Revenge is sour, but is forgiveness sweet? Psychological health and cortisol reactivity among women with experiences of abuse

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (14) ◽  
pp. 2003-2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renate Ysseldyk ◽  
Kimberly Matheson ◽  
Hymie Anisman
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Abused Women ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Physically Abused ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
State Study ◽  
And Coping

This study examined the relations among women’s experiences of abuse, forgiveness, revenge, psychological health, and physiological stress reactivity. Both dispositional (Study 1; N = 103) and state (Study 2; N = 258) forgiveness and vengeance were associated with psychological symptoms. However, the relation between revenge and greater depression was magnified among psychologically abused women, whereas—unexpectedly—the positive link between forgiveness and psychological health was strengthened among physically abused women. Moreover, while revenge coincided with increased cortisol reactivity following any relationship conflict, this was only evident for forgiveness following physical abuse. The complex interactions among these variables are discussed within a stress and coping framework.

Associations between multisystem stress reactivity and peer nominated aggression in early childhood vary by sex

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 1888-1898
Author(s):  
Melissa J. Hagan ◽  
Danielle S. Roubinov ◽  
W. Thomas Boyce ◽  
Nicole R. Bush
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Relational Aggression ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Peer Ratings ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Physiological Stress Response

AbstractThere is emerging evidence that the development of problematic aggression in childhood may be associated with specific physiological stress response patterns, with both biological overactivation and underactivation implicated. This study tested associations between sex-specific patterns of stress responses across the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and peer nominations of aggression among 271 kindergarten children (Mean age = 5.32 years; 52% Female; 44% White). Upon entry to kindergarten, children participated in a multidomain standardized stress paradigm. Changes in pre-ejection period (PEP) and salivary cortisol were assessed. On a separate day, children provided peer ratings of physical and relational aggression in a standardized interview. As expected, there was a significant three-way interaction between PEP, cortisol reactivity, and sex, but only for physical aggression. Among boys, cortisol reactivity was positively associated with physical aggression only for those with higher SNS reactivity. Findings suggest that for boys, asymmetrical and symmetrical HPA/SNS reactivity may be associated with lower and higher risk for peer-directed physical aggression, respectively. Understanding the complex associations between multisystem physiology, child sex and peer-directed aggression in early childhood may offer insight into individual differences underlying the emergence of behavioral dysregulation in early peer contexts.

School-Aged Children's Cognitive Interdependence as a Prospective Link Between Their Depressive Symptoms and Physiological Stress Reactivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 325-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Borelli ◽  
Melissa Pedroza ◽  
Gerin E. Gaskin ◽  
Patricia A. Smiley ◽  
Callison A. Kernick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Large Body ◽  
School Experiences ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Cognitive Correlates ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Low Levels

Associations between children's depressive symptoms and physiological stress reactivity have been identified across many investigations. Similarly, a large body of literature explores the cognitive correlates of depressive symptomatology in childhood. To date, few studies conducted with children have integrated these approaches. In the present study, we examine a well-documented correlate of depression in adults; low cognitive interdependence (as measured via pronoun use, or we-ratio), in a child population. We explore the relation of low cognitive interdependence to children's concurrent depressive symptoms as well as their concurrent and later stress reactivity. At Time 1, we assessed school-aged children's (N = 60) depressive symptoms and children's we-ratio from an interview about their school experiences. Two weeks later (Time 2), children provided salivary cortisol samples before and after a stressor task. At Time 3 (1.5 years later), children provided cortisol samples before and after completing a different stressor task. Children's depressive symptoms were concurrently associated with lower we-ratio, which in turn was prospectively, but not concurrently, associated with higher cortisol reactivity, acting as an indirect effect between depression and later reactivity. These findings suggest that low levels of cognitive interdependence may be one mechanism by which children's depressive symptoms forecast heightened reactivity to stress.

scholarly journals PERCEIVED CONTROL AND CORTISOL STRESS REACTIVITY: VARIATIONS BY AGE, RACE, AND FACETS OF CONTROL

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S854-S854
Author(s):  
Jin-Hui Wen ◽  
Nancy L Sin
Keyword(s):  
Racial Differences ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Personal Mastery ◽  
Age Variations ◽  
Perceived Constraints

Abstract Greater perceived control is associated with better aging-related health outcomes, and these associations have previously been shown to differ based on sociodemographics. Physiological stress responses—including cortisol reactivity to stressors—may underlie the link between perceived control and health. The goal of this study was to evaluate the associations of perceived control and its facets (personal mastery and perceived constraints) with cortisol reactivity to acute laboratory stressors, in addition to the moderating roles of age and race. Participants (N = 737) ages 25-75 completed a perceived control questionnaire and two lab-based stress tasks. Salivary cortisol was collected pre- and post-stressor exposure. The results showed no main effects of perceived control, personal mastery, nor perceived constraints on salivary cortisol reactivity to stressors. However, age and race moderated the association between perceived constraints and post-stressor cortisol level, adjusting for baseline cortisol, sociodemographics, and health covariates. Among white participants, younger adults who reported higher constraints had elevated cortisol responses compared to those who reported lower constraints, whereas constraints were unrelated to cortisol reactivity among midlife and older adults. Among black participants, perceived control and its subscales were unrelated to cortisol, regardless of age. These findings suggest that older age buffers against the association between constraints and stress reactivity, but this buffering effect is only evident for white participants. Future research on the role of perceived control in stress and health should consider the importance of racial differences, facets of control, and age variations.

A Pilot Study of a Stress Management Program for Incarcerated Veterans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa G Sylvia ◽  
Rana Chudnofsky ◽  
Stacie Fredriksson ◽  
Bingyu Xu ◽  
Megan D McCarthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Recidivism Rates ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Depressive Symptom Severity ◽  
And Coping

ABSTRACT Introduction Veterans involved in the justice system are an understudied population warranting attention given their higher risk of mental health concerns and psychosocial challenges. Thus, there is a need for programs to support the psychological health of incarcerated veterans. The present study sought to determine the acceptability and effectiveness of a mind-body stress reduction program for incarcerated veterans. Materials and Methods Twenty-four incarcerated veterans (100% male; Mage = 44.87 (SD = 13.84)) completed a 6 week mind-body stress reduction course, or Resilient Warrior. Participants completed validated, self-report assessments of mood, functioning, mindfulness, and coping at pre- and post-program as well as having post-program qualitative feedback surveys. Results Results showed improvement in depressive symptom severity, self-efficacy, and resilience over the study duration (P < .05), but not stress reactivity, mindfulness, sleep disturbance, or perceived stress. The intervention was reported as helpful by 96% of participants, with 86% of participants stating they would recommend the course to others. Conclusions The Resilient Warrior program is acceptable and well-tolerated for incarcerated veterans as well as may improve aspects of psychological health. Future studies could examine how stress reductions program might improve recidivism rates and quality of life after the release of incarcerated veterans.

scholarly journals The mediating role of KITLG DNA methylation in the association between childhood adversity and cortisol stress reactivity does not replicate in monocytes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Frach ◽  
Sascha Tierling ◽  
Marion Schwaiger ◽  
Dirk Moser ◽  
Markus Heinrichs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Multiple Testing ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Mediating Role

Adverse childhood experiences such as maltreatment or neglect are associated with mental health problems in adulthood. Changes in the regulation of the psychological and physiological stress reaction, mediated via epigenetic modifications, are discussed as potential mechanisms. This study aimed to replicate the role of DNA methylation of the KITLG gene in mediating the association between childhood adversity and stress-induced cortisol reactivity in a sample of adults reporting childhood adversity and a matched control group (N=60). DNA was extracted from purified CD14+ monocytes and genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed with the 450k BeadChip for targeted replication and exploratory analyses. As previously reported, childhood adversity was associated with significantly lower cortisol reactivity to stress. We could neither replicate the association between KITLG DNA methylation and cortisol stress reactivity nor the association with childhood adversity. Moreover, DNA methylation of the target CpG (cg27512205) was not associated with KITLG mRNA expression in monocytes. Exploratory analyses of array-wide DNA methylation patterns showed no significant results for individual sites after correction for multiple testing – neither in association with childhood trauma nor with adult cortisol stress reactivity. The analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) revealed two significant regions which both mapped to non-coding genes in the association with cortisol stress reactivity. The mediating role of DNA methylation of the KITLG locus in the association between childhood adversity and cortisol stress reactivity could not be replicated in monocytes. In addition to differences in investigated tissue, reasons for non-replication might include differences between samples in age, ethnicity, trauma severity, and cortisol reactivity.

Emotions and health: The impact of emotions, emotions regulation, music, and acculturation on health

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Bongard ◽  
Volker Hodapp ◽  
Sonja Rohrmann
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Anger Expression ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Cardiovascular Stress ◽  
Expression Behavior ◽  
Cardio Vascular ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Our unit investigates the relationship of emotional processes (experience, expression, and coping), their physiological correlates and possible health outcomes. We study domain specific anger expression behavior and associated cardio-vascular loads and found e.g. that particularly an open anger expression at work is associated with greater blood pressure. Furthermore, we demonstrated that women may be predisposed for the development of certain mental disorders because of their higher disgust sensitivity. We also pointed out that the suppression of negative emotions leads to increased physiological stress responses which results in a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases. We could show that relaxation as well as music activity like singing in a choir causes increases in the local immune parameter immunoglobuline A. Finally, we are investigating connections between migrants’ strategy of acculturation and health and found e.g. elevated cardiovascular stress responses in migrants when they where highly adapted to the German culture.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Research Evolution in Response to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Weirong Li ◽  
Kai Sun ◽  
Yunqiang Zhu ◽  
Jia Song ◽  
Jie Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
The United States ◽  
Growth Trend ◽  
Related Research ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Cyclical Trend ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Number Of Authors

In order to understand how these studies are evolving to respond to COVID-19 and to facilitate the containment of COVID-19, this paper accurately extracted the spatial and topic information from the metadata of papers related to COVID-19 using text mining techniques, and with the extracted information, the research evolution was analyzed from the temporal, spatial, and topic perspectives. From a temporal view, in the three months after the emergence of COVID-19, the number of published papers showed an obvious growth trend, and it showed a relatively stable cyclical trend in the later period, which is basically consistent with the development of COVID-19. Spatially, most of the authors who participated in related research are concentrated in the United States, China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, India, and France. At the same time, with the continuous spread of COVID-19 in the world, the distribution of the number of authors has gradually expanded, showing to be correlated with the severity of COVID-19 at a spatial scale. From the perspective of topic, the early stage of COVID-19 emergence, the related research mainly focused on the origin and gene identification of the virus. After the emergence of the pandemic, studies related to the diagnosis and analysis of psychological health, personal security, and violent conflict are added. Meanwhile, some categories are most closely related to the control and prevention of the epidemic, such as pathology analysis, diagnosis, and treatment; epidemic situation and coping strategies; and prediction and assessment of epidemic situation. In most time periods, the majority of studies focused on these three categories.

scholarly journals Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Emotionally Abused and Non-abused Women

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Porcerelli ◽  
P. A. West ◽  
J. Binienda ◽  
R. Cogan
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Abused Women ◽  
Emotionally Abused
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