Differential Coherence in Physiological and Subjective Stress Reactivity in Older and Younger Adults
Year: 2018
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Subjective and physiological measures provide complementary information about response to stress but little is known about age group differences in correspondence between these measures. This study compared age group coherence within and between subjective and physiological reactivity to a negative mood induction. We hypothesized that subjective and physiological reactions would exhibit more coherence in older than younger persons. Participants (younger n = 61, older n = 36) reported several positive and negative affects before and after watching a montage of films about interpersonal loss. Heart rate variability (HRV), corrugator and zygomatic electromyography (EMG), and skin temperature were recorded during the film. Younger adults exhibited a greater increase than older adults in corrugator activity, whereas older adults reported greater negative affect reactivity. Physiological reactivity scores were more strongly associated for younger (ICC = .10) than older adults (ICC = -.66). Coherence among the physiological measures, negative affect, and positive affect was stronger in younger (ICC = .32) than older adults (ICC = -.34). Associations among negative affect (younger ICC = .89, older ICC = .89) and positive affect scales (younger ICC = .78, older ICC = .71) did not differ by age group. Thus, subjective reactions to a stressor exhibited coherence that was largely invariant to age group. In contrast and contrary to hypotheses, physiological reactivity exhibited greater coherence in younger than older persons. Further, physiological reactivity exhibited more uniformity with subjective reactions for younger than older adults. Results are discussed in light of biological and psychological models of aging.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Authors: M Mather, R Ready, K Dixon-Gordon, B Martins
Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2899580541