Stress in crisis managers: evidence from self-report and psychophysiological assessments

Abstract

Directing disaster operations represents a major professional challenge. Despite its importance to health and professional performance, research on stress in crisis management remains scarce. The present study aimed to investigate self-reported stress and psychophysiological stress responses in crisis managers. For this purpose, 30 crisis managers were compared with 30 managers from other disciplines, in terms of self-reported stress, health status and psychophysiological reactivity to crisis-related and non-specific visual and acoustic aversive stimuli and cognitive challenge. Crisis managers reported lower stress levels, a more positive strain-recuperation-balance, greater social resources, reduced physical symptoms, as well as more physical exercise and less alcohol consumption. They exhibited diminished electrodermal and heart rate responses to crisis-related and non-specific stressors. The results indicate reduced stress and physical complaints, diminished psychophysiological stress reactivity, and a healthier life-style in crisis managers. Improved stress resistance may limit vulnerability to stress-related performance decline and facilitate preparedness for major incidents.

Cortical and cardiovascular responses to acute stressors and their relations with psychological distress

“…Indeed, Delta logHF were negative even during the control condition. Moreover, our results expand previous ANS findings using the MIST protocol: to date, only two studies evidenced a similar parasympathetic withdrawal during the experimental condition of MIST (Janka et al, 2015;La Marca et al, 2011), while one showed no significant decreases (Monge et al, 2014).…”

“…Past literature has shown that MIST is a reliable protocol to induce physiological stress at CNS level (Kogler et al, 2015), even if ANS changes during this procedure have been underexamined. To the best of our knowledge, only 3 studies investigated vagal reactivity during this specific stress task, showing mixed results (Janka et al, 2015;La Marca et al, 2011;Monge, Gomez, & Molina, 2014).…”

Stress in paramedics: relationships with coping strategies and personality traits

“…Working conditions encountered by paramedics are frequently characterized by alternating periods of routine work and intermittent phases of highly demanding operations and extreme stress. It has been argued that, in terms of stress inoculation, these conditions may be particularly well-suited to promoting flexible coping strategies and thus stress resistance (Janka et al , 2015; Janka and Duschek, 2018). In addition to adjustment processes during work experience, professional selection may play a role in the lower stress levels seen in paramedics.…”

Learned self-regulation in top-level managers through neurobiofeedback training improves decision making under stress

“…Since previous literature showed that NBF training (NBFT) increases interoceptive awareness through self-regulation ability’s improvement 30 and self-regulation ability modulates psychophysiological alterations due to stress 22 , 31 . Previous research has sought to explain the cognitive adaption processes that underlie neurofeedback and biofeedback 32 but just in recent times some multicomponent model has been proposed.…”