The cardiovascular response to acute psychological stress is related to subjectively giving and receiving social support

Gallagher, Stephen, O’Súilleabháin, Páraic and Smith, Michael (2021) The cardiovascular response to acute psychological stress is related to subjectively giving and receiving social support. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 164. pp. 95-102. ISSN 0167-8760

Preview

Text Giving_and_Receiving_Support_and_CVR_R2.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives 4.0. Download (543kB) | Preview

Abstract

The pathways linking giving and receiving emotional and instrumental social support, and cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) are not yet fully understood. Eight-two healthy young adults completed psychometric measures of giving and receiving emotional and instrumental social support and participated in a standardised laboratory stress task. Cardiovascular and hemodynamic parameters were monitored throughout. Both giving and receiving emotional support were positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), such that those reporting giving and receiving more emotional support had higher reactivity. Only receiving instrumental was associated with DBP, with those receiving more instrumental support having higher reactivity. Moreover, while the significant association between giving social support and CVR withstood adjustment for several confounding factors (e.g., BMI, sex) it was abolished when receiving support was controlled for. These findings are novel and extend the literature on social support and CVR. Taken together, these findings suggest that receipt of support, rather than giving, may be more influential in this context.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads