1
|
Kvadsheim E, Sørensen L, Fasmer OB, Osnes B, Haavik J, Williams DP, Thayer JF, Koenig J. Vagally mediated heart rate variability, stress, and perceived social support: a focus on sex differences. Stress 2022; 25:113-121. [PMID: 35238276 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2022.2043271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV), reflecting vagal activity as indexed by heart function and lower stress vulnerability, is associated with higher perceived social support. Seeking social support is an adaptive stress response, and evolutionary theories suggest that females use this strategy more than males. The current study investigated the hypothesis that higher vmHRV is related to higher perceived social support under conditions of higher, relative to lower, stress, and that this association is most prominent in females. A healthy student sample (n = 143; 82 males, 61 females; mean age 19.9) completed the short version of the Medical outcomes study social support survey (MOS) and the Perceived stress scale (PSS). Activity in the high frequency band of heart rate variability (HF-HRV), deducted from five-minute resting electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings, indexed vmHRV. A moderation analysis was conducted, with PSS and sex as moderators of the association between vmHRV and MOS. Statistical effects were adjusted for age, education, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), alcohol and drug use, ECG-derived respiration (EDR), and mean heart rate. Higher PSS scores moderated the association between vmHRV and MOS in females but not males. Lower PSS scores did not moderate the relation between vmHRV and MOS. This suggests that higher vmHRV is associated with higher perceived social support under conditions of higher stress in females but not males, consistent with evolution of different stress management strategies in the sexes. The results may have implications for individualized intervention strategies for increasing vmHRV and perceived social support.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lin Sørensen
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ole B Fasmer
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Berge Osnes
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jan Haavik
- Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - DeWayne P Williams
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Julian F Thayer
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Julian Koenig
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Effectiveness of Story-Centred Care Intervention Program in older persons living in long-term care facilities: A randomized, longitudinal study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194178. [PMID: 29554111 PMCID: PMC5858786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a common issue in institutionalized elderly people. The “Attentively Embracing Story” theory is applied to help individuals transform negative thoughts into positive, and reflect on spiritual healing. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a “Story-Centred Care Intervention Program” based on the “Attentively Embracing Story” theory in improving depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and heart rate variability in institutionalized elderly people. Seventy long-term care residents were recruited from two long-term care facilities and randomized into the story-centred care intervention (n = 35) and control groups (n = 35). We excluded five long-term care residents who did not complete the post-test measures and five long-term care residents who had interference events on the outcome measures. Finally, sixty long-term care residents (40 women and 20 men; age 84.3±5.98 years) were included in the final analysis. Data were collected at four times (pre-intervention and post-intervention, 1 and 3-month follow-up) and analyzed with the generalized estimating equation approach.Instruments, including Geriatric Depression Scale, Short Portable Mind Status Questionnaire, and a CheckMyHeart device to measure heart rate variability, were used in study. The degree of improvement in depressive symptoms was significantly higher in the story-centred care intervention group than in the control group after providing the story-centred care intervention program (p < .001) and at 1 and 3-month follow-up (p = .001, p = .006, respectively; GDS-15 score reduced 1.816 at the 3-month follow-up). Participants receiving the story-centred care intervention program showed significantly greater improvement than those in the control group in the cognitive function at 1and 3-month follow-up (p = .009, p = .024, respectively; SPMSQ score reduced 0.345 at the 3-month follow-up). The heart rate variability parameters (SDNN, RMSSD) did not show a statistically significant increase. However an increasing trend in the parameters was observed in the intervention group (SDNN increased 16.235ms at the 3-month follow-up; RMSSD increased 16.424 ms at the 3-month follow-up). In conclusions, the story-centred care intervention program was effective on the improvement of depressive symptoms and cognitive status in institutionalized elderly people.
Collapse
|