特里尔社会应激测验对儿童皮质醇分泌的影响

研究以32名小学儿童（平均年龄10.47岁,男生16人）为被试,采用唾液皮质醇为应激测验的客观指标、以被试主观紧张度为主观指标,考察特里尔社会应激测验对中国儿童皮质醇分泌的影响。结果表明：（1）社会应激测验任务引发儿童皮质醇浓度和主观紧张度的显著上升,任务后的恢复期皮质醇浓度和主观紧张度能够恢复到任务前的水平。（2）社会应激测验任务引发的男生皮质醇水平变化显著高于女生,但是引发的主观紧张度水平变化不存在显著性别差异。社会应激测验中文修订版能够有效引发儿童的压力应激变化,可以用其开展儿童社会应激的相关研究。     

自尊与心理性应激的关系初探

自尊水平影响着个体在应激情境中的内分泌反应,在以人个人主义文化下的研究发现,由于低自尊具有较低的内部控制力,因此在应激情境中的唾液皮质醇反应更强烈。但是在中国集体主义文化中,由于集体性自我的评价是自尊的一个重要组成部分,高自尊更加期望集体或社会的积极性评价,因此假设在心理性应激情境下（即个体的能力被否定的时候）,高自尊的应激反应会比低自尊更加强烈。本研究以健康大学生为被试,分别以Rosenberg自尊量表和特里尔社会应激测试（TSST）为实验手段,以自尊量表得分、主观应激报告（5点量表）和客观应激参数（心率和唾液皮质醇）为指标,在中国文化背景下探讨自尊与心理性应激的关系。结果发现,在TSST开始时（20分钟）自尊与心率呈正相关,自尊水平越高,心率越快;在TSST结束后（60分钟）自尊与唾液皮质醇水平呈正相关,自尊水平越高,唾液皮质醇水平越高。总体来说,相对于低自尊被试而言,高自尊被试在心理性应激情境中的反应更为强烈。     

Effects of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) on the endocrine and psychological responses to mental stress

Phosphatidylserine, derived from cow brains, has been shown previously to dampen the ACTH and cortisol response to physical stress. Further research investigated the influence of soy lecithin phosphatidylserine supplementation on mood and heart rate when faced with an acute stressor. In this study, we investigated the effects of soy lecithin phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine complex (PAS) supplementation on pituitary adrenal reactivity (ACTH, cortisol) and on the psychological response (Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory stress subscale) to a mental and emotional stressor. Four groups of 20 subjects were treated for three weeks with daily dosages of either 400 mg PAS, 600 mg PAS, 800 mg PAS, or placebo before exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Treatment with 400 mg PAS resulted in a pronounced blunting of both serum ACTH and cortisol, and salivary cortisol responses to the TSST, but did not affect heart rate. The effect was not seen with larger doses of PAS. With regard to the psychological response, 400 mg PAS seemed to exert a specific positive effect on emotional responses to the TSST. While the placebo group showed the expected increase in distress after the test, the group treated with 400 mg PAS showed decreased distress. These data provide initial evidence for a selective stress dampening effect of PAS on the pituitary-adrenal axis, suggesting the potential of PAS in the treatment of stress related disorders.     

Stress appraisals influence athletic performance and psychophysiological response during 16.1 km cycling time trials

ObjectivesWe examined how stress appraisals were associated with emotions, coping behaviours, as well as subjective and objective measures of performance.DesignProspective field- and laboratory-based studies.MethodsIn Study 1, 192 athletes completed process-oriented psychometrics pertaining to the aforementioned constructs throughout a sporting competition. Study 2 utilised an experimental design to assess the causal influence of stress appraisals on performance, cortisol, and psychological variables. Thirty gender-matched athletes were randomly assigned to either a stress appraisal (e.g., challenge, threat, benefit, or harm/loss) or the control group. Participants completed three 16.1 km cycling time trials (TT) on a cycle ergometer, with their appropriate stress appraisal engendered via falsified performance feedback throughout the final TT. Salivary cortisol samples and psychometrics (e.g., appraisals, emotions, and coping) were collected before and after each TT.ResultsThe results of Study 1 revealed a sequential link between challenge stress appraisals and perceived goal attainment via pleasant emotions and task-oriented coping behaviours. Threat stress appraisals inversely related to goal attainment via unpleasant emotions and both distraction- and disengagement-oriented coping. In Study 2, no significant psychophysiological or performance differences were found across genders. The temporal orientation of stress appraisals influenced objective cycling TT performance. Benefit and harm/loss stress appraisals significantly facilitated or inhibited performance, respectively. Cortisol spikes were observed in the stress appraisal group’s threat, challenge, and benefit, with a decline detected within the harm/loss group. Whilst the process of winning is physiologically stressful, the fear of defeat may be more stressful than losing itself.ConclusionStress appraisals influence subjective and objective performance, as well as neuroendocrine and psychological responses to stress.     

Psychosocial stress evoked by a virtual audience: relation to neuroendocrine activity.

A modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was employed to determine whether exposure to a virtual audience using virtual reality (VR) technology would prompt an increase of neuroendocrine activity comparable to that prompted by a real audience. Following an anticipatory period, participants completed a speech or a speech-plus-math challenge in front of either a virtual audience, a panel of judges they were led to believe was behind a one-way mirror, or an audience comprised of confederates. An additional group that had prepared a speech was simply directed to observe the virtual audience but did not deliver the speech. Finally, a control group completed questionnaires for the duration of the experiment. Cortisol samples were obtained upon arrival to the laboratory, just before the challenge, and 15 and 30 minutes after the task. Participants also completed a measure assessing stressor appraisals of the task before and after the challenge. Anticipation of the task was associated with a modest increase of cortisol levels, and a further rise of cortisol was evident in response to the challenge. The neuroendocrine changes evoked by the virtual audience were comparable to those elicited by the imagined audience (behind the one-way mirror) but less than changes evoked by the panel of confederates. Stressor appraisals were higher post-challenge compared to those reported prior to the task; however, appraisals were similar across each group. These data suggest that VR technology may be amenable to evaluating the impact of psychosocial stressors such as the TSST.     

Stress impairs acquisition of delay eyeblink conditioning in men and women

In rodents stress impairs delay as well as trace eyelid conditioning in females, but enhances it in males. The present study tested the effects of acute psychosocial stress exposure on classical delay eyeblink conditioning in healthy men and women. In a between subject design, participants were exposed to psychosocial stress using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or a control condition which was followed by a delay eyeblink classical conditioning procedure. Stress exposure led to a significant increase in salivary cortisol and impaired acquisition of conditioned eyeblink responses (CRs). This was evident by a later first CR and an overall lower CR rate of the stress group. The stress-induced acquisition impairment was observed in both women and men. Subjects failing to show a stress-induced cortisol increase (cortisol non-responder) were not impaired in acquisition. Our findings indicate that acute stress, possibly via activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, reduces the ability to acquire a simple conditioned motor response in humans.     

青少年应激下皮质醇应答与风险决策相关性的性别差异

本研究旨在探讨中国青少年应激下皮质醇应答和风险决策相关性的性别差异。本研究以健康初中生为被试者, 采用特里尔社会应激测试(Trier Social Stress Test, TSST)诱发机体应激反应, 测试唾液皮质醇在应激前后不同时间段的水平, 并要求被试者在应激状态下完成气球模拟风险决策任务(Balloon Analogue Risk Task, BART)。结果发现, 男性在TSST诱导下皮质醇反应度显著高于女性, 男性中高皮质醇应答者BART表现为更高程度的冒险行为和更低的总奖励金额, 而女性中高皮质醇应答者BART表现为更高的总奖励金额。研究结果提示,中国青少年应激条件下皮质醇应答与风险决策之间的联系存在性别差异, 尤其在男性, 高皮质醇应答者更具有冒险行为。     

The effects of exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor on working memory, state anxiety and salivary cortisol concentrations

Exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor induces both psychological and physiological changes in humans. The two studies reported here explored the impact of exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor on state anxiety, working memory and HPA axis activation (salivary cortisol). In both experiments, ten healthy male participants were exposed to an acute naturalistic stressor, helicopter underwater evacuation training (HUET), and their physiological and behavioural responses before (first study) and after (second study) the stressor were compared to ten non-stressed controls. The results of both experiments showed that working memory performance was preserved during anticipation of an acute stressor, but impairments were observed immediately after stress exposure. Participants reported significantly higher state anxiety levels during anticipation and following stress exposure, whereas significant elevations in cortisol levels were only observed 25 min post exposure to stress, but not before or immediately after stress exposure. The results of both experiments demonstrated a dissociation between behavioural and biochemical measures and provided evidence for a dissociation of the effects of stress on cognitive and physiological measures depending on the time of testing, with cognitive impairments most evident following stress exposure.     

Psychosocial stress and HPA functioning: no evidence for a reduced resilience in healthy elderly men

In order to investigate if HPA functioning is altered with age, the present study was conducted. Fifteen healthy elderly men (60-76 years; mean age 66.5 +/- 1.48 yrs.) and 12 younger adults (20-29 years; mean age 25.6 +/- 0.77 yrs.) collected salivary free cortisol profiles after awakening for basal HPA activity. Then, all subjects were exposed to the "Trier Social Stress Test" (TSST). This psychosocial stress protocol consists of a free speech and a mental arithmetic task of 13 minutes duration performed in front of an audience. Beside the assessment of endocrine and cardiovascular responses to the stressful task ratings of depression, mood and perceived stressfulness were obtained. Results show that younger and elderly men had similar morning cortisol profiles after awakening with both groups showing the expected rise after awakening (P=0.004). The TSST induced significant increases in ACTH, total plasma cortisol, saliva free cortisol, and heart rates (all P<0.0001). Regardless of age, both age groups showed comparable endocrine response patterns when confronted with the stressor. However, cardiovascular responses were significantly higher in younger men compared to elderly men (P=0.03). Catecholamine data revealed significant norepinephrine and epinephrine increases due to the stressor (both P<0.0001) with a trend toward elevated norepinephrine levels in elderly men (P=0.058). In sum, the investigated basal and response parameters of HPA functioning neither support the idea of a reduced resilience in healthy aged humans nor do they appear to strengthen assumptions derived from the so called "glucocorticoid cascade hypothesis".     

Enhancing effects of acute psychosocial stress on priming of non-declarative memory in healthy young adults

Social stress affects cognitive processes in general, and memory performance in particular. However, the direction of these effects has not been clearly established, as it depends on several factors. Our aim was to determine the impact of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity to psychosocial stress on short-term non-declarative memory and declarative memory performance. Fifty-two young participants (18 men, 34 women) were subjected to the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) and a control condition in a crossover design. Implicit memory was assessed by a priming test, and explicit memory was assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The TSST provoked greater salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) responses than the control task. Men had a higher cortisol response to stress than women, but no sex differences were found for sAA release. Stress was associated with an enhancement of priming but did not affect declarative memory. Additionally, the enhancement on the priming test was higher in those whose sAA levels increased more in response to stress (r(48)?=?0.339, p?=?0.018). Our results confirm an effect of acute stress on priming, and that this effect is related to SNS activity. In addition, they suggest a different relationship between stress biomarkers and the different memory systems.     

Timing is everything: Anticipatory stress dynamics among cortisol and blood pressure reactivity and recovery in healthy adults

Psychological states of anticipation modulate biological stress responsivity. While researchers generally investigate how subjective distress corresponds to the magnitude of stress reactivity, physiological recovery after acute stressors must also be considered when investigating disease vulnerabilities. This study assessed whether anticipatory stress would correspond to stress reactivity and recovery of salivary cortisol and blood pressure levels in response to a well-validated psychosocial stressor. Thirty participants (63% female; mean?±?SEM age 45.4?±?2.12 years) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) consisting of a public speech and mental arithmetic. Ten salivary cortisol samples and systolic and diastolic blood pressure recordings were collected at time points spanning 50?min before and up to 50?min after stress exposure. These data were transformed into parameters representing stress reactivity (area under the curve) and stress recovery (percent change). The Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal scale assessed anticipatory stress before exposure to the TSST. Our results revealed that increased anticipatory stress predicted increased stress reactivity for cortisol (p?=?0.009) but not blood pressure. For stress recovery, increased anticipatory stress predicted greater decrements of cortisol concentration (p?=?0.015) and blood pressure (p?=?0.039), even when controlling for total systemic "output" by incorporating baseline activity. This efficient shutdown of stress responses would have otherwise been ignored by solely investigating reactive increases. These findings underscore the importance of measuring multiple dynamic parameters such as recovery when investigating physiological stress response patterns as a function of psychosocial factors.     

儿童受欺负与急性社会应激中应激反应的关系

研究旨在考察受欺负经历与儿童下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴系统应激功能的关系。根据受欺负得分挑选出52名受欺负和未受欺负儿童,考察两类儿童在特里尔社会应激测验(Trier Social Stress Test,TSST)中的皮质醇分泌及主观紧张度的特征差异。结果发现:(1)在TSST中,受欺负者的皮质醇浓度显著高于未受欺负者;(2)两类儿童在TSST中的主观紧张度不存在显著差异。研究结果与慢性应激破坏HPA轴应激功能的过程是从敏化到钝化的理论假说相一致。     

Cognitive appraisals of stereotype threat

Using the cognitive appraisal conceptualisation of the transactional model of stress, the goal was to assess how victims of stereotype threat respond to this situation in terms of primary appraisals (threat/challenge) and to investigate whether those appraisals may mediate the relation between stereotype threat and performance. Results show that, while participants from North Africa living in France did appraise the situation more as a threat and less as a challenge, only challenge appraisal mediated between stereotype threat and performance.     

Stressors and Stressor Appraisals: the Moderating Effect of Task Efficacy

Employees’ cognitive appraisals play important roles in determining how they perceive and react to challenge and hindrance stressors. This study examined the stress process by studying employees’ cognitive appraisals using time-lagged data collected with a time interval of 4 months. There were three major findings. First, challenge appraisals mediated the relationship of job complexity with work motivation and task persistence. Hindrance appraisals mediated the relationship of role conflict with work motivation and task persistence. Second, task efficacy significantly moderated the relationship between job complexity and challenge appraisal, as well as the relationship between role conflict and hindrance appraisal. Employees high in task efficacy were more likely to report challenge appraisals of job complexity than employees low in task efficacy. Employees low in task efficacy were more likely to report hindrance appraisals of role conflict than employees high in task efficacy. Finally, data supported the moderated mediation model in which task efficacy moderated the indirect effect of job complexity on motivation via challenge appraisal. Our study provided important input to the development of stress management interventions.     

The heart of control: Proactive cognitive control training limits anxious cardiac arousal under stress

Research and theory suggest that anxious people employ cognitive control on a relatively late and transient basis. This tendency may impair emotion regulation that depends on early, persistent implementation of cognitive control. We examined whether anxious people could be trained to apply cognitive control proactively (i.e., in advance of goal-related action) and whether such training limited anxiety’s rise during stress. In Study 1, 96 high trait-anxious participants completed proactive or reactive training followed by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) with measurement of subjective anxiety, heart rate, and skin conductance level (SCL). In Study 2, 59 high trait-anxious participants completed a proactive or no-instruction training for 4 days and then completed the TSST. For Study 2 but not Study 1, the proactive versus control training was associated with lower stress-related increases in subjective anxiety and heart rate, but not sympathetically mediated SCL. Exercising proactive control may leverage the parasympathetic nervous system to inhibit the escalation of anxious arousal during stress.     

The Effect of Challenge and Threat Appraisals Under Evaluative Presence

Four studies were conducted to examine whether cognitive appraisals, manipulated through task instructions, would moderate social‐facilitation effects. In Study 1, participants in the challenge condition performed better on a mental arithmetic task when the experimenter was present. Conversely, participants in the threat condition performed worse when the experimenter was present. Study 2 extended these findings across 2 math tasks that varied in degree of difficulty. The pattern of performance data failed to support prior drive theories and provided support for a unique contribution of cognitive appraisals in explaining social‐facilitation effects. Study 3 validated the appraisal manipulations by using multiple measures of cognitive appraisals. Finally, Study 4 offered increased validity by replicating the performance data using an anagram task.     

感激情绪的认知评估体系

本文从情绪认知理论的角度出发, 通过3个研究探究与感激情绪有关的认知评价维度, 进而建立感激情绪的认知评价体系。研究1使用回忆不同类型的情绪性事件法初步探究了感激情绪的认知评估体系; 研究2使用操作认知评估维度法探究了认知评价的变化对感激体验的影响; 研究3使用故事情境法分别从个体特质和情境因素的角度, 探究个体特质与感激情绪之间的关系如何受到个体认知评价的影响, 进而为感激情绪的评价体系提供更多的证据支持。研究1发现感激情绪体验与受关怀感、符合道德规范和他人负责性3个维度之间存在正相关关系。研究2发现3个认知评估维度体验的有无均会导致个体在感激情绪体验上出现显著差异。研究3表明感激特质可以预测个体的认知评价和感激情绪体验; 同时, 受关怀感、道德规范、他人负责3个认知评价维度在感激特质与感激情绪关系间起到中介作用。结论：3个研究结果表明, 受关怀感、道德规范、他人负责性3个认知评价维度与感激密切相关, 并在区分开感激与自豪、亏欠感等情绪中起重要作用。因此, 这3个认识评估维度共同组成了感激情绪认知评价体系。     

压力情境认知评价与工作倦怠的关系

为探讨压力情境认知评价与工作倦怠的关系,选取北京、河南两家公司的303名员工进行了调查。分层结果分析发现,在控制了人口统计学因素之后,挑战评价对玩世不恭存在显著正向预测作用,控制评价对情绪衰竭、玩世不恭和成就感低落存在显著负向预测作用;进一步分析发现,控制评价在情绪中心应对和情绪衰竭、问题中心应对与成就感低落之间按的关系上具有调节作用。结果表明,压力情境认知评价是影响员工工作倦怠的重要因素。     

Go no-go performance under psychosocial stress: beneficial effects of implementation intentions

Acute stress has been found to have negative and implementation intentions (IIs) to have positive effects on cognitive performance. This study was the first to examine the effects of IIs on executive action control under acute psychosocial stress. Forty-two male subjects aged 21-39 years were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) versus a rest condition. In addition, the instruction to the executive task (a go no-go task) was manipulated (IIs versus standard instruction). After the stress test, a dual-task procedure including a go no-go task was conducted. The TSST resulted in increases in cortisol response, heart rate and state anxiety compared to the rest condition. Acute stress significantly impaired go no-go performance, but only in the group without IIs. We conclude that under acute stress conditions executive functioning is reduced, but the use of IIs can be an effective strategy to overcome this negative effect.     

权力对压力应对行为倾向的影响：认知评估的中介作用

摘 要 采用实验法探讨权力对压力应对行为的影响以及认知评估在二者关系中的作用。实验一通过回忆法操纵权力,测量被试在压力情境下的认知评估和行为倾向。结果发现,权力水平影响压力下的生理反应,高权力者产生挑战,低权力者产生威胁;认知评估在权力和压力应对行为倾向间起中介作用。实验二进一步探究了权力对压力应对行为的影响,结果发现认知评估中介权力和压力应对行为倾向,且不同权力水平者的压力应对行为存在显著差异。