Implementing a single-person virtual Trier social stress test via zoom: validation and outcomes

The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) reliably induces psychosocial stress, but its high resource demands limit its applicability in many research contexts. We evaluated a single-person videoconference TSST (vcTSST) delivered via Zoom using pre-recorded "jury" members. Forty-one healthy, German-speaking students were randomized to vcTSST (n = 21) or a structurally matched control (n = 20). Continuous heart rate and root mean square of successive interbeat differences (RMSSD) were recorded alongside visual analog scales for stress and mood across baseline, anticipation, speech, and arithmetic phases. In the vcTSST, stress and heart rate increased sharply (partial η² = .59 and .60) while mood and RMSSD decreased (partial η² = .23 and .31; all p < .001). Phase × condition interactions revealed significantly higher stress, negative affect, and heart rate in vcTSST versus control (p < .01), with no group difference in RMSSD. No participant detected the pre-recorded jury, confirming deception fidelity. The vcTSST provides a cost-effective, standardized stress paradigm, which can be used in laboratory settings and is easily adaptable for remote applications. Future studies should include neuroendocrine measures, recruit more diverse samples, and validate the protocol in online contexts.