Key result
Higher primary stress appraisals were associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactivity in individuals with high trait self-control, but not in those with low self-control.
Why the study?
Does trait self-control moderate the relationship between stress appraisals and blood pressure responses to a laboratory stressor in healthy adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=90)
No
Does trait self-control moderate the relationship between stress appraisals and blood pressure responses to a laboratory stressor in healthy adults?
Effect estimate: 7% additional variance explained
p-value: p=0.013
Trait self-control moderates the relationship between stress appraisals and blood pressure reactivity, suggesting that individuals with high self-control who perceive stressors as highly demanding exhibit lower, potentially more adaptive, blood pressure reactivity.
May suggest adaptive BP responses in high self-control; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
PURPOSE: Stress may play a role in explaining part of the conscientiousness-longevity relationship. Conscientiousness (C) is associated with the appraisals of stressors and its lower-order facets have been shown to differentially moderate the experience of stress in daily life. This study investigated whether the lower-order facet, self-control (SC), moderated the relationship between stress appraisals and blood pressure responses to a laboratory stressor. METHODS: Ninety participants (selected from the upper and lower quartiles for C scores from a sample of 679 participants) were invited to complete the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were assessed throughout the stress task. Stress appraisals were assessed at baseline. RESULTS: Blood pressure responses to the MAST were similar in participants who scored high and low in SC. However, primary appraisals were negatively associated with BP reactivity and recovery in the high SC group but not in the low SC group. Moreover, SC was found to moderate the relationship between primary appraisals and SBP and DBP reactivity values, such that higher primary appraisals were associated with lower BP reactivity in individuals high in SC but not in those low in SC. In addition, lower SBP recovery values were observed in the high SC group compared to their low SC counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that SC may influence health status by modifying the relationship between perceived demands and blood pressure. Moreover, having a greater stake in stressors may yield health benefits in the longer term for individuals high in SC.
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O’Connor et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy adults (n=90). Trait self-control and stress appraisals vs. Low trait self-control was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure reactivity to the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (7% additional variance explained, p=0.013). Higher primary stress appraisals were associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactivity in individuals with high trait self-control, but not in those with low self-control.
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