Cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral stress reactivity to the group-based Trier Social Stress Test with pandemic-related protocol adaptations

• Published in: International journal of psychophysiology Vol. 188; pp. 17 - 23
• Main Authors: Helminen, Emily C., Scheer, Jillian R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2023
• Subjects: COVID-19; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Pandemics; Psychological Tests; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Saliva; Self Report; Social-evaluative stress; Stress reactivity; Stress, Psychological; TSST; Young Adult; COVID-19; Social-evaluative stress; TSST; Stress reactivity
• ISSN: 0167-8760; 1872-7697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.03.005

Research using stress induction protocols such as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and the TSST for groups (TSST-G) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging. While institutional review boards have provided guidance on returning to face-to-face research using COVID-19 adaptations (e.g., masking, social distancing), whether these adaptations influence the effectiveness of social-evaluative stress induction remains unknown. We conducted a secondary data analysis from a randomized controlled trial to establish whether using COVID-19 adaptations (i.e., masking, social distancing, and using a single large conference room for the duration of the experiment) to the TSST-G protocol was able to reliably induce stress across cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral indices of stress. Young adults (N = 53) underwent the TSST-G with COVID-19 adaptations. We measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), self-reported, and behavioral responses to the TSST-G, and all variables indicated successful stress induction. Increases in SBP (18 mmHg) and DBP (14 mmHg) were similar in magnitude as those in standard in-person TSST protocols. Increases in HR (9 beats per minute) were smaller in magnitude than standard in-person TSST protocols, but slightly larger than increases documented in remote TSST protocols. The cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral indices of stress reactivity provide confidence in the effectiveness of TSST-G with COVID-19 adaptations to reliably induce stress. In-person TSST protocols with COVID-19 adaptations represent an alternate option to remote TSST protocols for stress induction researchers to use during times when masking or social distancing are necessary. •We examined a COVID-19-adapted Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G).•Adaptations included masking, social distancing, and using one room for the study.•The adapted TSST-G induced stress across physiology, self-report, and behavior.•Heart rate increased by 9 beats per minute from baseline to peak stress.•Systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased by 18 mmHg and 14 mmHg, respectively.