Individual Stress Level Research Articles

Convergence on reduced aggression through shared behavioral traits in multiple populations of Astyanax mexicanus

BackgroundAggression is observed across the animal kingdom, and benefits animals in a number of ways to increase fitness and promote survival. While aggressive behaviors vary widely across populations and can evolve as an adaptation to a particular environment, the complexity of aggressive behaviors presents a challenge to studying the evolution of aggression. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus exists as an aggressive river-dwelling surface form and multiple populations of a blind cave form, some of which exhibit reduced aggression, providing the opportunity to investigate how evolution shapes aggressive behaviors.ResultsTo define how aggressive behaviors evolve, we performed a high-resolution analysis of multiple social behaviors that occur during aggressive interactions in A. mexicanus. We found that many of the aggression-associated behaviors observed in surface-surface aggressive encounters were reduced or lost in Pachón cavefish. Interestingly, one behavior, circling, was observed more often in cavefish, suggesting evolution of a shift in the types of social behaviors exhibited by cavefish. Further, detailed analysis revealed substantive differences in aggression-related sub-behaviors in independently evolved cavefish populations, suggesting independent evolution of reduced aggression between cave populations. We found that many aggressive behaviors are still present when surface fish fight in the dark, suggesting that these reductions in aggression-associated and escape-associated behaviors in cavefish are likely independent of loss of vision in this species. Further, levels of aggression within populations were largely independent of type of opponent (cave vs. surface) or individual stress levels, measured through quantifying stress-like behaviors, suggesting these behaviors are hardwired and not reflective of population-specific changes in other cave-evolved traits.ConclusionThese results reveal that loss of aggression in cavefish evolved through the loss of multiple aggression-associated behaviors and raise the possibility that independent genetic mechanisms underlie changes in each behavior within populations and across populations. Taken together, these findings reveal the complexity of evolution of social behaviors and establish A. mexicanus as a model for investigating the evolutionary and genetic basis of aggressive behavior.

Posttraumatic growth levels of healthcare workers in two periods with different intensities of COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens health-care workers' (HCW) mental health and well-being. Although traumatic life events may result in psychiatric disorders, occasionally they give rise to positive changes, such as post-traumatic growth. Accordingly, the present study evaluated the traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression levels of HCWs and their post-traumatic growth levels during the pandemic. In addition, the study aimed to assess the changes in psychological outcomes during the pandemic. For this aim, the data were collected in two different periods. The first data-collection period was between May and July 2020, and the second period started in November 2020 and ended in January 2021. The sociodemographic data form, Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were used to collect data. Sixty-six HCWs participated in the study. No significant differences appeared between the baseline scores and 6-month follow-up in the depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress levels of HCWs. Furthermore, the PTGI scores decreased significantly over time. Although the change in the psychological distress scores was not statistically significant, the depression and post-traumatic stress scores increased over time. Previous research specified an inverse-parabolic relationship between traumatic stress and PTGI. Our results support previous research; as the exposure to the stressors continues, individual traumatic stress levels increase, psychiatric disorders become frequent, and affirmative changes (like post-traumatic growth) decline.

Examination of Knowledge and Stress Levels of Patients and Reasons for the Application for Dental Treatments during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: This study was conducted to examine the stress levels of individuals who admitted for dental treatment during the normalization process of the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of knowledge about the COVID-19 and the reasons of admission for treatment. Methods: 990 people aged between 18-60+, who admitted to the Dentistry Faculty, participated in the study. The questionnaire directed to individuals consisted of questions measuring their democratic knowledge, reasons for applying for dental treatment and their stress levels. Analysis of the data in the study was evaluated using the Pearson Chi-Square test (p

Investigation of the Relationship Between of Dependent Personality Trait, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Levels of Asthmatic and Non-Asthmatic Individuals

Aim: There is a complex relationship between asthma and psychiatric problems; therefore, it is important to investigate this relationship for optimal treatment. In this cross-sectional and comparative study, it was aimed to examine the dependent personality trait, depression, anxiety and stress levels of asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals.
 Material and Method: 382 individuals with (n=172) and without (n=210) asthma were included in our study. The study data were collected with Identifying Information Form, Personality Belief Questionnaire, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) 21-Short Form. Comparisons between groups were made using the Chi-square test, Mann Whitney-U test, and Pearson correlation test.
 Results: The mean age of the participants was 40.80±12.06, 45% of them were asthmatic, and the disease year was 7.92±8.49. It was observed that asthmatic individuals had high dependent personality trait and anxiety levels (p

Changes in COVID-19 Perception and in TMD Prevalence after 1 Year of Pandemic in Italy.

The study aims to report the perception of dental practices and assess the individual's psychological stress level and related temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms by evaluating the changes that occurred during the year following the first lockdown (May 2020). An online questionnaire was submitted to the Italian population between 20 March and 20 April 2021. It was sent via online platforms and included 14 questions. The data were analyzed using a chi-squared test and a comparison of the current data with the May 2020 survey data was performed using independent samples t-tests. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Forty-three percent of subjects (872) considered the dental practice to be a place with a high risk of infection. Temporomandibular pain and joint sounds were reported by 35.7% (724) of the population; of these more frequently were women (71.8%, 520/724, p < 0.001). About 31% of the participants had moderate/severe psychological distress and, among them, it was found that 46.4% (294/634) reported TMD pain (p < 0.001) and 34.9% (221/634) complained of temporomandibular joint sounds (p < 0.001). Most participants did not consider dental practices as a place with a higher risk of coronavirus disease 2019 transmission and, in contrast to the data from a previous study, people were less afraid to go to dental practices. After the first year of the pandemic, the level of stress and depression increased and the prevalence of TMD pain and joint sounds increased, in association with gender, age, and level of distress.

COVID-19 이후 대면 교육과 비대면 교육에서 청소년의 스트레스 수준에 따른 학업성취에 대한 연구

The purpose of this study is to improve academic achievement through individual stress level management by finding the difference in the stress level perceived by students in 373 high school boys and girls in Seoul-based high school in face-to-face education and non-face-toface education. As a research method, t-test verification and distribution analysis were conducted to find out the correlation between variables using Pearson correlation coefficient, and to find out the difference between variables, and spss 21 was used. The research results derived statistically significant results in which students' learning environment changes before and after COVID-19, that is, face-to-face classes and non-face-to-face classes, affect academic achievement Korean, English, mathematics, society, and science. In addition, learning plan showed significant results in sub-factors of English subject efficacy and self-directed learning ability according to mock education. In future studies, a study on the level of stress according to learners’ academic achievement in a mixed education method of education in a post-pandemic learning environment is suggested.

Psychological reactions of different affective temperaments to the COVID-19 pandemic

Various studies show that the temperament characteristics of individuals play a decisive role in how much and how they will be affected by traumatic events. However, no research has been found in the literature examining the relationship between affective temperament and trauma. The Covid 19 pandemic process is described as a social trauma. In this context, in this study, it is aimed to examine the reactions of different affective temperaments to social trauma within the framework of the pandemic. Within the scope of the research, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Autoquestionaire (TEMPS-A) were used. The scales were applied online to a total of 1075 volunteer participants (653 women and 422 men). Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the significance of temperament types in the prediction of depression, anxiety, and stress levels of individuals. The method employed was stepwise regression analysis. In the data obtained, it was observed that depression, anxiety, and stress levels and anxious, cyclothymic, depressive, and irritable temperament types showed a positive correlation at different levels and a low level of negative correlation with hyperthymic temperament type during the pandemic process. The four aforementioned affective temperament types were significant predictors for depression, three were predictors for stress, and two for anxiety. Additionally, the results of this study indicated that hyperthymic temperament can be protective against the effects of trauma.

Jinekolojik Kanserli Hastalarda Algılanan Stres ile Umut Düzeyi İlişkisinin Belirlenmesi

Amaç: Bu araştırma, jinekolojik kanserli hastaların algıladıkları stres düzeyi ile umut düzeyi ilişkisini belirlemek amacıyla tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel olarak yapılmıştır. &#x0D; Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırma, Haziran-Ekim 2018 tarihleri arasında, bir tıp fakültesi hastanesinin kadın hastalıkları ve doğum kliniğinde yatarak ve radyasyon onkolojisi ünitesinde günübirlik tedavi gören 124 hasta ile yapılmıştır. Veriler “Algılanan Stres Ölçeği” (ASÖ) ve “Sürekli Umut Ölçeği” (SUÖ) ile elde edilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde Kruskal Wallis testi, Man Whitney U testi, sperman korelasyon testi ve lineer regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. &#x0D; Bulgular: ASÖ puan ortalaması 34.56 ± 8.27 ve SUÖ puan ortalaması 56.31 ± 7.80 olarak bulunmuştur. ASÖ ile SUÖ arasında negatif yönde orta düzeyde korelasyon bulunmuştur (p

Recovery After Stress-Autonomic and Subjective Arousal in Individuals With Psychosis Compared to Healthy Controls.

Heightened stress levels in individuals with psychosis (PSY) are associated with psychotic symptom occurrence and may be partially attributed to well-established deficits in resting-state heart rate variability (HRV) and emotion regulation. In healthy participants, resting-state HRV and self-reported emotion regulation skills have been linked to recovery after a stressor; however, it is unclear whether stress recovery is altered in PSY. Thus, we compared the autonomic and subjective recovery of PSY to healthy controls (HC) and investigated the predictive value of resting-state HRV and emotion regulation skills. We assessed resting-state HRV and self-reported emotion regulation one week prior to a combined physical and cognitive stress induction. After the stress exposure, we assessed the autonomic (decrease in heart rate [HR], increase in HRV) and subjective (decrease in subjective stress and negative affect) recovery in PSY (n = 50) and HC (n = 50) over 60 min. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed the expected interaction of time × group for subjective stress but not negative affect or autonomic stress. Resting-state HRV predicted recovery of HR, and emotion regulation skills predicted recovery of HRV but not of the other parameters. Although subjective stress recovery was delayed in PSY, the absence of autonomic recovery deficits suggests that a prolonged stress response may not contribute to heightened stress levels to the expected extent. Improving resting-state HRV and emotion regulation may support autonomic recovery, but further investigation is required to test the impact of such improvements on psychotic symptoms.

Impact of COVID-19, gender, race, specialty and seniority on mental health during surgical training: an international study.

BackgroundSuperior patient outcomes rely on surgical training being optimized. Accordingly, we conducted an international, prospective, cross‐sectional study determining relative impacts of COVID‐19, gender, race, specialty and seniority on mental health of surgical trainees.MethodTrainees across Australia, New Zealand and UK enrolled in surgical training accredited by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons or Royal College of Surgeons were included. Outcomes included the short version of the Perceived Stress Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire short scale, Patient Health Questionnaire‐2 and the effect on individual stress levels of training experiences affected by COVID‐19. Predictors included trainee characteristics and local COVID‐19 prevalence. Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to assess association between outcomes and predictors.ResultsTwo hundred and five surgical trainees were included. Increased stress was associated with number of COVID‐19 patients treated (P = 0.0127), female gender (P = 0.0293), minority race (P = 0.0012), less seniority (P = 0.001), and greater COVID‐19 prevalence (P = 0.0122). Lower happiness was associated with training country (P = 0.0026), minority race (P = 0.0258) and more seniority (P < 0.0001). Greater depression was associated with more seniority (P < 0.0001). Greater COVID‐19 prevalence was associated with greater reported loss of training opportunities (P = 0.0038), poor working conditions (P = 0.0079), personal protective equipment availability (P = 0.0008), relocation to areas of little experience (P < 0.0001), difficulties with career progression (P = 0.0172), loss of supervision (P = 0.0211), difficulties with pay (P = 0.0034), and difficulties with leave (P = 0.0002).ConclusionThis is the first study to specifically describe the relative impacts of COVID‐19 community prevalence, gender, race, surgical specialty and level of seniority on stress, happiness and depression of surgical trainees on an international scale.

Can dogs serve as stress mediators to decrease salivary cortisol levels in a population of liberal arts college undergraduate students?

The steroid hormone cortisol can be used to measure physiological stress in humans. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis synthesizes cortisol, and a negative feedback cycle regulates cortisol depending on an individual's stress level and/or circadian rhythm. Chronic stress of college undergraduate students is associated with various adverse health effects, including anxiety and depression. Reports suggest that stress levels have risen dramatically in recent years, particularly among university students dealing with intense academic loads in addition to COVID-19 pandemic-related uncertainty. The increasing rate of mental illness on college campuses necessitates the study of mediators potentially capable of lowering stress, and thus cortisol levels. Research on mediation techniques and coping mechanisms have gained traction to address the concerning levels of stress, including the employment of human-animal interaction sessions on college campuses. In this study, human-canine interaction as a stress mediation strategy for undergraduate students was investigated. We measured salivary cortisol levels in 73 college undergraduate students during a 60-min interaction period with a dog to determine whether human-canine interactions are effective in lowering cortisol levels and potentially reducing chronic stress typical of undergraduate students. Our results indicate that a human-canine interaction for 60 min is an effective method for significantly reducing salivary cortisol and stress levels among undergraduate college students. These findings support the expansion of animal visitation programs on college campuses to help students manage stress.

Colour as an agent to manage depression, anxiety and stress levels of mobility impaired individuals in healthcare facilities: Insights from a Rehabilitation Centre at Ragama, Sri Lanka

Individuals with physical disabilities, especially with impeded mobility have to deal with an array of physical, social, cultural and economic challenges, consequently leading to psychological imbalances, disorders and more inclined to attempt even suicide. Incorporating disabled-friendly design interventions, facilitating optimal healing in their healthcare facilities, is crucial to overcome most of these challenges and ensure their psychological well-being. Within this backdrop, this investigation focused on the impact of interior colours in health care facilities to manage depression, anxiety, and stress levels of disabled individuals. The investigation was executed with reference to wall colour of bedrooms of patients with limb deformities of a selected rehabilitation centre, at Ragama. Three hues (blue, yellow, and green) were tested by installing colour panels on the sidewall of the beds, allowing the patients to be exposed to each colour for three consecutive days. DASS-21 self-report scale was adopted to measure depression, anxiety, and stress levels of the patient. Green colour was found to be significantly supportive in inducing favourable impacts to manage depression, anxiety, and stress levels of patients over blue and yellow. Extending this study to test different tints, shades, and intensities of green colour, incorporating large samples with long-term exposure in an array of health care facilities, is recommended.

Examination of individuals' depression, anxiety, and stress levels during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

PurposeThis research was conducted to determine the depression, anxiety, and stress levels of individuals during the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition, the compatibility of the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21) scale results with the participants' feeling depressed, anxious, and stressed were examined. Design and methodsThe sample of the study consisted of 870 individuals over the age of 18 between May–August 2021. The data of the study were collected online, using the personal information form and DASS-21. ResultsIn our study, it was observed that 22.3 % of the participants were severely depressed, 19.0 % were highly anxious and 14.3 % were highly stressed. In addition, a relationship was determined between many sociodemographic variables and depression, anxiety, and stress levels. It was found that individuals who were not vaccinated, did not receive health care, and were not satisfied with health care were more depressed, anxious, and stressed. The agreement between all DASS-21 sub-dimensions and participants' feeling is poor in terms of Cohen's kappa. The agreement is poor in the anxiety sub dimension, but moderate in the other sub-dimensions in terms of Gwet's AC1. Practice implicationsIt is recommended that nurses develop new care and evaluation strategies for the psychosocial field in order to protect and maintain the health of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic process, as well as more practices promoting the COVID-19 vaccine in our country.

Investigation of Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Psychological Well-Being Levels of Individuals who Regularly Play Tennis

This research was carried out to examine the stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being levels of individuals who regularly play tennis. The research group consisted of 450 individuals. In the study, “Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale,” “Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory” and “Psychological Well-Being Scale” were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data the normality test of the data was carried out by applying the Kolmogorov-Smirnov technique and the Skewness-Kurtosis coefficients. T-test was used to determine whether the stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being levels of individuals differ in terms of gender variable. One-way analysis of variance (Anova) technique was used to determine whether they differed in terms of tennis playing time. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis technique was used to examine the relationship between stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being. In addition, multiple regression analysis was applied to test how stress is a predictor of anxiety, depression and psychological well-being. According to the results obtained in the study, while there was no significant difference in the levels of stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being in terms of the gender variable (p&gt;0.05), there was a significant difference in terms of the duration of playing tennis (p&lt;0.05). While a positive and significant relationship was observed between stress, anxiety and depression, it was observed that there was a negative significant relationship between psychological well-being and stress, anxiety and depression. It has also been found that stress is a strong predictor of anxiety, depression and psychological well-being.

Altered serum levels of melatonin, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2

Altered serum levels of melatonin, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2

Nurse evaluation of stress levels during CPR training with heart rate variability using smartwatches according to their personality: A prospective, observational study.

BackgroundCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a very critical phenomenon, and to prepare for it, most nurses undertake simulation training, during which learners’ stress levels should be managed. This study aims to evaluate nurses’ stress levels during CPR simulation training using heart rate variability (HRV) measured with a smartwatch and to determine the correlation between individual personality traits and stress levels.MethodsThis prospective observational study was conducted from July 2020 to December 2021. For nurses participating in advanced life support training with more than six months of clinical experience, their stress levels while performing as a CPR team leader were measured. Regarding stress levels, heart rate data measured with a smartwatch were processed using Kubios HRV Standard software to generate HRV parameters. The personality of participants was evaluated using the Big Five personality test. The degree of stress according to personality was determined using HRV parameters. Consequently, the correlation between personality and stress according to the clinical experience of cardiac arrest was analyzed.ResultsOf the 132 participants, 91.7% were female, and the median age of the sample was 27 years. Agreeable personality had the highest score (32.84±3.83). LF power (r = 0.18, p = 0.04) and HF power (r = 0.20, p = 0.02) showed a significant positive correlation with the agreeableness trait. In subgroup analysis according to the cardiac arrest experience, the agreeableness trait had a positive correlation with a standard deviation of NN intervals (r = 0.24, p = 0.01), root-mean-square of successive differences (r = 0.23, p = 0.02), LF Power (r = 0.26, p = 0.01), and HF power (r = 0.23, p = 0.02), but a negative correlation with mean HR (r = -0.22, p = 0.03).ConclusionThe clinical experience in cardiac arrest and agreeableness were related to acute stress during training. In the future, it is necessary to apply a scenario of a level suitable for individual personality and experience, and evaluate the level and achievement of students.

Prevalence of Late Onset Stress Symptomatology (LOSS) in geriatric combat veterans and its relation with dementia: A Pilot Study

IntroductionLate onset stress symptomatology (LOSS) is a relatively new concept in combat veterans, which includes repeated but not intrusive thoughts about combat-related experiences, irritability, or nightmares that do not cause impairment of daily functioning.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to identify the LOSS phenomenon in geriatric combat veterans and to establish a correlation between LOSS and cognitive deficit ± major stressors.MethodsThe electronic database was searched for the last 2 years from starting the study with the hypothesis that the LOSS phenomenon has been diagnosed with sleep, anxiety, trauma-related, or impulse control related disorders. Records were examined for trauma-related symptoms, excluding major symptoms of trauma-related stressors. The veterans were assessed objectively using LOSS, PCL-5 (PTSD checklist for DSM-5), social readjustment rating scales, and MOCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale) for cognitive screening.ResultsWe reviewed 1329 patient records and identified 35 potential LOSS subjects. Four veterans were diagnosed with PTSD not otherwise specified, 2 with anxiety disorder unspecified, and 1 veteran with nightmare disorder. The majority (85%) of the veterans scored &gt;40 in PCL-5, and only one veteran fulfilled the criteria for LOSS, who scored 67 on the LOSS scale. All the veterans scored ≤25 on MOCA with a significant deficit in recent recall.ConclusionsOur study shows new onset stress-related symptoms are strongly associated with significant cognitive deficits and higher individual stress levels. The onset of PTSD symptoms in older combat veterans might have been correlated with the onset of cognitive deficits, as suggested by several other studies.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Do not Forget People’s Mental Health

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has changed the typical lifestyle of people worldwide for nearly two years. Maybe before the onset of this pandemic, no one believed that a virus could change all aspects of life. COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect worldwide, and it has led to more than 5 million deaths.1Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, different factors such as emotional and exaggerated images and news, rumors, and misinformation about the origins and causes of the disease, have affected the lifestyle of the people, and many people have lost their family or friends., all leading to increased anxiety.2 The results of studies in the previous pandemics have shown that one of the most critical domains of harm is the mental health of people and the significant point is that the mental health of infected individuals was less affected than non-infected individuals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, different studies have evaluated the mental health of people. Fear and anxiety are common feelings that are experienced by patients with or suspected of COVID-19. A study published in 2020 showed that fear of illness results in increased anxiety and stress levels in patients, healthy individuals or health workers.

Stand Up for Indigenous Health: A Simulation to Educate Residents About the Social Determinants of Health Faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

In Canada, Indigenous peoples face significant health disparities. To improve health outcomes of and provide culturally safe care to Indigenous patients, medical learners must receive training on the social determinants of health (SDOH) driving these health inequities. The authors developed Stand Up for Indigenous Health (SU4IH), an immersive 2-hour simulation where participants navigate a series of scenarios as an Indigenous person. The objective of this pilot study was to assess whether SU4IH promotes intercultural empathy and enhances medical learners' knowledge of Indigenous SDOH. The authors partnered with 4 Indigenous communities in Ontario, Canada, from urban, rural, and remote settings to develop the scenarios for SU4IH between June 2015 and March 2016. During each SU4IH simulation, learners experience 14 scenarios using the Stand Up for Health mobile app, which automatically calculates each individual's financial balance and stress levels as the simulation unfolds. The authors conducted a pre-post intervention study of SU4IH in January 2019 with family medicine residents recruited from 2 training sites in Ontario (n = 29). Residents completed pre- and postsurveys assessing change in empathy toward Indigenous patients (primary outcome), knowledge of Indigenous SDOH (secondary outcome), and motivation to engage with Indigenous patients in a culturally safe manner (secondary outcome). Residents' empathy scores significantly increased after participating in SU4IH (P < .001), as did residents' knowledge of Indigenous SDOH (P < .001) and motivation to engage with Indigenous patients in a culturally safe manner (P = .031). The authors are working to expand their capacity to implement this learning tool across Canada, which has involved relationship building with medical learners and faculty outside of Ontario who will need to partner with Indigenous communities in their region to develop region-specific scenarios. SU4IH is also being redesigned for small-group and virtual formats to facilitate its expansion.

Career Interview Readiness in Virtual Reality (CIRVR): A Platform for Simulated Interview Training for Autistic Individuals and Their Employers

Employment outcomes for autistic 1 individuals are often poorer relative to their neurotypical (NT) peers, resulting in a greater need for other forms of financial and social support. While a great deal of work has focused on developing interventions for autistic children, relatively less attention has been paid to directly addressing the employment challenges faced by autistic adults. One key impediment to autistic individuals securing employment is the job interview. Autistic individuals often experience anxiety in interview situations, particularly with open-ended questions and unexpected interruptions. They also exhibit atypical gaze patterns that may be perceived as, but not necessarily indicative of, disinterest or inattention. In response, we developed a closed-loop adaptive virtual reality (VR)–based job interview training platform, which we have named Career Interview Readiness in VR (CIRVR). CIRVR is designed to provide an engaging, adaptive, and individualized experience to practice and refine interviewing skills in a less anxiety-inducing virtual context. CIRVR contains a real-time physiology-based stress detection module, as well as a real-time gaze detection module, to permit individualized adaptation. We also present the first prototype of the CIRVR Dashboard, which provides visualizations of data to help autistic individuals as well as potential employers and job coaches make sense of the data gathered from interview sessions. We conducted a feasibility study with 9 autistic and 8 NT individuals to assess the preliminary usability and feasibility of CIRVR. Results showed differences in perceived usability of the system between autistic and NT participants, and higher levels of stress in autistic individuals during interviews. Participants across both groups reported satisfaction with CIRVR and the structure of the interview. These findings and feedback will support future work in improving CIRVR’s features in hopes for it to be a valuable tool to support autistic job candidates as well as their potential employers.