Effects of examination stress on psychological responses, sleep and allergic symptoms in atopic and non-atopic students.
BACKGROUND
Recent findings indicate that atopics may be more vulnerable to stress than non-atopics. However, the roles of psychological well-being and sleep in this presumed increased sensitivity are not known.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of a brief naturalistic stressor on psychological responses, sleep, and allergic symptoms and to compare those responses between atopic and non-atopic individuals.


METHODS
We assessed atopic and non-atopic students during a period without and during a period with examinations.


RESULTS
For both atopic and non-atopic students, tension, anxiety, and depression deteriorated in response to examination, as did sleep latency and sleep quality. Overall, atopics were more tense, had more anxiety, longer sleep latencies, and were less well rested than non-atopics. Non-atopic students rose from bed later during the examination period. In response to examination, atopic students reported increased frequency of stress behaviors (e.g., eating fast), while decreased stress behaviors were reported by non-atopic students. Allergic symptoms were not affected.


CONCLUSIONS
Atopic students were worse off in aspects of psychological well-being and sleep, but displayed only partly stronger responses to a stressor compared to non-atopic students. In spite of a broad negative response to examination, allergic symptoms were not affected.
Jernelöv
Susanna
S
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. susanna.jernelov@ki.se
Höglund
Caroline Olgart
CO
Axelsson
John
J
Axén
Jennie
J
Grönneberg
Reidar
R
Grunewald
Johan
J
Stierna
Pontus
P
Lekander
Mats
M
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D004485:Eczema / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D012890:Sleep / Q000276:immunology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000485:Allergens