TRAIT ANGER PREDICTS MOOD BUT NOT BLOOD PRESSURE RESPONSES TO CHALLENGE FOLLOWING ACUTE EXERCISE

Abstract

1432 The purpose of this study was to examine whether reductions in negative mood and blood pressure responsivity following acute exercise differed as a function of trait anger. Sixty-six (31 women and 35 men) regular exercisers (at least 3 times per week) completed two laboratory testing sessions during which their mood and blood pressure responses to two interpersonal challenges were measured. The challenges consisted of: 1) delivering a speech describing a recent anger-provoking experience, and 2) completing a competitive reaction time (CRT) task on a computer. Previous to the challenges, participants completed either 30 minutes of exercise or rest. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured prior to exercise or rest and during each challenge; negative moods were reported prior to exercise or rest and immediately following each challenge. Trait anger was measured using the Speilberger State-Trait Anger Scale and median splits of the trait scale were used to categorize individuals as either high- or low-anger. Analyses revealed that although exercise prior to the challenges reduced SBP and DBP responses to the CRT (p<.01) and DBP responses to the speech (p<.01), trait anger did not moderate this effect. Exercise was also found to reduce reports of anger, frustration, irritation, and anxiety following the CRT (p's<.05). Compared to the low-anger participants, high-anger individuals showed greater reductions in anger (p=.039) and marginally greater reductions in anxiety (p=.072) between their rest and exercise days following the CRT. Trait anger did not predict exercise-related mood changes following the speech. These findings suggest that while acute exercise reduces blood pressure and negative mood responses to subsequent interpersonal challenge, the type of challenge and the trait characteristics of the participants may moderate these relationships.