Resiliency and Autonomic Control of Cardiac Responses to Stress

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dc.contributor.authorSpangler, Derek P.en
dc.contributor.committeechairFriedman, Bruce H.en
dc.contributor.committeememberDeater-Deckard, Kirbyen
dc.contributor.committeememberHarrison, David W.en
dc.contributor.departmentPsychologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:36:11Zen
dc.date.adate2013-06-17en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:36:11Zen
dc.date.issued2013-05-07en
dc.date.rdate2013-06-17en
dc.date.sdate2013-05-14en
dc.description.abstractEgo-resiliency (ER) is a trait that describes the ability to cope with stress, while effortful control (EC) is an individual difference related to the ability to optimally inhibit negative emotion through attentional mechanisms. ER has been linked to flexible cardiovascular responding without accounting for autonomic nervous system origins of physiological responses. Similarly, EC tends to be associated with increased cardiac vagal control. However, differences in the autonomic characteristics of these constructs remain unclear. In the current study, it was hypothesized that compared to low-scorers, individuals who score high on ER and EC will each have greater vagal control and less sympathetic control over interbeat intervals (IBI) changes during laboratory stressors. Subjects engaged in a mental arithmetic, speech preparation, and verbal fluency task to elicit cardiovascular activation along a continuum of threat. Electrocardiography and impedance cardiography were collected before, during, and after these tasks to assess changes in autonomic functioning. Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that high levels of EC predicted increased vagal control over IBI recovery and less sympathetic reactivity of IBI reactivity. Contrary to predictions, ER showed an opposite pattern of autonomic regulation across stressors.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-05142013-120447en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05142013-120447/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/42661en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartSpangler_DP_T_2013.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectemotion regulationen
dc.subjectautonomic nervous systemen
dc.subjectpersonalityen
dc.titleResiliency and Autonomic Control of Cardiac Responses to Stressen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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