title: Testing the ecological validity of the Trier Social Stress Test: Association with real-life exam stress.
abstract: The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is the most widely used laboratory stress protocol in psychoneuroendocrinology. Despite its popularity, surprisingly few attempts have been made to explore the ecological validity of the TSST. In the present study, 31 young healthy subjects (24 females) were exposed to the TSST about 4 weeks before completing an oral exam on a separate day. Salivary cortisol levels increased significantly in response to both stimuli (TSST: F(2.21, 66.33)=5.73, p=0.004; oral exam: F(1.98, 59.28)=4.38, p=0.017) with similar mean response curves and significant correlations between cortisol increases and areas under the response curves (increase: r=0.67; AUC: r=0.56; both p≤0.01). Correspondingly, changes in positive and negative affect did also show significant correlations between conditions (increase: positive affect: r=0.36; negative affect: r=0.50; both: p≤0.05; AUC: positive affect: r=0.81; negative affect: r=0.70; both p≤0.01) while mean time course dynamics were significantly different (positive affect: F(2.55, 76.60)=10.15, p=0.001; negative affect: F(1.56, 46.82)=23.32, p=0.001), indicating that the oral exam had a more pronounced impact on affect than the TSST. Our findings provide new evidence for the view that cortisol as well as subjective stress responses to the TSST are indeed significantly associated with acute stress responses in real life.
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Henze@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: Gina-Isabelle
authors: GI
authors: Henze
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Zaenkert@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Zänkert
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Urschler@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: David F
authors: DF
authors: Urschler
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Hiltl@stud.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: Tanja J
authors: TJ
authors: Hiltl
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Kudielka@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: Brigitte M
authors: BM
authors: Kudielka
authors: Department of Psychology, McGill University, 845 Rue Sherbrooke O, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada. Electronic address: Pruessner@mcgill.ca.
authors: Jens C
authors: JC
authors: Pruessner
authors: Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Electronic address: Wuest@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Wüst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011603:Psychophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Acute stress responses; HPA axis; Positive/negative affect; Real-life stress; Salivary cortisol