title: Physiological reactivity during autobiographical narratives in older adults: the roles of depression and anxiety.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physiological reactivity (PR) describes the change in physiological functioning (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, pulse pressure) that occurs after the induction of a stressful task. This study aims to understand the influence of mental health symptoms on patterns of PR during autobiographical narratives in an older adult sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty older adults completed self-report measures regarding their symptoms of depression and anxiety. Next, their blood pressure was recorded while they completed two verbal autobiographical narratives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the positive narrative, anxiety was positively associated with increased PR while depression was negatively associated with PR. During the negative narrative, a significant interaction occurred whereby anxiety was significantly positively associated with PR for those participants low in depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The above results are explained in the context of the Tripartite Model of Depression and Anxiety, which predicts different patterns of PR as a function of mental health symptoms. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , College of Charleston , Charleston , SC , USA.
authors.forename: Sarah M C
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Rhonda J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Swickert
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Connelly
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galizio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008960:Models, Psychological; D063545:Personal Narratives as Topic
keywords: aging; anxiety; depression; physiological reactivity