Diminished cardiovascular stress reactivity is associated with higher levels of behavioral disengagement

Blunted cardiovascular responses to stress have been associated with poor behavioral regulation. The present study examined the relationship between cardiovascular stress reactivity and an established measure behavioral disengagement. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured during rest and stress task in 452 participants. Behavioral disengagement was measured using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale (Brief COPE). Regression models adjusting for baseline cardiovascular values, age, gender, race, ethnicity, SES, depressive symptomology, self-report stress task stressfulness, self-report stress task demandingness, and objective stress task performance demonstrated that lower levels of cardiovascular reactivity were associated with behavioral disengagement, β = -.114, t = -2.36, p = .019, ΔR² = .017. There were no statistically significant associations between blood pressure reactivity and behavioral disengagement (p's > .077) in fully adjusted models. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that low reactivity may be a marker of motivational dysregulation.