title: Blunted Electrodermal and Psychological Response to Acute Stress in Family Caregivers of People with Eating Disorders.
abstract: Caring for an offspring with an eating disorder (ED) is associated with high levels of distress, and health problems. Indeed, ED caregivers have to cope with a range of challenges related to their caring role, which represents a chronic stress situation. This tends to alter body homeostasis and caregivers' health status. This study aimed to analyse the electrodermal reactivity and psychological response to acute stress in ED caregivers compared to non-caregivers. As expected, caregivers showed lower electrodermal (p < .001, η2partial = .269 for SCL and p < .01, η2partial = .214 for NSCRs) and psychological response (p < .05, η2partial = .198) to acute stress than non-caregivers. The findings suggest the existence of physiological adaptation to chronic stress in family caregivers of people with EDs.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Valencia(Spain).
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Robledillo
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Valencia(Spain).
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Romero-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Valencia(Spain).
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moya-Albiol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: caregivers; eating disorders; electrodermal activity