Resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia is related to emotion reactivity to social-evaluative stress.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Higher resting parasympathetic nervous system activity, as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), has been considered a marker of emotion regulatory capacity and is consistently related to better mental health. However, it remains unclear how resting RSA relates to emotion reactivity to acute social-evaluative stress, a potent predictor of depression and other negative outcomes.

Method

A sample of 89 participants (M_age = 18.36, SD = 0.51; 58.43 % female) provided measures of RSA at rest and then completed the Trier Social Stress Test, a standardized laboratory-based social-evaluative stress task that involves public speaking and mental arithmetic while being evaluated by two confederate judges. Participants reported a variety of emotions (e.g.,

SUBMITTER: Rahal D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10392612 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature