The availability of social support reduces cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress

Author(s): Garvey, T. S.

Journal/Book: J Behav Med. 1997; 20: 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013. Plenum Publ Corp. 15-27.

Abstract: The influence of the availability of social support on cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress was examined. Twenty-eight men and twenty-one women performed a speech task either in a support availability or no support availability condition while measures of systolic blood pressure (SBP) diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were assessed. Consistent with past research, the speech stressor was associated with significant increases in SBP DBP, and HR. More important, the availability of social support moderated cardiovascular reactivity to the acute stressor: individuals in the support availability condition were characterized by lower SEP and DBP reactivity to the acute stressor compared to individuals in the no support availability condition. These data suggest that simply having potential access to support is sufficient to foster adaptation to stress in the absence of enacted support.

Note: Article Uchino BN, Univ Utah, Dept Pathol, 502 Social Behav Sci Bldg, Salt Lake City,UT 84112 USA

Keyword(s): cardiovascular reactivity; health; psychosocial stress; social support; SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS; HEART-RATE REACTIVITY; LABORATORY MODEL; MENTAL STRESS; RESPONSES; WOMEN; MODERATOR; DISTINCTIONS; STABILITY; ENDOCRINE

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