title: Physiological stress responses in defensive individuals: age and sex matter.
abstract: The association between defensiveness and physiological responses to stress were evaluated in 81 healthy working men and 118 women, aged 20 to 64 years (M=41; SD=11.45). Participants underwent laboratory testing during which they were exposed to interpersonal stressors. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), and salivary cortisol were measured. Defensiveness was evaluated using the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. In women, higher defensiveness was associated with greater BP and HR reactivity to stress (p<.05). In older men, lower defensiveness was associated with increased systolic BP reactivity to stress (p<.02), delayed HRV recovery (p<.02), and greater salivary cortisol levels (p<.02). In conclusion, greater defensiveness was associated with increased reactivity to stress in women whereas in older men, lower defensiveness was associated with elevated cardiovascular, autonomic, and endocrine responses to stress.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lévesque
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tardif
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: D'antono
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology*; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012381:Role Playing; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones