Cortisol responses to psychological stress and correlations with personality traits

Kirschbaum, Clemens; Bartussek, Dieter; Strasburger, C. J.

doi:10.1016/0191-8869(92)90181-n

Cited by 101 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…A similar reduction of diurnal cortisol amplitude was seen in a large study of groups reporting increased levels of stress (Rosmond et al, 1998). There are also a number of intra-individual studies showing that cortisol increases in connection with laboratory or real life stress (Brantley et al, 1988;Kirschbaum et al, 1992;Lundberg & Frankenhaeuser, 1980;Mason, 1968).…”

Section: Studies Of the Hpa-axis In Response To Stressmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Stress has indeed been found to alter the pattern of cortisol secretion during the day. Groups with stress or increased work load often exhibit increased cortisol levels, particularly in the morning (De Vente et al, 2003;Härenstam & Theorell, 1990;Kirschbaum et al, 1992;Schulz et al, 1998;Steptoe et al, 2000). However, Caplan (Caplan et al, 1979), failed to find such a pattern.…”

Section: Studies Of the Hpa-axis In Response To Stressmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Personality traits and their potential effects on the cortisol response to stress have been the focus of a number of studies. No significant relationships have been found during stress tests such as public speaking (Kirschbaum et al, 1992;Roy et al, 2001;van Eck et al, 1996) or during one workday (Hanson et al, 2000). However, van Eck et al (1996) found that trait anxiety and depression were associated with elevated cortisol levels.…”

Section: Methodological Issues In the Assessment Of Cortsiolmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Work stress and overtime work: Effects on cortisol, sleep, sleepiness and health

Dahlgren¹

2006

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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Work stress and overtime work -effects on cortisol, sleep, sleepiness and healthAkademisk avhandling som för avläggande av filosofie doktorsexamen vid Stockholms Universitet offentligen försvaras på det engelska språket i David Magnussonsalen, Psykologiska Institutionen, Stockholms Universitet, fredagen den 15 december kl. 10.00 Anna DahlgrenIn Sweden the National Bureau of Statistics has reported an increase in stress-related disorders and sleep problems since the mid-1990's. They also report that the number of hours of overtime worked has increased. Previous research on work-related stress and overtime work has demonstrated associations with altered physiological arousal, increased risk for stress related diseases, shorter sleep, greater fatigue and impaired performance. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the effects within individuals. The general aim of the thesis was to investigate the effect of overtime work and increased work stress on sleep, the diurnal pattern of cortisol, sleepiness and subjective stress in a within-subject design. In addition, it examined individual differences in the diurnal cortisol response to stress. We used a combination of methods -questionnaires, sleep and wake diaries, objective measures of sleep, stress hormones (salivary cortisol) and ambulatory measures of heart rate and blood pressure. Studies followed office workers during two different conditions of (I) high/low work stress and (II) overtime work respectively. The individual differences in the cortisol response to stress from study I prompted study III. In this study we examined two groups that showed different cortisol responses to stress.In conclusion, the results (I) demonstrated that a week with higher workload and stress affects physiological stress markers such as cortisol, and is associated with increased sleepiness and problems of unwinding at bedtime, shorter sleep duration and longer work hours. Furthermore (II) overtime work, under conditions of relatively low workload, was shown to be associated with modest effects on physiological markers of arousal. More pronounced effects were found on sleep and fatigue, with greater problems during overtime work. Study III indicated that individual differences in cortisol response to stress maybe related to fatigue and exhaustion. RESULTS -SUMMARY OF STUDIES 36Study I -Different levels of work-related stress and the effects on sleep, fatigue and cortisol 36Study II-Overtime work and its effect on sleep, sleepiness, cortisol and blood pressure 38Study III -Individual differences in the diurnal cortisol response to stress 41 DISCUSSION 43Work IntroductionThe present thesis is focused on work related stress and long work hours. In 2005 24.4% of the Swedish workforce was experiencing work-related disorders (SCB, 2005). Stress and mental strain were the most common causes of work-related disorders among women and the third most common among men, with 13 per cent of the women having stress related disorders and 7.4 per cent of the men. Stress in working life can be asso...

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Section: Studies Of the Hpa-axis In Response To Stressmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Studies Of the Hpa-axis In Response To Stressmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Methodological Issues In the Assessment Of Cortsiolmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Work stress and overtime work: Effects on cortisol, sleep, sleepiness and health

Dahlgren¹

2006

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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“…A number of other previous studies in adults have measured salivary or plasma cortisol under basal conditions or during a psychosocial stressor in relation to personality function. Results have been mixed, with several negative reports (Kirschbaum et al, 1992;Morgan et al, 2001;Roy et al, 2001;Schommer et al, 1999;Van Eck et al, 1996) in addition to findings of associations of cortisol concentrations with various personality measures (Grossi and Lundberg, 1998;Rosenblitt et al, 2001;Zorrilla et al, 1995). These studies varied widely in terms of sample characteristics, personality assessments, and measures of HPA axis function, so that almost none of the specific findings, negative or positive, have been replicated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Temperament and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function in healthy adults

Tyrka

Mello

Gagne

et al. 2006

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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SummaryBackground-Traits such as behavioral inhibition and neuroticism have been linked to the development of mood and anxiety disorders. Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a manifestation of the stress response, is often seen in major depression and has also been demonstrated in animals and humans with inhibited temperaments. A recent study found HPA hyperactivity in adults with high levels of neuroticism. The present study investigated associations of temperament and HPA function in 31 healthy adults.Methods and materials-Subjects completed diagnostic interviews, questionnaires, and the dexamethasone-/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Temperament was assessed using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Results-NoveltySeeking was inversely related to plasma cortisol concentrations in the Dex/CRH test. Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence were not significantly associated with cortisol responses in the Dex/CRH test. The results were not accounted for by psychiatric symptoms or a history of stress or childhood maltreatment.Conclusions-These findings are consistent with previous reports associating temperament factors with HPA axis hyperactivity. Further work is needed to replicate these observations and determine whether HPA axis dysfunction might account for some of the previously reported association of personality factors with mood and anxiety disorders.

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“…Findings from several studies that have attempted to uncover relationships between these variables have been inconsistent (Pruessner et al, 1997). Traits that have been investigated have included anxiety (Hubert and Jong-Meyer, 1992;Jezova et al, 2004;Salmon et al, 1989;van Eck et al, 1996), sensation seeking (Kirschbaum et al, 1992), extraversion, and neuroticism (Arnetz and Fjellner, 1986;LeBlanc and Ducharme, 2005;Phillips et al, 2005;Schommer et al, 1999). Many of these studies were conducted with instruments that measure 'higher-order' personality dimensions, which actually encompass groups of more specific, but highly intercorrelated traits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between Cortisol Responses to Stress and Personality

Oswald

Zandi

Nestadt

et al. 2006

Neuropsychopharmacol

238

145

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Although there is growing evidence of links between the cortisol stress response and personality, the nature of the relationships and the underlying mechanisms require further clarification. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between personality traits and cortisol responses to stress using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory five-factor model of personality. In total, 68 healthy adults, aged 18-30 years, completed the personality assessment and underwent a laboratory psychological stress test that consisted of a 5 min speech and 5-min of mental arithmetic. Findings showed that in the sample as a whole, less Openness was associated with lower cortisol responses to the challenge. Cortisol responses also corresponded to certain personality dimensions in a gender-specific manner. Blunted cortisol responses were associated with higher Neuroticism in women and with lower Extraversion in men. These findings suggest that personality traits that have been traditionally associated with greater psychopathology were also associated with blunted HPA axis responses to stress.

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Cortisol responses to psychological stress and correlations with personality traits

Cited by 101 publications

References 28 publications

Work stress and overtime work: Effects on cortisol, sleep, sleepiness and health

Work stress and overtime work: Effects on cortisol, sleep, sleepiness and health

Temperament and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function in healthy adults

Relationship between Cortisol Responses to Stress and Personality

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