Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol 57, Issue 1 23-31, Copyright © 1995 by American Psychosomatic Society

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Sex-specific effects of social support on cortisol and subjective responses to acute psychological stress

C Kirschbaum, T Klauer, SH Filipp and DH Hellhammer
Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Germany.

The effects of short-term social support on cortisol levels and subjective responses to acute psychological stress were investigated in healthy adults (total N = 66). In anticipation of a public-speaking task in front of an audience, subjects received either no social support ("no support") or social support from an opposite-sex stranger ("stranger") or from their boyfriend or girlfriend ("partner"). Support providers were instructed to enact both instrumental and emotional support during the 10-minute anticipation period. The results obtained suggest sex-specific effects of social support. Although men in the partner support condition showed significant attenuation of cortisol responses compared with unsupported and stranger-supported men, women showed no response decrement under stranger support. In contrast to men, women showed a tendency toward increased cortisol responses when supported by their boyfriends. The endocrine response differences between male and female subjects were unrelated to questionnaire-derived psychological variables. No sex and group differences in perceived stress, mood changes, or social desirability were observed. Although the overall level of subjective well-being throughout the experiment was elevated in the partner support condition, no sex or group differences were observed in perceived stress, well-being changes, and social desirability. Opposite to their cortisol responses, women rated both stranger and partner support attempts more favorably than did men. No significant correlations were observed between the perceived stressfulness of the situation, mood changes, and cortisol responses. These results provide preliminary evidence for sex-specific patterns of social support efficacy to acute psychological stress with respect to adrenocortical responses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Ditzen, C. Hoppmann, and P. Klumb Positive Couple Interactions and Daily Cortisol: On the Stress-Protecting Role of Intimacy Psychosom Med, October 1, 2008; 70(8): 883 - 889. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Collins Statutory Social Workers: Stress, Job Satisfaction, Coping, Social Support and Individual Differences Br. J. Soc. Work, September 1, 2008; 38(6): 1173 - 1193. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. H. Wirtz, R. von Kanel, C. Mohiyeddini, L. Emini, K. Ruedisueli, S. Groessbauer, and U. Ehlert Low Social Support and Poor Emotional Regulation Are Associated with Increased Stress Hormone Reactivity to Mental Stress in Systemic Hypertension J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2006; 91(10): 3857 - 3865. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Klumb, C. Hoppmann, and M. Staats Work Hours Affect Spouse's Cortisol Secretion--For Better And for Worse Psychosom Med, September 1, 2006; 68(5): 742 - 746. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. B. Mechlin, W. Maixner, K. C. Light, J. M. Fisher, and S. S. Girdler African Americans Show Alterations in Endogenous Pain Regulatory Mechanisms and Reduced Pain Tolerance to Experimental Pain Procedures Psychosom Med, November 1, 2005; 67(6): 948 - 956. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J E Mawdsley and D S Rampton Psychological stress in IBD: new insights into pathogenic and therapeutic implications Gut, October 1, 2005; 54(10): 1481 - 1491. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Grewen, S. S. Girdler, J. Amico, and K. C. Light Effects of Partner Support on Resting Oxytocin, Cortisol, Norepinephrine, and Blood Pressure Before and After Warm Partner Contact Psychosom Med, July 1, 2005; 67(4): 531 - 538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Abelson, I. Liberzon, E. A. Young, and S. Khan Cognitive Modulation of the Endocrine Stress Response to a Pharmacological Challenge in Normal and Panic Disorder Subjects Arch Gen Psychiatry, June 1, 2005; 62(6): 668 - 675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Peeters, N. A. Nicholson, and J. Berkhof Cortisol Responses to Daily Events in Major Depressive Disorder Psychosom Med, September 1, 2003; 65(5): 836 - 841. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. E. Seeman, B. H. Singer, C. D. Ryff, G. Dienberg Love, and L. Levy-Storms Social Relationships, Gender, and Allostatic Load Across Two Age Cohorts Psychosom Med, May 1, 2002; 64(3): 395 - 406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. M. Diamond Contributions of Psychophysiology to Research on Adult Attachment: Review and Recommendations Personality and Social Psychology Review, November 1, 2001; 5(4): 276 - 295. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. G. Maunder and J. J. Hunter Attachment and Psychosomatic Medicine: Developmental Contributions to Stress and Disease Psychosom Med, July 1, 2001; 63(4): 556 - 567. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Conrad, G. Schilling, M. Langenbuch, G. Haidl, and R. Liedtke Alexithymia in male infertility Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2001; 16(3): 587 - 592. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Turner-Cobb, S. E. Sephton, C. Koopman, J. Blake-Mortimer, and D. Spiegel Social Support and Salivary Cortisol in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer Psychosom Med, May 1, 2000; 62(3): 337 - 345. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Roca, P. J. Schmidt, and D. R. Rubinow Review : Gonadal Steroids and Affective Illness Neuroscientist, July 1, 1999; 5(4): 227 - 237. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. Kirschbaum, B. M. Kudielka, J. Gaab, N. C. Schommer, and D. H. Hellhammer Impact of Gender, Menstrual Cycle Phase, and Oral Contraceptives on the Activity of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Psychosom Med, March 1, 1999; 61(2): 154 - 162. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. M. Glynn, N. Christenfeld, and W. Gerin Gender, Social Support, and Cardiovascular Responses to Stress Psychosom Med, March 1, 1999; 61(2): 234 - 242. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Kudielka, J. Hellhammer, D. H. Hellhammer, O. T. Wolf, K.-M. Pirke, E. Varadi, J. Pilz, and C. Kirschbaum Sex Differences in Endocrine and Psychological Responses to Psychosocial Stress in Healthy Elderly Subjects and the Impact of a 2-Week Dehydroepiandrosterone Treatment J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 1998; 83(5): 1756 - 1761. [Abstract] [Full Text]