), according to WHO 1999 criteria. RESULTS Perceived stress predicted incident abnormal glucose metabolism in women but not men, after multivariate adjustment. Life events showed an inconsistent relationship with abnormal glucose metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Perceived stress predicted abnormal glucose metabolism in women. Healthcare professionals should consider psychosocial adversity when assessing risk factor profiles for the development of diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D Williams
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Alfred Hospital, Monash University, 89 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia,
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29
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Tzeng WY, Chuang JY, Lin LC, Cherng CG, Lin KY, Chen LH, Su CC, Yu L. Companions reverse stressor-induced decreases in neurogenesis and cocaine conditioning possibly by restoring BDNF and NGF levels in dentate gyrus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:425-37. [PMID: 22832183 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2012] [Revised: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The presence of companions can reverse the stressor-induced decrease in neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus (DG). In this study, we decided to study the underlying mechanisms of the companions' protective effect and to assess whether two DG neurogenesis-related memories, cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and spatial memory, can be affected by our stressor and companions. Neurotrophin levels in DG were measured, in this regard, to reveal their roles in mediating the stressors' and companions' effect. We found that the stressor did not affect NT-3 but acutely decreased NGF and BDNF levels in DG. The presence of companions abolished these stressor-decreased NGF and BDNF levels. Neither the stressor nor the presence of companions affected TrkA, TrkB or TrkC expression in DG. Pre-exposure to the stressor rendered deficits in cocaine-induced CPP and spatial memory, while companions reversed the stressor-decreased cocaine-induced CPP. Intra-ventricular infusion with K252a, a mixed TrkA and TrkB antagonist, did not affect the protective effects of companions on local NGF, BDNF levels in DG, but abolished the companions' protective effects against the stressor-decreased DG neurogenesis and cocaine-induced CPP. Systemic pretreatment with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF), a selective TrkB agonist, did not affect baseline, the stressor-stimulated corticosterone (CORT) secretion or local NGF, BDNF levels in DG, but in part mimicked companions' protective effects. These results, taken together, indicate that stressor-decreased NGF and BDNF levels in DG could be involved in the stressor-decreased DG neurogenesis and cocaine conditioning. The presence of companions reverses the stressor-decreased DG neurogenesis and cocaine conditioning possibly by restoring BDNF and NGF levels in DG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yu Tzeng
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC
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Pontari BA, Glenn EJ. Engaging in Less Protective Self-Presentation: The Effects of a Friend's Presence on the Socially Anxious. BASIC AND APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/01973533.2012.728112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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31
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von Dawans B, Fischbacher U, Kirschbaum C, Fehr E, Heinrichs M. The Social Dimension of Stress Reactivity. Psychol Sci 2012; 23:651-60. [DOI: 10.1177/0956797611431576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosocial stress precipitates a wide spectrum of diseases with major public-health significance. The fight-or-flight response is generally regarded as the prototypic human stress response, both physiologically and behaviorally. Given that having positive social interactions before being exposed to acute stress plays a preeminent role in helping individuals control their stress response, engaging in prosocial behavior in response to stress (tend-and-befriend) might also be a protective pattern. Little is known, however, about the immediate social responses following stress in humans. Here we show that participants who experienced acute social stress, induced by a standardized laboratory stressor, engaged in substantially more prosocial behavior (trust, trustworthiness, and sharing) compared with participants in a control condition, who did not experience socioevaluative threat. These effects were highly specific: Stress did not affect the readiness to exhibit antisocial behavior or to bear nonsocial risks. These results show that stress triggers social approach behavior, which operates as a potent stress-buffering strategy in humans, thereby providing evidence for the tend-and-befriend hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette von Dawans
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg
| | - Urs Fischbacher
- Department of Economics, University of Konstanz
- Thurgau Institute of Economics, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, Technical University of Dresden
| | - Ernst Fehr
- Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg
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Weinstein TAR, Capitanio JP. Longitudinal stability of friendships in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta): individual- and relationship-level effects. J Comp Psychol 2012; 126:97-108. [PMID: 22352887 PMCID: PMC3592481 DOI: 10.1037/a0025607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The longevity of children's friendships is influenced by a multitude of individual- and relationship-level attributes, but little is known about the factors that impact friendship maintenance in nonhuman primate juveniles. We investigated whether the following predicted the longitudinal stability of friendships in juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta): (1) individual characteristics including sex, dominance rank, matriline size, and temperament; and (2) relationship characteristics including kinship, reciprocity, complexity, and similarity between friends in sex, rank, and temperament. We recorded affiliative interactions of 29 two-year-old rhesus monkeys, previously observed as yearlings, at the California National Primate Research Center. Friends were defined as peers with whom subjects spent more time affiliating than expected by chance. Temperament had been assessed at 3-4 months of age. Sex was the only individual characteristic predicting friendship stability: males maintained more friendships from age one to two than did females. Relationship characteristics predicting friendship stability included similarity between individuals in temperament, kinship, and sex. In addition, reciprocated friendships, rather than unidirectional friendships, were significantly more likely to persist over time. Our findings suggest that the factors influencing friendship maintenance in rhesus monkeys are similar to those impacting human friendship longevity.
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Kane HS, McCall C, Collins NL, Blascovich J. Mere presence is not enough: Responsive support in a virtual world. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2011.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Bodie GD. Task stressfulness moderates the effects of verbal person centeredness on cardiovascular reactivity: a dual-process account of the reactivity hypothesis. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2011; 27:569-580. [PMID: 22107037 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2011.618433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This study sought to investigate the impact of person-centered comfort on cardiovascular reactivity and to test a recently developed dual-process theory of supportive message outcomes proposing that the impact of supportive communication is moderated by the motivation and ability to attend to message content. Participants (n = 179) completed a public speaking task that served to experimentally manipulate stress. During the preparation period, instant messages containing either low or high person-centered messages or containing no imbedded supportive message were sent. Results indicated that, in line with theoretical predictions, message content did influence mean arterial pressure and heart rate for participants exposed to moderate but not to low or high stress. Results are discussed in terms of the dual-process theory of supportive message outcomes, and the discussion offers both theoretical and practical implications of the research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham D Bodie
- Department of Communication Studies , Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
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35
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Phillips AC, Hughes BM. Introductory paper: Cardiovascular reactivity at a crossroads: Where are we now? Biol Psychol 2011; 86:95-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Revised: 02/22/2010] [Accepted: 03/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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36
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Gramer M, Reitbauer C. The influence of social support on cardiovascular responses during stressor anticipation and active coping. Biol Psychol 2010; 85:268-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2010] [Revised: 07/05/2010] [Accepted: 07/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Schirmer A, Teh KS, Wang S, Vijayakumar R, Ching A, Nithianantham D, Escoffier N, Cheok AD. Squeeze me, but don't tease me: human and mechanical touch enhance visual attention and emotion discrimination. Soc Neurosci 2010; 6:219-30. [PMID: 20711939 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2010.507958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Being touched by another person influences our readiness to empathize with and support that person. We asked whether this influence arises from somatosensory experience, the proximity to the person and/or an attribution of the somatosensory experience to the person. Moreover, we were interested in whether and how touch affects the processing of ensuing events. To this end, we presented neutral and negative pictures with or without gentle pressure to the participants' forearm. In Experiment 1, pressure was applied by a friend, applied by a tactile device and attributed to the friend, or applied by a tactile device and attributed to a computer. Across these conditions, touch enhanced event-related potential (ERP) correlates of picture processing. Pictures elicited a larger posterior N100 and a late positivity discriminated more strongly between pictures of neutral and negative content when participants were touched. Experiment 2 replicated these findings while controlling for the predictive quality of touch. Experiment 3 replaced tactile contact with a tone, which failed to enhance N100 amplitude and emotion discrimination reflected by the late positivity. This indicates that touch sensitizes ongoing cognitive and emotional processes and that this sensitization is mediated by bottom-up somatosensory processing. Moreover, touch seems to be a special sensory signal that influences recipients in the absence of conscious reflection and that promotes prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Schirmer
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Hilmert C, Kvasnicka L. Blood Pressure and Emotional Responses to Stress: Perspectives on Cardiovascular Reactivity. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00275.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hilmert CJ, Kulik JA, Christenfeld N. The Varied Impact of Social Support on Cardiovascular Reactivity. BASIC AND APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1207/s15324834basp2403_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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40
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Belding JN, Howard MG, McGuire AM, Schwartz AC, Wilson JH. Social buffering by God: prayer and measures of stress. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2010; 49:179-187. [PMID: 19462239 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-009-9256-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2008] [Accepted: 04/29/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Social buffering is characterized by attenuation of stress in the presence of others, with supportive individuals providing superior buffering. We were interested in learning if the implied presence of a supportive entity, God, would reduce acute stress. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: prayer, encouraging self-talk, and control. They were subsequently placed in a stressful situation. Self ratings of stress were lower among the prayer and self-talk conditions relative to controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures only among those who prayed were lower than controls; however, prayer and self-talk did not differ. Prayer alone did not significantly reduce stress, perhaps because the majority of students in the prayer condition did not consider reading a prayer to constitute praying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Belding
- Psychology Department, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8041, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
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Uchino BN, Carlisle M, Birmingham W, Vaughn AA. Social support and the reactivity hypothesis: conceptual issues in examining the efficacy of received support during acute psychological stress. Biol Psychol 2010; 86:137-42. [PMID: 20398724 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2009] [Revised: 02/03/2010] [Accepted: 04/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Social support has been reliably related to better physical health outcomes. One influential model suggests that social support is related to lower cardiovascular disease mortality because it reduces the potentially deleterious consequences of cardiovascular reactivity during acute stress. However, received support and perceived support are separable constructs and epidemiological research suggests variability in links between received support and health. This is important because most social support and acute laboratory stress studies are essentially based on the receipt of support. In this paper, we focus on the conceptualization of received support and its implications for understanding links to support laboratory reactivity paradigms. This analysis highlights the role of theoretically important task, recipient, and provider categories of factors that moderate the effectiveness of received support, as well as the need to examine links between naturalistic perceptions of support and cardiovascular reactivity during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert N Uchino
- Department of Psychology and Health Psychology Program, University of Utah, United States.
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Cherng CG, Lin PS, Chuang JY, Chang WT, Lee YS, Kao GS, Lai YT, Yu L. Presence of conspecifics and their odor-impregnated objects reverse stress-decreased neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus. J Neurochem 2010; 112:1138-46. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06505.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Kubzansky LD, Mendes WB, Appleton A, Block J, Adler GK. Protocol for an experimental investigation of the roles of oxytocin and social support in neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and subjective responses to stress across age and gender. BMC Public Health 2009; 9:481. [PMID: 20025778 PMCID: PMC2805640 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2009] [Accepted: 12/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Substantial empirical evidence has demonstrated that individuals who are socially isolated or have few positive social connections seem to age at a faster rate and have more chronic diseases. Oxytocin is a neurohypophyseal hormone hypothesized to coordinate both the causes and effects of positive social interactions, and may be involved in positive physiological adaptations such as buffering the deleterious effects of stress and promoting resilience. The proposed research will examine whether and how oxytocin influences responses to stress in humans and will consider effects in relation to those of social support. Methods/Design Experimental research will be used to determine whether exogenously administered oxytocin (intranasal) influences psychological and physiological outcomes under conditions of stress across gender and age in adulthood. Hypotheses to be tested are: 1) Oxytocin ameliorates the deleterious neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and subjective effects of stress; 2) Oxytocin and social support have similar and additive stress-buffering effects; 3) Oxytocin effects are stronger in women versus men; and 4) Oxytocin effects are similar across a range of adult ages. Hypotheses will be tested with a placebo-controlled, double-blind study using a sample of healthy men and women recruited from the community. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either oxytocin or placebo. They undergo a social stress manipulation with and without social support (randomly assigned), and outcome measures are obtained at multiple times during the procedure. Discussion Understanding the determinants of healthy aging is a major public health priority and identifying effective measures to prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases is an important goal. Experimental research on oxytocin, social relationships, and health in adulthood will contribute to the scientific knowledge base for maximizing active life and health expectancy. At conclusion of the study we will have solid evidence concerning the effects of oxytocin on stress response and whether it has similar effects across age and gender groups. A neurobiological understanding of resilience can inform efforts for both prevention and intervention of diseases or problems common in later life. Trial registration Clinical trial identification number is NCT01011465.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura D Kubzansky
- Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA.
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Teoh AN, Chia MSC, Mohanraj V. The Comparison Between Active and Passive Types of Social Support: The Emotional Responses1. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2009.00042.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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What's closeness got to do with it? Men's and women's cortisol responses when providing and receiving support. Psychosom Med 2009; 71:843-51. [PMID: 19661188 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0b013e3181b492e6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of social support role (i.e., recipient versus provider) and experimentally manipulated closeness on men's and women's cortisol responses during an acute stress paradigm. METHODS We manipulated psychological closeness (high versus low) between 50 same-sex stranger pairs and subsequently randomly assigned individuals to either prepare a speech (i.e., support recipient) or provide support to the speech presenter (i.e., support provider). RESULTS When receiving support, cortisol responses of men in the high closeness condition increased over time relative to a) men in the low closeness condition and b) women in the high closeness condition. Cortisol responses of female support recipients did not differ as a function of condition. For support providers, whereas both men's and women's cortisol declined throughout the procedure, the decline for men was steeper than the decline for women. CONCLUSIONS With few exceptions, psychological closeness, sex, and social support role interacted in theoretically consistent ways and each significantly contributed to the pattern of cortisol responses observed in men and women during a standardized acute stress paradigm. This work expands the growing literature on potential mechanisms underlying the social support-health link. Further, the employed methodology highlights the utility of borrowing established paradigms from the close relationships literature to help illuminate specific interpersonal characteristics that might affect social support dynamics in naturally existing relationships and at the same time control for extraneous variables.
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Birmingham W, Uchino BN, Smith TW, Light KC, Sanbonmatsu DM. Social ties and cardiovascular function: an examination of relationship positivity and negativity during stress. Int J Psychophysiol 2009; 74:114-9. [PMID: 19682506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2009] [Revised: 07/31/2009] [Accepted: 08/04/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The quality and quantity of one's relationships have been reliably linked to morbidity and mortality. More recently, studies have focused on links between relationships and cardiovascular reactivity as a physiological mechanism via the stress-buffering hypothesis. However, not all social relationships are consistently positive which points to the importance of a more comprehensive examination of relationship that includes negative qualities. In this study, we manipulated relationship positivity and negativity with an experimenter and examined its influence on cardiovascular reactivity. Results revealed that relationship positivity was associated with lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity for men and women. Relationship negativity, on the other hand, was related to less of an increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity in men. Internal analyses showed that perceptions of positivity and negativity interacted such that high positivity/high negativity perceptions (ambivalence) were related to the highest SBP reactivity. Results of this study suggest that the quality of one's relationships is an important moderator of cardiovascular reactivity during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Birmingham
- Health Psychology Program, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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Phillips AC, Gallagher S, Carroll D. Social Support, Social Intimacy, and Cardiovascular Reactions to Acute Psychological Stress. Ann Behav Med 2009; 37:38-45. [DOI: 10.1007/s12160-008-9077-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Pontari BA. Appearing Socially Competent: The Effects of a Friend's Presence on the Socially Anxious. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2008; 35:283-94. [DOI: 10.1177/0146167208328063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
As hypothesized, while introducing themselves to another person via video, participants high in social anxiety appeared more socially competent with a friend present than when alone. We also examined three potential explanations for this effect and found that while sharing information about themselves on video, most participants high in social anxiety were verbally prompted by their friends. Furthermore, on an open ended question, participants high in social anxiety expressed less negative self-focused thoughts with a friend present than when alone, but friends' presence did not affect their self-reports of anxiety. As predicted, the presence of friends had no effect on social performance or anxiety for participants low in social anxiety. Although more research is needed to ascertain how being with a friend versus alone results in better social performance for people high in social anxiety, friends' support may be part of a repertoire of “safe” social interaction strategies.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether intimacy might be associated with reduced daily salivary cortisol levels in couples, thereby adding to the epidemiologic literature on reduced health burden in happy couples. METHODS A total of 51 dual-earner couples reported time spent on intimacy, stated their current affect quality, and provided saliva samples for cortisol estimation approximately every 3 hours in a 1-week time-sampling assessment. In addition, participants provided data on chronic problems of work organization. RESULTS Multilevel analyses revealed that intimacy was significantly associated with reduced daily salivary cortisol levels. There was an interaction effect of intimacy with chronic problems of work organization in terms of their relationship with cortisol levels, suggesting a buffering effect of intimacy on work-related elevated cortisol levels. Above this, the association between intimacy and cortisol was mediated by positive affect. Intimacy and affect together explained 7% of daily salivary cortisol variance. CONCLUSIONS Our results are in line with previous studies on the effect of intimacy on cortisol stress responses in the laboratory as well as with epidemiologic data on health beneficial effects of happy marital relationships.
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