Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences

PDF

Journal

Stress

Institution
Publication Year
Publication

Articles 1 - 30 of 31

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Voices Of The Future: A Healing Ethno-Racial Trauma Approach To Financial Education Within African American Communities, Tonia Brinston, Chalandra M. Bryant, Sharon E. Powell, Joyce Serido Apr 2024

Voices Of The Future: A Healing Ethno-Racial Trauma Approach To Financial Education Within African American Communities, Tonia Brinston, Chalandra M. Bryant, Sharon E. Powell, Joyce Serido

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

In this article, we describe the process we adopted in designing a financial education intervention situated within the cultural and systemic realities of structural racism in Black communities and offer new insights on conducting financial education that addresses healing from ethno-racial trauma. We adopted a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and assembled a Community Led Advisory (CLA) group to discuss how to address social and economic inequalities in teaching financial education. Specifically, we sought to address the psychological consequences of racism, income scarcity, and other forms of economic distress and what it means for people’s lives and their everyday ability …


Nurses - Tab Down Your Stress Level: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Aromatherapy To Decrease Stress Levels, Judith E. Bowling, Ashley N. Garbutt, Theresa Worden, Julie Erickson, Nicole Rowney Dec 2023

Nurses - Tab Down Your Stress Level: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Aromatherapy To Decrease Stress Levels, Judith E. Bowling, Ashley N. Garbutt, Theresa Worden, Julie Erickson, Nicole Rowney

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: The average day-to-day nursing profession is a stressful one. The job often requires dealing with patients enduring some of the worst times of their lives, as well as contending with patients' emotional family members. This stressful environment is heightened even more for nurses employed in critical access hospitals (CAHs) due to the limited resources usually associated with these smaller facilities. Methods: Research and Evidence-Based Practice Council members at one CAH explored how to help nurses deal with the elevated work stress level. Aromatherapy tabs were used as an intervention to reduce nurses' stress. The nurses who participated in this …


Physical Activity And Mental Health Of Youth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Watson, Alicia Fedewa, Clair Tischner Oct 2023

Physical Activity And Mental Health Of Youth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Watson, Alicia Fedewa, Clair Tischner

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The COVID-19 Pandemic has globally impacted children’s physical activity and mental health outcomes since the transition to remote learning (Štveráková, et al., 2021). Children and adults may encounter negative mental health related consequences, higher stress, and a significant lack of physical activity while in physical and social isolation (Clemente-Suárez, 2022). In particular, school-aged children have experienced a significant reduction in physical activity since transitioning to remote learning and do not have sufficient opportunities to make up for this loss while engaged in remote learning (Štveráková, et al., 2021). Increased physical activity has been consistently correlated with positive mental health outcomes …


Effects Of Anthropogenic Noise On Body Mass In Gryllodes Sigillatus, Jessica L. Venturi, Joyce Zheng Apr 2023

Effects Of Anthropogenic Noise On Body Mass In Gryllodes Sigillatus, Jessica L. Venturi, Joyce Zheng

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Insects use vibrational structures to produce and sense airborne sounds in intraspecific communication. These signals are important in courtship as well as defensive behavior against predators. For example, insects can detect the presence of nearby predators using vibrations. With an increase in anthropogenic activity, processing these signals and the constant threat they represent may increase stress on insects, subsequently affecting their behavior and physiology. Our experiment was designed to determine whether anthropogenic noise, possibly perceived as a stressor, will decrease the body mass of banded crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus. We predicted that the anthropogenic noise would stress the crickets, leading to …


Sources Of Stress, Burnout, And Career Decisions Of Male Health And Nursing Professionals: A Qualitative Inquiry Of The Challenges During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Luis Miguel Dos Santos Mar 2023

Sources Of Stress, Burnout, And Career Decisions Of Male Health And Nursing Professionals: A Qualitative Inquiry Of The Challenges During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Luis Miguel Dos Santos

The Qualitative Report

The human resources and workforce shortage of registered health and nursing professionals has been a long-term problem in health systems internationally, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many health and nursing professionals face stress and burnout, which may influence their career decisions and long-term human resources development. The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the relationship(s) between sources of stress and the reasons why male health and nursing professionals decide to leave the profession within the next six months. With the employment of the social cognitive career and motivation theory and general inductive approach with 40 male health …


The Relationship Between Chronic Pain And Stress, Anxiety, And Depression In College Students Oct 2022

The Relationship Between Chronic Pain And Stress, Anxiety, And Depression In College Students

Journal of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to measure chronic pain levels as they relate to stress, anxiety, and depression in college students. This is a non-experimental, correlational research design, using a survey methodology. Eighty-four participants, over the age of 18, were recruited (men = 33.3%, women = 66.6%) to participate in this study. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire which was a compilation of the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire (CPGQ) (Von Korff et al., 1992), the Perceived Stress Scale (Wickrama et al., 2013), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (Beck et al., 1988), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) (Beck …


Memory And Attention While Scuba Diving At Shallow And Deep Depths: An Open Water Study, Leanne Boucher, Joshua Feingold, Kelly Concannon, Stephanie Talavera, Jaime Tartar, W. Matthew Collins Sep 2022

Memory And Attention While Scuba Diving At Shallow And Deep Depths: An Open Water Study, Leanne Boucher, Joshua Feingold, Kelly Concannon, Stephanie Talavera, Jaime Tartar, W. Matthew Collins

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

SCUBA diving requires a high level of cognitive functioning, however, many divers anecdotally report poor memory and attentional skills while underwater. Few studies have documented cognitive deficits resulting from an open-water dive. Here, 23 divers completed both shallow (8 m) and deep (28 m) dives over two days in the open-water. The order of the dives was counterbalanced across participants. While at depth, they completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to assess anxiety levels, learned and were tested on a list of 36 words, and completed the trail making task (TMT) to assess executive functioning. They also gave saliva samples to …


Eeg Neurofeedback And Isolation Stressor. A Systematic Review, Kacper Gotner, Marcin Dornowski Jul 2022

Eeg Neurofeedback And Isolation Stressor. A Systematic Review, Kacper Gotner, Marcin Dornowski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction. One of the factors increasing the body's response to a stressful situation is isolation. The feeling of loneliness in isolation can be caused by biological, psychological or medical factors. Material and methods: This paper is a review of publications issued in 2009–2021, the most up-to-date in terms of information on the topic of stress and its links with EEG neurofeedback. Results: 5 publications on stress caused by isolation and the reaction of the human body in a stressful situation were selected. The papers were selected based on the use of EEG neurofeedback in reducing the body's stress reactions to …


Changes In Cognitive Control Following A Novel Resilience-Focused Nursing Educational Program: An Exploratory Study, Shannon Dames, Wendy Young, Olave Krigolson, Kelly Zhang, Lincoln Stoller, Robyn Bartle Jun 2022

Changes In Cognitive Control Following A Novel Resilience-Focused Nursing Educational Program: An Exploratory Study, Shannon Dames, Wendy Young, Olave Krigolson, Kelly Zhang, Lincoln Stoller, Robyn Bartle

Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière

Patient care is currently challenged by various factors including stress and nurse fatigue that can negatively impact nurses’ health and patient safety. Emotional exhaustion and burnout among nurses are at an all-time high. Canadian nurses are reporting clinical rates of depression, anxiety, and panic at disproportionately higher rates than other public safety personnel. Innovative educational programs are desperately needed to mitigate stress and relieve distress, which will ultimately promote a healthier and more productive workforce. Little is known about the effectiveness of research informed cognitive control education within a community of practice (COP) to help nurses and nursing students process …


The Role Of Selected Intrapsychic Factors In Alpine Skiing Instruction, Krzysztof Makowski, Piotr Aschenbrenner, Bartosz Krawczynski Mar 2022

The Role Of Selected Intrapsychic Factors In Alpine Skiing Instruction, Krzysztof Makowski, Piotr Aschenbrenner, Bartosz Krawczynski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This research was aimed at describing the influence of selected intrapsychic factors related to “low” and “high” mountain conditions upon the efficiency of alpine skiing instruction. Material/Methods: Research participants were 48 people without skiing skills. Altitudes from 770 to 1,741 metres above sea level were chosen for “high” groups. A STAI questionnaire was chosen in order to carry out the research. The skiing level achieved by the end of the instruction was assessed expertly with the three essential evolutions, i.e. ploughing curves, slanting slide, and half-ploughing turn, taken into consideration. Results: The anxiety level after the instruction of the …


Sensitivity To Pain And Strategies Of Coping With Stress In Combat Athletes, Katarzyna Leznicka, Anna Starkowska, Agnieszka Lulinska, Magdalena Kowalczyk Mar 2022

Sensitivity To Pain And Strategies Of Coping With Stress In Combat Athletes, Katarzyna Leznicka, Anna Starkowska, Agnieszka Lulinska, Magdalena Kowalczyk

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The aim of the study was to assess the perception of pain (threshold and tolerance to pain of the combat athletes in comparison to those not practicing any sport and checking whether there is a correlation between the pain perception and strategies for coping with stress in both studied groups. The study was conducted on 273 healthy men. The test group consisted of 203 athletes; the control group consisted of 70 students from the Faculty of Physical Culture, University of Szczecin. The test of the threshold and pain tolerance was performed using an algometer manufactured by Quirumed Company. To assess …


Stress And Its Management By Students In The Field Of Education, Irena Plevova, Lucie Kremenkova, Michaela Pugnerova Mar 2022

Stress And Its Management By Students In The Field Of Education, Irena Plevova, Lucie Kremenkova, Michaela Pugnerova

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: ‪The subject matter of the submitted survey was to determine what coping strategies are used to manage stress by university students in the field of education. Material and methods: ‪The research group included 51 university students of the Faculty of Education in a combined type of study (the students teach at high schools concurrently with their studies). To collect data, the standardised Stress Coping Style Questionnaire, SVF-78 was used. Results: ‪There is a statistically significant difference between the variables. Men prefer negative coping strategies to a lower extent than women, with statistical significance. Conclusions: ‪The submitted survey focused on …


Parental Burnout As A Health Determinant In Mothers Raising Disabled Children, Aleksandra Sadziak, Wojciech Wilinski, Marta Wieczorek Mar 2022

Parental Burnout As A Health Determinant In Mothers Raising Disabled Children, Aleksandra Sadziak, Wojciech Wilinski, Marta Wieczorek

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of the study was to determine and compare the current risk of parental burnout in mothers of children with autism and with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. Material and methods: ‪The study was conducted among 30 mothers of children with autism, 30 mothers of children with moderate intellectual disabilities and 20 mothers of children with mild intellectual disabilities. A diagnostic survey was the research method, a survey was the technique used, and the Parental Burnout Questionnaire by M. Sekułowicz and P. Kwiatkowski was the applied research tool. Results: ‪The average level of parental burnout risk significantly differentiates …


Emotional States Of Athletes In The First Lockdown Due To Covid-19: A Comparison Of Polish And Spanish Samples, Dominika Wilczynska, David Alarcon Rubio, Patrycja Sliwinska, Jose Carlos Jaenes Mar 2022

Emotional States Of Athletes In The First Lockdown Due To Covid-19: A Comparison Of Polish And Spanish Samples, Dominika Wilczynska, David Alarcon Rubio, Patrycja Sliwinska, Jose Carlos Jaenes

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The situation of the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of many athletes from different disciplines. Therefore, the present study investigated the impact of Covid-19 first lockdown on emotional states and motivation of athletes from Spain and Poland. Material and methods: Polish male (N=24) and female (N=94) and Spanish male (N=81) female (N=95) athletes were investigated. The respondents did online ad hoc questionnaires, namely Emotional and Adaptative reactions during confinement (COVID-19-RECOVID-19), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results: Significant differences were observed in training conditions by country, with the Polish sample having higher scores than Spaniards. Stressing thoughts characterized …


Uncharted Territories: Covid-19 And Other 2020 Events That Changed Lives Forever, Justina Ogodo Feb 2022

Uncharted Territories: Covid-19 And Other 2020 Events That Changed Lives Forever, Justina Ogodo

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

The year 2020 rolled in with pomp and pageantry like any other year in human history. I assume that many like me had high hopes, possibly made new year resolutions. I looked forward to the new year with great expectations—planned trips, events, graduations, weddings, and even new writing goals and aspirations. But the year had its own plan, taking an unexpected turn. I am a science educator, wife, and mother of three black children; I walked into the uncharted territories of COVID-19 and other 2020 events that changed lives forever. I tell this story of my lived experience with a …


Comparison Of Schedules, Stress, Sleep Problems, Fatigue, Mental Health And Well-Being Of Low Cost And Network Carrier Pilots, Marion Venus Jan 2022

Comparison Of Schedules, Stress, Sleep Problems, Fatigue, Mental Health And Well-Being Of Low Cost And Network Carrier Pilots, Marion Venus

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This research investigates and compares working-conditions, duty rosters, stress, sleep problems, fatigue levels, mental health, and well-being of pilots working for network (NWCs), and low-cost carriers (LCCs). This study extends previous research by investigating working conditions, pilots’ actual rosters, fatigue and mental health of two groups of pilots flying for LCC or NWC.

Method

A comprehensive cross-sectional online survey was completed by N=338 pilots (185 NWC, 153 LCC pilots). All pilots reported their roster data of the last 2 months during peak flight season, psychosocial and work-related stress (e.g., high job insecurity, less total flight-experience, lower income, more time …


Interactions Of International Pilots' Stress, Fatigue, Symptoms Of Depression, Anxiety, Common Mental Disorders And Wellbeing, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth Jan 2022

Interactions Of International Pilots' Stress, Fatigue, Symptoms Of Depression, Anxiety, Common Mental Disorders And Wellbeing, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This study Investigates more dimensions than previous studies simultaneously: pilots’ duty rosters, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue levels, wellbeing, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and common mental disorders (CMD), and how they are interrelated.

Background

Several scientific studies have confirmed that fatigue can pose a significant risk to flight safety. Other studies reported positive depression screening results for more pilots, compared with the general population.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 406 international pilots, who reported their duty rosters of the last two months. Pilots also self-assessed their stress-levels, sleep problems, fatigue, wellbeing, and mental health.

Results

Although pilots …


An Investigation Into College Induced Stress & Coping Mechanisms And Its Effect On Mental Health, Gráinne Morgan, Madeleine Quinn, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin Dec 2021

An Investigation Into College Induced Stress & Coping Mechanisms And Its Effect On Mental Health, Gráinne Morgan, Madeleine Quinn, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

No abstract provided.


Fear Of Covid-19 And Depression: Mediating Role Of Anxiety And Stress Among University Students, Noreena Kausar, Amna Ishaq, Hafsa Qurban, Hafiz Abdur Rashid Mar 2021

Fear Of Covid-19 And Depression: Mediating Role Of Anxiety And Stress Among University Students, Noreena Kausar, Amna Ishaq, Hafsa Qurban, Hafiz Abdur Rashid

Journal of Bioresource Management

Fear of CIVID-19 and psychological health issues are most common in general population, health professionals and students after emerging the COVID-19 infection. The literature review elaborated the correlation among fear of COVID-19, stress, depression and anxiety among students at different levels.The current study was conducted with two objectives. First aim was to assess the relationships among fear of COVID-19, stress, anxiety and depression among university students. The second objective was to measure the mediating role of anxiety and stress between the relationship of fear of COVID-19 and depression.Total 500 Government and private university students were selected through convenient sampling technique …


How Duty Rosters And Stress Relate To Sleep Problems And Fatigue Of International Pilots, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth Jan 2021

How Duty Rosters And Stress Relate To Sleep Problems And Fatigue Of International Pilots, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

While previous research focused on pilots’ fatigue, rosters, potential performance-impairment and aviation-safety, this research investigates, how pilots’ work-related and psychosocial stress and rosters can affect their sleep and fatigue. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 192 pilots flying for European operators, 180 Australian pilots and 34 pilots from UAE, Turkey and Asia Pacific. Pilots reported their actual duty- and flight-hours, flown sectors, standby, rest, vacation days, number of early starts, night-flights and sports-hours for the last two months. Schedule-related data, way to work, age, flight-hours on the present type of aircraft, subjective job-security and psychosocial stress were used as …


The Effects Of A Yoga Intervention, Karen R. Arrant, Mary W. Stewart Oct 2020

The Effects Of A Yoga Intervention, Karen R. Arrant, Mary W. Stewart

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Sleep disturbance and stress in postmenopausal women pose physical, mental, and emotional health hazards. Researchers examined the effect of a yoga intervention on sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression in postmenopausal women. The study employed a randomized, controlled trial with: (1) a treatment group (yoga intervention) and (2) an attention-control group (health education). All participants completed three PROMIS® – Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System – tools and collected saliva samples before and after the eight-week intervention. The PROMIS® tools measured sleep, anxiety, and depression. Salivary alpha-amylase quantified sleep; salivary cortisol measured stress; and participants self-reported hours of sleep.

Thirty-one women completed …


Mindfulness: A Promising Practice To Reduce Accountant Stress, Abigail Anderson Aug 2020

Mindfulness: A Promising Practice To Reduce Accountant Stress, Abigail Anderson

Marriott Student Review

This article considers the practice of mindfulness as an approach to reduce stress within the lives of accountants. Mindfulness has existed for centuries as a Buddhist tradition and has only recently become popular in the Western world as a stress-reduction technique that can lead to improved mental and emotional well-being. This article also examines the prevalence of mindfulness within the Top 10 accounting firms in the United States and some results regarding employee performance. As more and more firms begin to utilize mindfulness as a low-cost method to better employee performance and well-being, university accounting programs should consider incorporating the …


Human Adaptability For Deep Space Missions: An Exploratory Study, Paul T. Bartone, Robert R. Roland, Jocelyn V. Bartone, Gerald P. Krueger, Albert A. Sciarretta, Bjorn Helge Johnsen Dec 2019

Human Adaptability For Deep Space Missions: An Exploratory Study, Paul T. Bartone, Robert R. Roland, Jocelyn V. Bartone, Gerald P. Krueger, Albert A. Sciarretta, Bjorn Helge Johnsen

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

The present qualitative study conducts in-depth interviews with astronauts and other subject matter experts in order to shed light on human adaptability in extreme environments. Deep space travel will entail a range of highly stressful conditions to which astronauts must adapt. Feelings of isolation will be increased, as the space traveler is farther from Earth for longer periods of time. Daily life will take place in small and confined areas, for durations extending into years. The dangers of the extreme environment of space are ever-present, and failure of critical equipment or components can lead to death. Astronauts will need to …


The Effects Of A Yoga Intervention, Karen Arrant Oct 2019

The Effects Of A Yoga Intervention, Karen Arrant

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Sleep disturbance and stress in postmenopausal women pose physical, mental, and emotional health hazards. Researchers examined the effect of a yoga intervention on sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression in postmenopausal women. The study employed a randomized, controlled trial with: (1) a treatment group (yoga intervention) and (2) an attention-control group (health education). All participants completed three PROMIS® – Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System – tools and collected saliva samples before and after the eight-week intervention. The PROMIS® tools measured sleep, anxiety, and depression. Salivary alpha-amylase quantified sleep; salivary cortisol measured stress; and participants self-reported hours of sleep.

Thirty-one women completed …


The Role Of Social Support In Predicting Depression And Task Overload Among College Students, James M, Duncan, Mallory Lucier-Greer, Anthony J. Ferraro, Kayla Reed-Fitzke Feb 2019

The Role Of Social Support In Predicting Depression And Task Overload Among College Students, James M, Duncan, Mallory Lucier-Greer, Anthony J. Ferraro, Kayla Reed-Fitzke

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.


How The Human Immune System Reacts To Stress Such As Drowning, Luke O'Neill Ph.D., Frs Oct 2018

How The Human Immune System Reacts To Stress Such As Drowning, Luke O'Neill Ph.D., Frs

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

No abstract provided.


Anger Without Agency: Exploring The Experiences Of Stress In Adolescent Girls, Elin A. Björling, Narayan B. Singh Oct 2017

Anger Without Agency: Exploring The Experiences Of Stress In Adolescent Girls, Elin A. Björling, Narayan B. Singh

The Qualitative Report

Although a great deal of research has measured stressful life events and stress-related symptoms in adolescents, little research has qualitatively examined the experience of stress in teens. The purpose of this study was to utilize thematic analysis to explore how teen girls described their experiences of stress. Thirty-one girls, ages 14–18, were recruited for a study examining stress and stress-related symptoms. As part of this study, they participated in an open-ended, qualitative interview about their personal experiences of stress. Themes included the mind of stress, emotionally shutting out others, and “growing out of it.” The overarching finding was that all …


How Do Money, Sex, And Stress Influence Marital Instability?, E. Jeffrey Hill, David B. Allsop, Ashley B. Lebaron, Roy A. Bean Apr 2017

How Do Money, Sex, And Stress Influence Marital Instability?, E. Jeffrey Hill, David B. Allsop, Ashley B. Lebaron, Roy A. Bean

Journal of Financial Therapy

This study explored how money and sex simultaneously predicted marital instability, and what financial therapists might focus on with clients to address problems in these areas. Specifically, this paper concurrently examined the relationship of marital instability to financial and family stressors (financial stressors, work-family conflict, and parenting stressors); financial and sexual resources (couple income and couple sexual frequency); and financial and sexual perceptions (financial dissatisfaction and sexual dissatisfaction). Couple financial communication and couple relational communication were explored as intervention points for financial therapists. Data came from Wave 2 of the Flourishing Families data set (N = 301). Data were organized …


A Brief History Of Mind-Body Medicine, Elliot S. Dacher Jan 2014

A Brief History Of Mind-Body Medicine, Elliot S. Dacher

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

From its earliest sources the medical tradition has recognized the causal role of the interface of mind and body in health and disease. Cultural and historical circumstances have determined the degree to which each of these two key factors are emphasized. In modern times we are emerging from an exclusive materialistic emphasis on biology to a renewed acceptance and understanding of the role of the mind and consciousness in health and disease. This re-balancing of the two great forces of healing can be traced to a progressive expansion of knowledge in the fields of stress, past-traumatic stress, biofeedback, cognitive and …


Humans' Bonding With Their Companion Dogs: Cardiovascular Benefits During And After Stress, Rebecca A. Campo, Bert N. Uchino Dec 2013

Humans' Bonding With Their Companion Dogs: Cardiovascular Benefits During And After Stress, Rebecca A. Campo, Bert N. Uchino

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined whether having one's companion dog present during and after stress posed similar cardiovascular benefits as having a close friend present, even when the relationship quality for both the companion dog and friend was highly positive. Positive aspects of relationship quality for participants' dog and friend were not associated with one another, suggesting that these relationships exist independently. Additionally, compared to participants with a close friend present, those with their dog present had lower heart rate and diastolic blood pressure (p's < .05) while undergoing the stressors, and tended to have lower heart rate and systolic blood pressure (p's < .09) when recovering from stressors. This study indicates that even when relationship quality is similarly high for companion dogs and friends, dogs may be associated with greater reductions in owners' cardiovascular reactivity to stress, particularly if there is a potential for evaluation apprehension in the human friendships. These findings support the value of the human- companion animal relationship in promoting human welfare.