Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Conjoined Effect of Naturalistic Perceived Available Support and Enacted Support on Cardiovascular Reactivity During a Laboratory Stressor

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Studies have suggested that enacted social support has salutogenetic effects on cardiovascular activation during stress.

Purpose

This study aims to examine the conjoined effect of naturalistic perceived available support and enacted support on cardiovascular reactivity to a laboratory stressor.

Methods

Seventy-one participants assigned themselves to one of two conditions: enacted social support before the onset of a stressor or no support. Perceived available support was assessed via a questionnaire, and heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS) were analyzed in response to a speech task.

Results

Whereas perceived available support was unrelated to cardiovascular activity in the no-support condition, it was accompanied by attenuated HR and increased HRV in the enacted-support condition. Moreover, perceived available support was associated with greater HR, HRV, and BRS reactivity to the speech task and better MAP recovery.

Conclusion

Together, these findings support the assumption that different aspects of social support are related to different physiological processes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ditzen B, Heinrichs M. Psychobiologische Mechanismen sozialer Unterstützung: Ein Überblick [Psychobiological mechanisms of social support: A review]. Z Gesundh. 2007; 15: 143–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Uchino BN. Social support and health: a review of physiological processes potentially underlying links to disease outcomes. J Behav Med. 2006; 29: 377–387.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brummett BH, Barefoot JC, Siegler IC, et al. Characteristics of socially isolated patients with coronary artery disease who are at elevated risk for mortality. Psychosom Med. 2001; 63: 267–272.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Frasure-Smith N, Lespérance F, Gravel G, et al. Social support, depression, and mortality during the first year after myocardial infarction. Circulation. 2000; 101: 1919–1924.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kaplan GA, Salonen JT, Cohen RD, Brand RJ, Syme SL, Puska P. Social connections and mortality from all causes and from cardiovascular disease: Prospective evidence from Eastern Finland. Am J Epidemiol. 1988; 128: 370–380.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gerin W, Pieper C, Levy R, Pickering TG. Social support in social interaction: A moderator of cardiovascular reactivity. Psychosom Med. 1992; 54: 324–336.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gump BB, Polk DE, Kamarck TW, Shiffman SM. Partner interactions are associated with reduced blood pressure in the natural environment: ambulatory monitoring evidence from a healthy, multiethnic adult sample. Psychosom Med. 2001; 63: 423–433.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Phillips AC, Gallagher S, Carroll D. Social support, social intimacy, and cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress. Ann Behav Med. 2009; 37: 38–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Spitzer SB, Llabre MM, Ironson GH, Gellman MD, Schneiderman N. The influence of social situations on ambulatory blood pressure. Psychosom Med. 1992; 54: 79–86.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Steptoe A, Lundwall K, Cropley M. Gender, family structure and cardiovascular activity during the working day and evening. Soc Sci Med. 2000; 50: 531–539.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Heinrichs M, Baumgartner T, Kirschbaum C, Ehlert U. Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biol Psychiat. 2003; 54: 1389–1398.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Milagros RC, King J, Ma Y, Reed GW. Stress, social support, and cortisol: Inverse associations? Behav Med. 2004; 30: 11–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Olga E, Steptoe A. Social support at work, heart rate, and cortisol: A self-monitoring study. J Occup Health Psych. 2001; 6: 361–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Dixon D, Kilbourn K, Cruess S, et al. Social support mediates the relationship between loneliness and Human Herpesvirus-Type 6 (HHV-6) antibody titers in HIV + gay men following Hurricane Andrew. J Appl Soc Psychol. 2001; 31: 1111–1132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Lutgendorf SK, Sood AK, Anderson B, et al. Social support, psychological distress, and natural killer cell activity in ovarian cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2005; 23: 7105–7113.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Miyazaki T, Ishikawa T, Nakata A, et al. Association between perceived social support and Th1 dominance. Biol Psychol. 2005; 70: 30–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Thorsteinsson EB, James JE. A meta-analysis of the effects of experimental manipulations of social support during laboratory stress. Psychol Health. 1999; 14: 869–886.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kamarck TW, Peterman AH, Raynor DA. The effects of the social environment on stress-related cardiovascular activation: Current findings, prospects, and implications. Ann Behav Med. 1998; 20: 247–256.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hughes BM. Social support in ordinary life and laboratory measures of cardiovascular reactivity: Gender differences in habituation-sensitization. Ann Behav Med. 2007; 34: 166–176.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Uchino BN, Carlisle M, Birmingham W, Vaughn AA. Social support and the reactivity hypothesis: Conceptual issues in examining the efficacy of received support during acute psychological stress. Biol Psychol. 2011; 86: 137–142.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Tardy CH, Thompson WR, Allen MT. Cardiovascular responses during speech: Does social support mediate the effects of talking on blood pressure? J Lang Soc Psychol. 1989; 8: 271–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hughes BM, Curtis R. Quality and quantity of social support as differential predictors of cardiovascular reactivity. Irish J Psychol. 2000; 21: 16–31.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Roy MP, Steptoe A, Kirschbaum C. Life events and social support as moderators of individual differences in cardiovascular and cortisol reactivity. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998; 75: 1273–1281.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Uchino BN. Understanding the links between social support and physical health: A life-span perspective with emphasis on the separability of perceived and received support. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2009; 4: 236–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Dienstbier RA. Arousal and physiological toughness: Implications for mental and physical health. Psychol Rev. 1989; 96: 84–100.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Schwerdtfeger A, Konermann L, Schönhofen K. Self-efficacy as a health-protective resource in teachers? A biopsychological approach. Health Psychol. 2008; 27: 358–368.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. McEwen BS. Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. New Engl J Med. 1998; 338: 171–179.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Appelhans BM, Luecken LJ. Heart rate variability as an index of regulated emotional responding. Rev Gen Psychol. 2006; 10: 229–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Segerstrom SC, Solberg Nes L. Heart rate variability indexes self-regulatory strength, effort, and fatigue. Psychol Sci. 2007; 18: 275–281.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Thayer JF, Brosschot JF. Psychosomatics and psychopathology: looking up and down from the brain. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2005; 30: 1050–1058.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rottenberg J, Clift A, Bolden S, Salomon K. RSA fluctuation in major depressive disorder. Psychophysiology. 2007; 44: 450–458.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Thayer JF, Lane RD. A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation. J Affect Disorders. 2000; 61: 201–216.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Porges SW. The polyvagal theory: phylogenetic substrates of a social nervous system. Int J Psychophysiol. 2001; 42: 123–146.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Porges SW. The polyvagal perspective. Biol Psychol. 2007; 74: 116–143.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Diamond LM. Contributions of psychophysiology to research on adult attachment: Review and recommendations. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2001; 5: 276–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Schwerdtfeger A, Friedrich-Mai P. Social interaction moderates the relationship between depressive mood and heart rate variability: Evidence from an ambulatory monitoring study. Health Psychol. 2009; 28: 501–509.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Fontana AM, Diegnan T, Villeneuve A, Lepore SJ. Nonevaluative social support reduces cardiovascular reactivity in young women during acutely stressful performance situations. J Behav Med. 1999; 22: 75–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Kors DJ, Linden W, Gerin W. Evaluation interferes with social support: Effects on cardiovascular stress reactivity in women. J Soc Clin Psychol. 1997; 16: 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Brosschot JF, Gerin W, Thayer JF. The perseverative cognition hypothesis: a review of worry, prolonged stress-related physiological activation, and health. J Psychosom Res. 2006; 60: 113–124.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Steptoe A, Marmot M. Impaired cardiovascular recovery following stress predicts 3-year increases in blood pressure. J Hypertens. 2005; 23: 529–536.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Allen KM, Blascovich J, Tomaka J, Kelsey RM. Presence of human friends and pet dogs as moderators of autonomic responses to stress in women. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1991; 61: 582–589.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Buunk BP, Hoorens V. Social support and stress: Th e role of social comparison and social exchange processes. Brit J Clin Psychol. 1992; 31: 445–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Hughes BM. Support as intimidation: When social interaction elevates stress-related blood pressure. Irish J Psychol. 2005; 26: 75–86.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Glynn LM, Christenfeld N, Gerin W. Gender, social support, and cardiovascular responses to stress. Psychosom Med. 1999; 61: 234–242.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Birmingham W, Uchino BN, Smith TW, Light KC, Sanbonmatsu DM. Social ties and cardiovascular function: An examination of relationship positivity and negativity during stress. Int J Psychophysiol. 2009; 74: 115–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Schulz U, Schwarzer R. Soziale Unterstützung bei der Krankheitsbewältigung: Die Berliner Social Support Skalen (BSSS) (Social support and coping with illness: The Berlin Social Support Scales [BSSS]). Diagnostica. 2003; 49: 73–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Drzewiecki GM, Melbin J, Noordergraaf A. Arterial tonometry: Review and analysis. J Biomech. 1983;16: 141–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Zorn EA, Wilson MB, Angel JJ, Zanella J, Alpert BS. Validation of an automated arterial tonometry monitor using association for the advancement of medical instrumentation standards. Blood Press Monit. 1997; 2: 185–188.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Nelesen RA, Dimsdale JE. Use of arterial tonometric continuous blood pressure measurement in cardiovascular reactivity studies. Blood Press Monit. 2002; 7: 259–263.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Kibler JL, Ma M. Depressive symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory behavioral stress. Int J Behav Med. 2004; 11: 81–87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Phillips AC. Blunted cardiovascular reactivity related to depression, obesity, and self-reported health. Biol Psychol. 2011; 86: 106–113.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Salomon R, Clift A, Karlsdottir M, Rottenberg J. Major depressive disorder is associated with attenuated cardiovascular reactivity and impaired recovery among those free of cardiovascular disease. Health Psychol. 2009; 28: 157–165.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. York KM, Hassan M, Li Q, Li H, Fillingim RB, Sheps DS. Coronary artery disease and depression: Patients with more depressive symptoms have lower cardiovascular reactivity during laboratory-induced mental stress. Psychosom Med. 2007; 69: 521–528.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. King AC, Taylor CB, Albright CA, Haskell WL. The relationship between repressive and defensive coping styles and blood pressure responses in healthy, middle-aged men and women. J Psychosom Res. 1990; 34: 461–471.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Schwerdtfeger A, Derakshan N. The time line of threat processing and vagal withdrawal in response to a self-threatening stressor in cognitive avoidant copers: Evidence for vigilance-avoidance theory. Psychophysiology. 2010; 47: 786–795.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Schwerdtfeger A, Schmukle SC, Egloff B. Interactive effects of avoidant coping and parental hypertension on rate pressure product reactivity in women. Ann Behav Med. 2005; 29: 106–115.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Spielberger CD. State-Trait Depression Scales (Form X-1). Palo Alto, CA: Mind Garden; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Spaderna H, Schmukle SC, Krohne HW. Bericht ueber die deutsche Adaptation der State-Trait Depression Scales (STDS) [Report about the German adaptation of the State-Trait Depression Scales (STDS)]. Diagnostica. 2002; 48: 80–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Krohne HW, Egloff B, Varner LJ, Burns LR, Weidner G, Ellis HC. The assessment of dispositional vigilance and cognitive avoidance: Factorial structure, psychometric properties, and validity of the Mainz Coping Inventory. Cognitive Ther Res. 2000; 24: 297–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Egloff B, Hock M. A comparison of two approaches to the assessment of coping styles. Pers Indiv Differ. 1997; 23: 913–916.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Goldberger JJ, Challapalli S, Tung R, Parker MA, Kadish AH. Relationship of heart rate variability to parasympathetic effect. Circulation. 2000; 103: 1977–1983.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Penttilä J, Helminen A, Jartti T, et al. Time domain, geometrical and frequency domain analysis of cardiac vagal outflow: effects of various respiratory patterns. Clin Physiol. 2001; 21: 365–376.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Task Force of the European Society for Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996; 93: 1043–1065.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Steptoe A, Sawada Y. Assessment of baroreceptor reflex function during mental stress and relaxation. Psychophysiology. 1989; 26: 140–147.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Bagiella E, Sloan RP, Heitjan DF. Mixed-effects models in psychophysiology. Psychophysiology. 2000; 37: 13–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. R Development Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria; 2009.

  67. Bates DM. Fitting linear mixed models in R. R News. 2005; 5: 27–30.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Kliegl R. Towards a perceptual-span theory of distributed processing in reading: A reply to Rayner, Pollatsek, Drieghe, Slattery, & Reichle (2007). J Exp Psychol Gen. 2007; 138: 530–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. O’Donovan A, Hughes BM. Access to social support in life and in the laboratory: Combined impact on cardiovascular reactivity to stress and state anxiety. J Health Psychol. 2008; 13: 1147–1156.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Schwartz AR, Gerin W, Davidson KW, et al. Toward a causal model of cardiovascular responses to stress and the development of cardiovascular disease. Psychosom Med. 2003; 65: 22–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Flaa A, Eide IK, Kjeldsen SE, Rostrup M. Sympathoadrenal stress reactivity is a predictor of future blood pressure: An 18-year follow-up study. Hypertension.2008; 52: 336–341.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Treiber FA, Kamarck T, Schneiderman N, Sheffield D, Kapuku G, Taylor T. Cardiovascular reactivity and development of preclinical and clinical disease states. Psychosom Med. 2003; 65: 46–62.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Heponiemi T, Elovainio M, Pulkki L, Puttonen S, Raitakari O, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L. Cardiac autonomic reactivity and recovery in predicting carotid atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Health Psychol. 2007; 26: 13–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Barnett PA, Spence JD, Manuck SB, Jennings JR. Psychological stress and the progression of carotid artery disease. J Hypertens. 1997; 15: 49–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. De Rooij SR, Roseboom TJ. Further evidence for an association between self-reported health and cardiovascular as well as cortisol reactions to acute psychological stress. Psychophysiology. 2010; 47: 1172–1175.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Phillips AC, Der G, Carroll D (2009). Self-reported health and cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress in a large community sample: Cross-sectional and prospective associations. Psychophysiology. 46: 1020–1027.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Phillips AC, Carroll D, Burns VE, Drayson M. Cardiovascular activity and the antibody response to vaccination. J Psychosom Med. 2009; 67: 37–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Cacioppo JT, Hawkley LC, Crawford LE, et al. Loneliness and health: potential mechanisms. Psychosom Med. 2002; 64: 407–417.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Grippo AJ, Lamb DG, Carter CS, Porges SW. Social isolation disrupts autonomic regulation of the heart and influences negative affective behaviors. Biol Psychiat. 2007; 62: 1162–1170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Hawkley LC, Burleson MH, Berntson GG, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness in everyday life: cardiovascular activity, psychosocial context, and health behaviors. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003; 85: 105–120.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Knox SS, Uvnäs-Moberg K. Social isolation and cardiovascular disease: an atherosclerotic pathway? Psychoneuroendocrinol. 1998; 23: 877–890.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Steptoe A, Owen N, Kunz-Ebrecht SR, Brydon L. Loneliness and neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and inflammatory stress responses in middle-aged men and women. Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2004; 29: 593–611.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Orth-Gomér K. Are social relations less health protective in women than in men? Social relations, gender, and cardiovascular health. J Soc Pers Relat. 2009; 26: 63–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Andreas Richard Schwerdtfeger Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany

    Henrike Schlagert Dipl.-Psych

Authors
  1. Andreas Richard Schwerdtfeger Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Henrike Schlagert Dipl.-Psych
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Richard Schwerdtfeger Ph.D..

About this article

Cite this article

Schwerdtfeger, A.R., Schlagert, H. The Conjoined Effect of Naturalistic Perceived Available Support and Enacted Support on Cardiovascular Reactivity During a Laboratory Stressor. ann. behav. med. 42, 64–78 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9272-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9272-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation