| dc.description.abstract | Exposure to early life stressors, such as childhood maltreatment (CM) is maladaptive and can lead to enduring HPA-axis dysregulations, associated with increased stress susceptibility and a higher risk to develop psychiatric disorders in adult life. Besides CM, the factor gender is involved in the stress process and seems to be linked with CM. Therefore, based on previous research, it was hypothesized that individuals who experienced CM and women are more susceptible to stress. The ‘Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test’ (SECPT) in which a physiological, cold pressor (immersion of hand in cold water) and psychological stressor (social-evaluative threat) are combined, was used as stress paradigm.
49 participants (57.1% female; 42.9% male) took part in this randomized controlled cross-over study, 30.6% of the participants reported less severe CM (adverse childhood life events, ACLE), 51% severe CM (childhood trauma; CT). All participants were allocated in the stress- (cold water) and control condition (warm water). Analyses of variance for repeated measures were used to analyze the effect of ACLE, CT and gender on the time in water (stress susceptibility).
Results indicated a borderline significant interaction for time in water and severe CT, showing that subjects who experienced CT are more susceptible to the cold water than subjects who did not experience CT. No significant interaction for time in water and ACLE were found, thus, CT seems more indicative for enhanced stress susceptibility in adult life than ACLE. No significant interaction for time in water and gender was found. However, although the inclusion of female subjects in stress research is challenging, it is considered highly valuable. Statistically significant differences between the mean times in the cold- and warm water indicated SECPT utility in stress research. | |
