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Individual differences in repressive-defensiveness predict basal salivary cortisol levels
L L Brown1, A J Tomarken, D N Orth
1Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240, USA.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Individuals with high distress and those inhibiting distress show elevated cortisol levels. This suggests both heightened distress and its suppression are linked to cortisol.
Area of Science:
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Psychophysiology
- Stress Research
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding the link between negative affective traits and cortisol.
- Repressive-defensiveness, a personality trait, has been explored in relation to basal cortisol levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between repressive-defensiveness, high anxiety, and basal salivary cortisol levels.
- To determine if heightened distress or the inhibition of distress independently relates to cortisol elevations.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted assessing basal salivary cortisol.
- Experiment 1 involved men categorized as repressors, high-anxious, or low-anxious, measuring midafternoon cortisol.
- Experiment 2 used stricter controls, assessing cortisol in men and women at multiple times over three days.
Main Results:
- Both repressors and high-anxious individuals exhibited higher basal cortisol levels compared to low-anxious individuals in both studies.
- These findings indicate a correlation between repressive-defensiveness, high anxiety, and elevated cortisol.
Conclusions:
- Both experiencing high distress and inhibiting distress are independently associated with elevated cortisol levels.
- Individual differences in responding to uncertainty or change may mediate the relationship between affect and cortisol.
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