Psychiatry Investig.
2016 Nov;13(6):637-643. 10.4306/pi.2016.13.6.637.
Salivary Testosterone Levels Under Psychological Stress and Its Relationship with Rumination and Five Personality Traits in Medical Students
- Affiliations
-
- 1Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
- 2Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- 3Department of Human Sciences, Khuzestan Farhangian University, Ahvaz, Iran.
- 4Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
- 5Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. aberumand@yahoo.com
- 6Sophmore/Health and Medical Studies, Henry Ford Early College at Henry Ford College, Dearborn, Michigan, USA.
- 7Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Behbahan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran.
- KMID: 2360381
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2016.13.6.637
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the salivary testosterone levels under psychological stress and its relationship with rumination and five personality traits in medical students.
METHODS
A total of 58 medical students, who wanted to participate in the final exam, were selected by simple random sampling. Two months before the exam, in the basal conditions, the NEO Inventory short form, and the Emotional Control Questionnaire (ECQ) were completed. Saliva samples were taken from students in both the basal conditions and under exam stress. Salivary testosterone was measured by ELISA. Data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures, paired samples t-test, Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis.
RESULTS
Salivary testosterone level of men showed a significant increase under exam stress (p<0.05). However, a non-significant although substantial reduction observed in women. A significant correlation was found between extroversion (r=-0.33) and openness to experience (r=0.30) with salivary testosterone (p<0.05). Extraversion, aggression control and emotional inhibition predicted 28% of variance of salivary testosterone under stress.
CONCLUSION
Salivary testosterone reactivity to stress can be determined by sexual differences, personality traits, and emotional control variables which may decrease or increase stress effects on biological responses, especially the salivary testosterone.
- Full Text Links
-
- Actions
-
Cited
- CITED
-
- Close
- Share
-
- Similar articles
-
- Relationship between Personality and Biological Reactivity to Stress: A Review
- Academic Stress and Its Influencing Factors among Medical and Non‐Medical Students
- The Impact of Personality Traits on Emotional Responses to Interpersonal Stress
- A Study on the Awareness of Gender Equality and Personality Traits in Students in Upper Grades of Elementary School
- Levels of Clinical Practice Stress and Coping Strategies according to Nursing Students' Personality/Behavior Types
