Urine and plasma corticosteroids, psychological tests, and effectiveness of psychological defenses

Abstract

Characteristic levels of 33 psychological and 2 endocrine variables (urinary and plasma 17-OHCS) were estimated in a ‘normal’ population consisting of 22 men and 24 women under everyday life circumstances. All pairs of variables were correlated across subjects. Previous reports of the lack of a significant correlation between urinary and plasma 17-OHCS were confirmed. Hence the 2 variables cannot be held to provide similar information in such subjects. The significant psychological correlates of urinary 17-OHCS were more numerous and more consistent across sexes that the correlates of plasma 17-OHCS. The best psychological predictors of urinary 17-OHCS were scores on the Taylor Anxiety Scale (positively related), the Leary Hostility Scale (positively related) and the Nowlis Social Affection Scale (negatively related). The previously reported inverse relationship between urinary 17-OHCS and ‘Effectiveness of Psychological Defenses’ was confirmed in women, not in men. No relationship was found between Effectiveness of Defenses and plasma 17-OHCS. The concept, Effectivenss of Defenses as used here referred to overall operation of character defenses rather than to defenses against a specific external challenge, as was true in other studies. Pending further refinements of concept and technique, only cautious generalizations should be made from defenses against an external challenge to defenses in general.