Individual differences in emotion regulation and cardiovascular responding to stress.

Abstract

Instructed use of reappraisal to regulate stress in the laboratory is typically associated with a more adaptive cardiovascular response to stress, indexed by either (a) lower cardiovascular reactivity (CVR; e.g., lower blood pressure) or (b) a challenge-oriented response profile (i.e., greater cardiac output paired with lower total peripheral resistance). In contrast, instructed use of suppression is associated with exaggerated CVR (e.g., greater heart rate, blood pressure). Despite this, few studies have examined if the habitual use of these strategies are related to cardiovascular responding during stress. The current study examined the relationship between cardiovascular responses to acute stress and individual differences in emotion regulation style: trait reappraisal, suppression, and emotion regulation difficulties. Forty-eight participants (25 women, 23 men) completed a standardized laboratory stress paradigm incorporating a 20-minute acclimatization period, a 10-minute baseline, and two 5-minute speech tasks separated by a 10-minute intertask rest period. The emotional valence of the speech task was examined as a potential moderating factor; participants spoke about a block of negative-emotion words and a block of neutral-emotion words. Cardiovascular parameters were measured using the Finometer Pro. Greater habitual use of suppression was associated with exaggerated blood pressure responding to both tasks. However, only in response to the negative-emotion task was greater use of reappraisal associated with a challenge-oriented cardiovascular response. The findings suggest that individual differences in emotion regulation translate to differing patterns of CVR to stress, but the emotional valence of the stressor may play a role.

Type D personality and cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

“…To hide their true emotions, Type D males may engage in emotional suppression. Given that emotional suppression has been shown to increase cardiovascular reactions to stress (Griffin & Howard, 2022; Roberts et al, 2008), suppression of these emotions among Type D males may increase cardiovascular reactions to either a response that is similar to non-Type Ds, or under certain conditions (e.g., extreme social stressors that mimic social conflict) responses that are larger than non-Type Ds.…”

Institutional status and identity dimensions to cardiovascular stress responses

“…Similar to McMahon et al (2020, p.3) participants were notified of restrictions pertaining to alcohol, exercise, smoking and caffeine consumption in advance of the testing session. It is standard practice to control for these variables in reactivity research, as they are known to affect cardiovascular responding (see also; Griffin & Howard, 2022; McMahon, Creaven, & Gallagher, 2021). We received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee at the university to conduct this research.…”

Differences in Emotion Expression, Suppression, and Cardiovascular Consequences Between Black and White Americans in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study

“…Physiologically, expressive suppression is associated with increased sympathetic nervous system activation, which can negatively impact cardiovascular health (DeSteno et al, 2013;Gross, 1998;Gross & Levenson, 1997). Expressive suppression, whether experimentally manipulated or measured as a trait, is associated with higher blood pressure and increased cardiovascular disease risk (Appleton et al, 2014;Butler et al, 2003;Griffin & Howard, 2022;Tyra et al, 2022).…”