Cohen Miri, Khalaila Rabia
School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
School of Nursing, Zefat Academic College, Zefat, Israel.
J Psychosom Res. 2014 Nov;77(5):420-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.07.003. Epub 2014 Jul 12.
Salivary pH is regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; therefore, it may serve as a biomarker of stress.
To assess the associations between the cognitive and emotional dimensions of exam stress and pH levels, and the predictability of salivary pH in relation to test performance.
A prospective study. Eighty-three nursing students answered a questionnaire on stress appraisals, experienced stress, test anxiety (including worry and emotionality subscales) and health behaviors, and gave a saliva sample for measuring pH on the morning of their first term exam and three months later. Their performance on the test (grades) was also recorded.
Levels of pH in saliva were higher (levels of acidity were lower) in the post exam compared to the exam period, in parallel to lower threat appraisal, experienced stress, and test anxiety levels post exam. Controlling for smoking, physical activity and working hours per week, pH levels at both time points were predicted by appraised threat regarding the exam situation, experienced stress, and the emotionality dimension of test anxiety. pH at Time 1 predicted performance on the exams and mediated the associations of experienced stress and emotionality subscale with test performance.
the present study indicates that pH levels may serve as a reliable, accessible and inexpensive means by which to assess the degree of physiological reactions to exams and other naturalistic stressors.
唾液pH值受交感神经系统和副交感神经系统调节；因此，它可能作为压力的生物标志物。
评估考试压力的认知和情感维度与pH值水平之间的关联，以及唾液pH值与考试成绩的预测性。
一项前瞻性研究。83名护理专业学生回答了一份关于压力评估、经历的压力、考试焦虑（包括担忧和情绪分量表）及健康行为的问卷，并在第一学期考试当天上午及三个月后提供唾液样本用于测量pH值。还记录了他们的考试成绩。
与考试期间相比，考试后唾液pH值水平较高（酸度水平较低），同时考试后威胁评估、经历的压力和考试焦虑水平较低。在控制吸烟、体育活动和每周工作时间后，两个时间点的pH值水平可由对考试情况的评估威胁、经历的压力和考试焦虑的情绪维度预测。时间1的pH值预测了考试成绩，并介导了经历的压力和情绪分量表与考试成绩之间的关联。
本研究表明，pH值水平可能是一种可靠、便捷且廉价的手段，用于评估对考试和其他自然应激源的生理反应程度。
