TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1998//
TI  - Psychological correlates of salivary cortisol secretion among unemployed men and women
JO  - Integrative physiological and behavioral science (New Brunswick, NJ)
A1  - Grossi, G.
A1  - Ahs, A.
A1  - Lundberg, U.
SP  - 249
EP  - 263
VL  - 33
IS  - 3
N2  - The aim of the present study was to examine the association between psychological factors and salivary cortisol secretion (baseline level, reactivity to laboratory stressors) in a sample of 59 long-term unemployed men and women (mean age 42+/-10 years). Subjects were divided into four groups according to their basal levels of salivary cortisol as well as their reactivity to experimental stress (stress level minus baseline): (1) low base/ low reactivity; (2) high base/low reactivity; (3) low base/high reactivity; and (4) high base/ high reactivity. The low base/low reactivity group was characterized by significantly higher somatic anxiety, muscular tension, irritability, and depression (Beck's Depression Inventory) and lower perceived control (mastery) than the other groups. The low base/high reactivity group was also characterized by depression and low perceived control. The high base/low reactivity group was higher in terms of monotony avoidance, Type-A behavior (JAS) and mastery, but lower in depression. The results indicate that (1) individuals with personality traits reflecting emotional distress are more vulnerable to exhaustion of the HPA-axis following long-term unemployment and (2) monotony avoidance and Type-A behavior, at least temporarily, seem to exert a beneficial influence on mental well-being among long-term unemployed individuals.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1053-881X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -