[Personal variables and their effects on physiologic stress reactions]

In 24 male medical students hormonal, cardiovascular and state of mood data were collected on the day of an oral examination as compared to a control day. Analyses included 24-hour-noradrenaline-, adrenaline- and cortisol-excretion, blood levels of free testosterone, heart rate and blood pressure readings and state of mood ratings (Nitsch). Furthermore subdimensions of the type A construct, as included in the need-for-control questionnaire (Siegrist), were determined. Four subgroups were established according to total amount and stress reactivity of noradrenaline (NA) excretion. Further analysis showed that this line of separation held for the remaining hormones as well, thus revealing rather homogenous group- inherent hormonal patterns. However, in both groups with low hormonal stress reactivity cardiovascular reactivity was higher than in the groups with a pronounced hormonal stress response. Blood pressure rose highest and recovered slowest in the group, who had the highest NA and cortisol excretion on control day and highest allover cortisol excretion. This group rated high in the Siegrist subdimension "task-involvement" (inability to withdraw), the difference to the remaining groups being statistically significant. Neither the amount of hormonal nor that of cardiovascular reactivity were related to the state of mood ratings.