Personality traits modulate temporal dynamics and cross-system coordination of acute stress responses in virtual...

Acute stress is a primary risk factor for mental disorders. While prior virtual reality (VR) studies have utilized objective physiological measures to address biological heterogeneity, the specific temporal evolution and cross-system coordination of these responses remain less explored. To address this gap, we developed a multi-scenario virtual reality (VR) stress paradigm, and analyzed personality modulation of stress response dynamics in 44 healthy adults via high-density monitoring (continuous heart rate/heart rate variability/galvanic skin response; 9-timepoint cortisol sampling). The VR paradigm effectively elicited multi-system stress responses that are similar to those observed in the Trier Social Stress Test. Personality traits significantly modulated temporal trajectories (15/28 time × trait interactions p_adj < 0.10) but poorly predicted peak intensity (3/36 regressions significant), suggesting personality primarily influences "how responses evolve" rather than "how strong." Psychoticism and trait anxiety predicted autonomic desynchronization, particularly sympathetic-parasympathetic decoupling during recovery (β = 0.339 h, p_adj = 0.031). These findings advance a paradigm shift from "reactivity" to "regulatory capacity" in stress research, providing a scalable digital tool for individualized stress susceptibility assessment.