Measuring stress reactivity in the home: Preliminary findings from a version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-H) appropriate for field-based research
Stress induction paradigms are essential tools for studies investigating psychobiological mechanisms linking stress reactivity with mental and physical health outcomes, especially among youth growing up in high-stress contexts such as poverty. However, standardized stress paradigms aimed at measuring stress reactivity are limited to laboratory settings and have mostly been conducted in small samples of convenience. The aim of the current study is to present a version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) adapted for administration in participants’ homes appropriate for administration in large-scale, population-based samples. We address issues related to the feasibility of administration and present preliminary evidence of the validity of the home-based TSST (TSST-H) in a subsample (n = 100) of adolescents (12-13 years) participating in the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). Measures of stress physiology included salivary cortisol, alpha amylase, and blood pressure, assessed at baseline, 5 minutes post, 20 minutes post, and 40 minutes post task. Importantly, administration of the TSST-H procedure was successful among 93% of our sample after accounting for participant refusals and significant distractions in the home. We also found preliminary evidence that the TSST-H elicited an autonomic response, reflected by statistically significant increases in salivary alpha amylase and diastolic blood pressure post task. Our initial assessment indicates that the TSST-H can be effectively implemented in field based settings with hard to reach populations.