Chronic stress, autonomic dysregulation and prospective drug use among African American emerging adults

Chronic stress is associated with increased vulnerability to drug use and may contribute to drug-related health disparities in the African American community. The underlying physiological mechanisms by which chronic stress confers this increased risk remain unclear. The present study aimed to characterize the impact of chronic and race-related stress exposure on regulatory mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in response to acute stress, to examine John Henryism as potential moderator of this relationship, and to investigate the association between ANS reactivity and subsequent drug use among a sample of African American emerging adults (18-25 years old) in the Southern United States (U.S.).

Participants (N = 276) completed self-report measures of chronic and race-related stress and John Henryism and underwent a laboratory-based stressor. ANS reactivity was assessed via heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance levels (SCL). At 90-day follow-up, retrospective reports of drug use were provided.

Race-related stress was associated with greater SCL reactivity. John Henryism moderated the relationship between chronic stress exposure and HRV reactivity. SCL reactivity was associated with higher rates of alcohol and marijuana use at 90-day follow-up. HRV reactivity was associated with tobacco use at 90-day follow-up.

Chronic stress exposure and active coping may interact to affect regulatory mechanisms of the ANS. ANS (dys)regulation may be an important endophenotype for increasing drug use vulnerability among African American emerging adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).