J Lee Westmaas1, Larry D Jamner. 1. Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA. Johann.Westmaas@sunysb.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Social support can reduce cardiovascular responses to an acute stressor. However, prior clinical research suggests that defensive individuals may react negatively to social support. PURPOSE: This experiment examined whether emotional support provided during a speech stressor would escalate rather than decrease blood pressure (BP) reactivity among defensive individuals. METHODS: After completing personality measures, 176 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to give a speech in 1 of 3 social conditions: alone, or with a neutral or supportive confederate present. Mean arterial BP was assessed at baseline, immediately before, and during and after the stressor. RESULTS: In the supportive condition, defensiveness predicted higher BP reactivity during anticipation (beta = .35, p = .04) and delivery of the speech (beta = .32, p = .03), and longer recovery to baseline BP levels (beta = .35, p = .01). In the absence of support (i.e., alone and neutral conditions), defensiveness was not associated with BP reactivity. Defensiveness also predicted greater dissociation between subjective stress and BP responses (beta = .35, p = .05), but only in the supportive condition. CONCLUSIONS: According to results, the provision of social support during stressors does not benefit defensive individuals' BP reactivity but has the opposite effect.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Social support can reduce cardiovascular responses to an acute stressor. However, prior clinical research suggests that defensive individuals may react negatively to social support. PURPOSE: This experiment examined whether emotional support provided during a speech stressor would escalate rather than decrease blood pressure (BP) reactivity among defensive individuals. METHODS: After completing personality measures, 176 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to give a speech in 1 of 3 social conditions: alone, or with a neutral or supportive confederate present. Mean arterial BP was assessed at baseline, immediately before, and during and after the stressor. RESULTS: In the supportive condition, defensiveness predicted higher BP reactivity during anticipation (beta = .35, p = .04) and delivery of the speech (beta = .32, p = .03), and longer recovery to baseline BP levels (beta = .35, p = .01). In the absence of support (i.e., alone and neutral conditions), defensiveness was not associated with BP reactivity. Defensiveness also predicted greater dissociation between subjective stress and BP responses (beta = .35, p = .05), but only in the supportive condition. CONCLUSIONS: According to results, the provision of social support during stressors does not benefit defensive individuals' BP reactivity but has the opposite effect.
Authors: Laura D Kubzansky; Wendy B Mendes; Allison Appleton; Jason Block; Gail K Adler Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2009-12-21 Impact factor: 3.295