Self-report Measures Of Stress Research Articles

Effects of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) with different rates on autonomic nervous system responses and self-reported levels of stress.

To characterise self-reported levels of stress and autonomic responses in healthy humans evoked by different rates of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Fifteen participants performed PASATs with different rates (3·6-, 2·4-, 1·6- or 1·2-s intervals) and a control task, in random order. Correct responses, self-reported levels of stress and autonomic responses to the PASATs were estimated. Increased PASAT rates were associated with decreases in correct responses (P < 0·001) and increases in self-reported levels of stress (P < 0·001). For autonomic responses, significant changes were seen in 10 variables during 2·4-s PASAT compared with the respective baseline; however, significant differences in relative changes from baseline were found between the 2·4-s PASAT and control task only for mean RR-intervals (P < 0·001), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P = 0·002 and P = 0·006) and cardiac output (P < 0·001). Regarding comparison between the four PASATs, significant differences in the relative changes from baseline were seen between the 3·6-s PASAT and faster PASATs, for example mean RR-intervals, high-frequency power and respiration rate; however, there were no differences between the faster PASATs. The autonomic responses during the PASATs with different rates were quite similar for the faster PASATs (intervals < 2·4 s); however, the slowest 3·6-s PASAT evoked significantly less self-reported stress and autonomic arousal compared with the faster PASATs. Standardization of the PASAT rate may be important for studies on autonomic nervous system function and self-reported measures of stress. Future studies may test more complex interactions between stress, autonomic responses and pain responses.

Associations of hair cortisol concentration with self-reported measures of stress and mental health-related factors in a pooled database of diverse community samples

A pooled database from diverse community samples was used to examine the associations of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) with self-reported stress and stress-linked mental health measures, including depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, disability and experiences with aggression. As part of innovative research using a mobile laboratory to study community mental health, data were pooled from five sub-studies: a random sample of the general population (n = 70), people who had received treatment for a mental health and/or substance use problem (n = 78), family members of people treated for mental health and/or substance use problems (n = 49), community volunteers who sometimes felt sad or blue or thought they drank too much (n = 83) and young adults in intimate partner relationships (n = 44). All participants completed a computerized questionnaire including standard measures of perceived stress, chronic stress, depression, anxiety, hazardous drinking, tobacco use, prescription drug use, illicit drug use, disability and intimate partner aggression. HCC was significantly associated with use of antidepressants, hazardous drinking, smoking and disability after adjusting for sub-study and potential confounders (sex, body-mass index, use of glucocorticoids and hair dyed). In addition, preliminary analyses suggest a significant curvilinear relationship between HCC and perceived stress; specifically, HCC increased with higher perceived stress but decreased at the highest level of stress. Overall, HCC was associated with mental health-related variables mainly reflecting substance use or experiencing a disability. The relationship between HCC and self-reported stress is unclear and needs further research.

0421 Noise-Induced Stress among Primary Care Workers in Long Term Care Facilities in British Columbia, Canada

ObjectivesSound environments in healthcare facilities are characterised and reported to be poor, and suggest adverse effects on patients and health care workers. This research aimed to examine the acoustical characteristics...

Effectiveness of emWave Biofeedback in Improving Heart Rate Variability Reactivity to and Recovery from Stress

The current study examined the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback using emWave, a publicly available biofeedback device, to determine whether training affected physiological tone and stress responses. Twenty-seven individuals aged 18-30 years were randomized to a treatment or no-treatment control group. Treatment participants underwent 4-8 sessions of emWave intervention, and all participants attended pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment sessions during which acute stressors were administered. Physiological data were collected at rest, during stress, and following stress. emWave treatment did not confer changes in tonic measures of HRV or in HRV recovery following stress. However, treatment participants exhibited higher parasympathetic responses (i.e., pNN50) during stress presentations at the post-treatment session than their control counterparts. No treatment effects were evident on self-reported measures of stress, psychological symptoms, or affect. Overall, results from the current study suggest that the emWave may confer some limited treatment effects by increasing HRV during exposure to stress. Additional development and testing of the emWave treatment protocol is necessary before it can be recommended for regular use in clinical settings, including the determination of what physiological changes are clinically meaningful during HRV biofeedback training.

Guided Imagery for Stress and Symptom Management in Pregnant African American Women

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a guided imagery (GI) intervention for stress reduction in pregnant African American women beginning early in the second trimester. This prospective longitudinal study of 72 women used a randomized controlled experimental design with two groups conducted over 12 weeks. The intervention was a CD with 4 professionally recorded tracts designed and sequenced to influence study variables. Participants in both GI and usual care (UC) completed measures and donated 5 cc of blood at baseline, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Participants also completed a daily stress scale. A mixed-effects linear model tested for differences between groups for self-reported measures of stress, anxiety, and fatigue as well as corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), a biologic marker of stress. Significant differences in perceived stress daily scores and at week 8 but not week 12 were found in the GI group compared to UC group. The GI group reported significantly less fatigue and anxiety than the UC group at week 8 but not week 12. There were no significant differences in CRH levels between groups. Results suggest that GI intervention may be effective in reducing perceived stress, anxiety, and fatigue measures among pregnant African American women.

Acute psychosocial stress enhances visuospatial memory in healthy males

Previous research demonstrates that stress can disrupt a number of different cognitive systems, including verbal memory, working memory, and decision-making. Few previous studies have investigated relations between stress and visuospatial information processing, however, and none have examined relations among stress, visuospatial memory performance, and planning/organisation of visuospatial information simultaneously. In total, 38 undergraduate males completed the copy trial of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test. Those assigned randomly to the Stress group ( n = 19) were then exposed to a laboratory-based psychosocial stressor; the others were exposed to an equivalent control condition. All then completed the delayed recall trial of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test. Physiological and self-report measures of stress indicated that the induction manipulation was effective. Our predictions that control participants, relative to stressor-exposed participants, (a) take less time to complete the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test recall trial, (b) reproduce the figure more accurately on that trial, and (c) show better planning and more gestalt-based organisational strategies in creating that reproduction were disconfirmed. At recall, those with higher circulating cortisol levels (measured post-stress-induction) completed the drawing more accurately than those with lower circulating cortisol levels. Otherwise stated, the present data indicated that exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor enhanced visuospatial memory performance in healthy males. This data pattern is consistent with a previously proposed inverted U-shaped relationship between cortisol and cognition: Under this proposal, moderate levels of the hormone (as induced by the current manipulation) support optimal performance, whereas extremely high and extremely low levels impair performance.

Longitudinal periconceptional perceived stress in women attempting pregnancy with and without advanced infertility treatment

To examine self-reported measures of stress during the periconceptional period and to evaluate effects of stress scores on pregnancy rates, comparing advanced fertility treatments with attempts at spontaneous conception.

Future Directions in the Study of Social Relationships as Regulators of the HPA Axis Across Development

Many promising findings support the notion that social relationships can dampen hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis stress responses and protect individuals from maladaptive psychological and physical disease states. Despite the public health relevance of this topic, little is known about developmental changes in the social regulation of the HPA system, with most prior research having focused on early childhood and adulthood. This gap is particularly striking with regards to adolescence, an age period when it seems likely that reliance on parents as sources of stress-buffering decreases, even as the security of friends and relationship partners as stress buffers may not yet be certain. Furthermore, we speculate that early life stress or abnormal social experiences may impact the propensity to draw mental and physical health benefits from social relationships, but more empirical support for these ideas is needed. Last, research linking social support to cumulative life stress has mostly relied on self-report measures of stress, making it difficult to show that social support impacts the type of chronic stress exposure that is associated with increased allostatic load or “wear and tear” on the body and on psychological functioning. Recent advancements in methodology (e.g., assessing hair cortisol levels) as well as composite measures of allostatic load using biomarkers that capture the activity of multiple neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, immune, and metabolic systems will allow us to ask new questions about the extent to which social relationships can impact cumulative life stress and health.

The Influence of Urban Natural and Built Environments on Physiological and Psychological Measures of Stress— A Pilot Study

Environments shape health and well-being, yet little research has investigated how different real-world environmental settings influence the well-known determinant of health known as stress. Using a cross-over experimental design; this pilot study investigated the effect of four urban environments on physiological and psychological stress measures. Participants (N = 15) were exposed on separate days to one of the four settings for 20 min. These settings were designated as Very Natural; Mostly Natural; Mostly Built and Very Built. Visitation order to the four settings was individually randomized. Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase; as well as self-report measures of stress; were collected before and after exposure to each setting. Gender was included as a variable in analysis; and additional data about environmental self-identity, pre-existing stress, and perceived restorativeness of settings were collected as measures of covariance. Differences between environmental settings showed greater benefit from exposure to natural settings relative to built settings; as measured by pre-to-post changes in salivary amylase and self-reported stress; differences were more significant for females than for males. Inclusion of covariates in a regression analysis demonstrated significant predictive value of perceived restorativeness on these stress measures, suggesting some potential level of mediation. These data suggest that exposure to natural environments may warrant further investigation as a health promotion method for reducing stress.

Exploring the effectiveness of an Internet-based program for reducing caregiver distress using the iCare Stress Management e-Training Program

Objective: Determine if the online iCare Stress Management e-Training Program reduces stress, bother, depression, and poor life quality for dementia family caregivers (CGs). Method: CGs (N = 150) were randomly assigned to the iCare Condition (ICC) or to the Education/Information-Only Condition (EOC) for a 3-month period. Change in self-report measures of stress (PSS) (primary outcome), caregiver bother(RMBPC), depression (CES-D), and quality of life (PQOL) (secondary outcomes) was determined, along with usage of new information in one's own caregiving. Results: A mixed ANOVA revealed that change in perceived stress was significant for the ICC but not the EOC (p = .017). Changes in the other measures were not significant. More caregivers in the ICC used the materials in their own caregiving situation than those in the EOC. Roughly one-third of the caregivers enrolled in the study dropped prior to completion. Conclusion: Results are promising, but the high dropout is a concern. Future efforts to improve dropout rate and increase participant engagement are warranted. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to present an evidence-based intervention for CGs via the Internet.

Are increased levels of self-reported psychosocial stress, anxiety, and depression associated with fecundity?

To assess the association between self-reported measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and related constructs and fecundity. Prospective cohort study of women trying to conceive. United Kingdom. Three hundred thirty-nine women aged 18-40 years who were attempting to conceive. Completed daily diaries for up to six cycles or until pregnancy was detected. For each cycle, stress biomarkers were measured and psychosocial questionnaires were completed. Fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using discrete time survival methods, and the day-specific probabilities of pregnancy were calculated using Bayesian statistical techniques. Among the 339 women, 207 (61%) became pregnant during the study, 69 (20%) did not become pregnant, and 63 (19%) withdrew. After controlling for maternal age, parity, months trying to conceive before enrollment, smoking, caffeine use, and frequency of intercourse, we found no association between most psychosocial measures and FORs or the day-specific probabilities of pregnancy save for an increased FOR for women reporting higher versus lower levels of social support. Self-reported psychosocial stress, anxiety, and depression were not associated with fecundity. Any adverse effect of stress or psychological disturbance on fecundity does not appear to be detectable via the questionnaires administered.

The impact of acute psychosocial stress on magnetoencephalographic correlates of emotional attention and exogenous visual attention.

Stress-induced acute activation of the cerebral catecholaminergic systems has often been found in rodents. However, little is known regarding the consequences of this activation on higher cognitive functions in humans. Theoretical inferences would suggest increased distractibility in the sense of increased exogenous attention and emotional attention. The present study investigated the influence of acute stress responses on magnetoencephalographic (MEG) correlates of visual attention. Healthy male subjects were presented emotional and neutral pictures in three subsequent MEG recording sessions after being exposed to a TSST-like social stressor, intended to trigger a HPA-response. The subjects anticipation of another follow-up stressor was designed to sustain the short-lived central catecholaminergic stress reactions throughout the ongoing MEG recordings. The heart rate indicates a stable level of anticipatory stress during this time span, subsequent cortisol concentrations and self-report measures of stress were increased. With regard to the MEG correlates of attentional functions, we found that the N1m amplitude remained constantly elevated during stressor anticipation. The magnetic early posterior negativity (EPNm) was present but, surprisingly, was not at all modulated during stressor anticipation. This suggests that a general increase of the influence of exogenous attention but no specific effect regarding emotional attention in this time interval. Regarding the time course of the effects, an influence of the HPA on these MEG correlates of attention seems less likely. An influence of cerebral catecholaminergic systems is plausible, but not definite.

Footloose and Fancy Free? Two Decades of Single Mothers’ Subjective Well-Being

The last several decades witnessed dramatic changes to US tax and transfer programs. Despite an abundance of research evaluating the effect of these work-based policy reforms on single mothers’ employment and welfare behavior, little is known about mothers’ subjective well-being. Using unique data from the DDB Worldwide Communications Life Style survey, this study examines several dimensions of single mothers’ subjective well-being before and after the full implementation of policy reforms, finding that single mothers experience large deficits in most indicators of well-being. However, over the past few decades, these mothers witnessed absolute and relative increases in global life satisfaction, declining regrets about the past, and improvements in financial satisfaction. Nearly all of these gains occurred after implementation of the tax and transfer reforms. In contrast, results from measures of self-reported stress and anxiety suggest that single mothers’ condition worsened slightly following the transition to a work-based policy regime.

More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol patterns

Green space has been associated with a wide range of health benefits, including stress reduction, but much pertinent evidence has relied on self-reported health indicators or experiments in artificially controlled environmental conditions. Little research has been reported using ecologically valid objective measures with participants in their everyday, residential settings. This paper describes the results of an exploratory study (n=25) to establish whether salivary cortisol can act as a biomarker for variation in stress levels which may be associated with varying levels of exposure to green spaces, and whether recruitment and adherence to the required, unsupervised, salivary cortisol sampling protocol within the domestic setting could be achieved in a highly deprived urban population. Self-reported measures of stress and general wellbeing were also captured, allowing exploration of relationships between cortisol, wellbeing and exposure to green space close to home. Results indicate significant relationships between self-reported stress (P<0.01), diurnal patterns of cortisol secretion (P<0.05), and quantity of green space in the living environment. Regression analysis indicates percentage of green space in the living environment is a significant (P<0.05) and independent predictor of the circadian cortisol cycle, in addition to self-reported physical activity (P<0.02). Results also show that compliance with the study protocol was good. We conclude that salivary cortisol measurement offers considerable potential for exploring relationships between wellbeing and green space and discuss how this ecologically valid methodology can be developed to confirm and extend findings in deprived city areas to illuminate why provision of green space close to home might enhance health.

The Effect of Resident Physician Stress, Burnout, and Empathy on Patient-Centered Communication During the Long-Call Shift

During the long-call shift medical residents experience a number of stressors that could compromise the quality of care they provide to their patients. The aim of this study was to investigate how perceived stress and burnout affect changes in empathy over the long-call shift and how those changes in empathy are associated with patient-centered communication practices. Residents (n = 93) completed self-report measures of stress, burnout, and empathy at the start of their long-call shift and then completed measures of empathy and patient-centered communication at the end of the same shift. There was a significant decline in physician empathy from the beginning to the end of the long-call shift. Perceived stress was significantly associated with higher burnout, which was, in turn, significantly associated with declines in empathy from pre- to posttest. Declines in empathy predicted lower self-reported patient-centered communication during the latter half of the shift. This study suggests that residents who perceive high levels of stress are at risk for burnout and deterioration in empathy toward their patients, both of which may compromise the quality of their interactions with patients.

Sustained Impact of MBSR on Stress, Well-Being, and Daily Spiritual Experiences for 1 Year in Academic Health Care Employees

The objectives of the study were (1) to evaluate self-reported stress levels and daily spiritual experiences in academic health care employees before, immediately after, and 1 year after enrolling in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course; and (2) to evaluate the correlation between a potential measure of pulse rate variability and self-reported stress levels. Fifty-nine (59) participants in the MBSR course offered to employees at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (UTMB) comprised the intervention group, and 94 health care providers in the neonatal nurseries comprised the control group. MBSR is an 8-week course that introduces mindfulness meditation practices. No intervention was offered to the control group. All participants were employees (or relatives of employees) at UTMB. All MBSR participants completed Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, the SCL-90, the SF-36 Measure of Health and Well-Being, the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, and a 5-minute measure of pulse rate coherence. This testing was done before and after the MBSR course and 1 year later. Ninety-four (94) neonatal health care providers completed the same series of questionnaires and pulse rate variability (PRV) measures, with 49 of the 94 completing the questionnaires 2 months and 1 year later. MBSR participants improved on all measures except the physical component score of the SF-36 upon completion of the MBSR course, and these results were maintained at the 1-year follow-up. The control group did not significantly change on any of the measures. PRV as measured by the Heart Math system did not correlate with any of the self-report questionnaires. MBSR effectively reduces self-report measures of stress and increases daily spiritual experiences in employees in an academic health care setting, and these effects are stable for at least 1 year. Using a simple measure of PRV was not a clinically reliable biologic measure of stress.

Are increased levels of self-reported psychosocial stress, anxiety and depression associated with fertility problems?

To assess the association between self-reported measures of stress, anxiety, depression and related constructs and fertility problems as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP) and estimates of the day-specific probabilities of pregnancy (DSPP).

Mapping Police Stress

Research on police stress has developed out of several theoretical frameworks, but the knowledge base is limited by a common reliance on self-report stress measures. This article describes an innovative approach to studying police stress that attempts to overcome some of these limitations by using direct, real-time, and spatially anchored measurement of an officer’s stress response (via heart rate) during shift work. A pilot study was conducted using a single officer to determine whether this methodology is feasible for future studies. The pilot study demonstrated that continuous heart rate measurement over the course of the test officer’s shift was possible and that these data could be placed in space-time context for purposes of exploring potential stress “hot spots.” Overall, the results indicate that the methodology is both feasible and suitable for systematic studies of police stress, with the potential to advance our understanding of when, where, and why officers experience stress. Potential benefits, limitations, challenges of implementation, and future directions are discussed.

Limbic response to psychosocial stress in schizotypy: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Psychological stress causes dopamine release in the striatum and is thought to play a role in susceptibility to psychotic illness. Previous work suggests that an elevated dopaminergic response to stress may index vulnerability to psychosis in certain individuals. With functional magnetic resonance imaging, we measured stress-induced changes in brain activity in healthy individuals at elevated risk of developing psychosis. Participants were 15 controls and 25 psychometric schizotypes: 12 with positive symptom schizotypy (perceptual aberrations) and 13 with negative symptom schizotypy (physical anhedonia), as determined by questionnaires ( Chapman et al., 1976; Chapman and Chapman, 1978). In the scanner, participants performed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task and a matched sensory-motor control task. Measures of self-reported stress and salivary cortisol levels were taken throughout the experiment. All three groups showed significant increases in self-reported stress and significant fMRI signal change in the striatal, limbic and cortical regions. However, the Physical Anhedonia group showed greater stress-induced striatal and limbic deactivation than the other two groups. Deactivation in the striatum was significantly correlated with Physical Anhedonia score across all subjects. Our findings suggest the presence of abnormalities in striatal response to stress in negative symptom schizotypy.

The Effect of Meditation on Self-Reported Measures of Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Perfectionism in a College Population

The effects of meditation, specifically Transcendental Meditation (TM), on college students' experience of stress, anxiety, depression, and perfectionistic thoughts was investigated using 43 undergraduate students. Self-report measures of the variables were completed prior to the start of the study. Student groups were trained in TM and practiced the technique consistently over a two-semester period. Post-TM measures were administered at the end of the two semesters. The groups showed a significant decline on all variables. Suggestions for the use of meditation as an adjunct to treatment in a college population are discussed.