Psychoneuroendocrine effects of resource-activating stress management training.
OBJECTIVE
The stress-induced release of cortisol has been linked to detrimental health outcomes. Therefore, strategies to attenuate cortisol stress responses are of interest for prevention and treatment of stress-related symptoms and problems. Previous studies have found protective effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management training--which focuses on the modification of stress-inducing cognitions--on cortisol stress responses; however, the effects of resource-oriented interventions on cortisol stress responses are unknown.


METHODS
The longitudinal effects of resource-oriented stress management training (Zurich resource model training) on cortisol stress responses and cognitive appraisal of a standardized psychosocial stress test were evaluated in 54 healthy male participants assigned randomly to treatment and control groups. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; C. Kirschbaum, Wust, & Strasburger, 1992) was administered to all participants 3 months after the treatment group underwent stress management training.


METHODS
Saliva cortisol samples were taken before, during, and after the TSST, and cognitive stress appraisal was assessed before the test.


RESULTS
The treatment group had significantly attenuated cortisol responses and stress appraisals in comparison to the control group. The endocrine differences were mediated by differences in cognitive appraisals.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that resource-oriented stress management training effectively reduces endocrine stress responses to stress in healthy adults.
Storch
Maja
M
Department of Educational Psychology, Institute of Education Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. storch@paed.unizh.ch
Gaab
Jens
J
Küttel
Yvonne
Y
Stüssi
Ann-Christin
AC
Fend
Helmut
H
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006854:Hydrocortisone