Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229ER Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229ER Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Jun;116:104677. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104677. Epub 2020 Apr 17.
The positive influence of optimism on health is thought to be due in part to a reduced physiological response to stress, as manifested for instance in activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) systems. Results of previous studies support the notion that dispositional optimism can influence diurnal cortisol secretion as well as cortisol reactivity. The aim of the present study was to examine whether induced optimism can similarly affect HPA activity and thereby potentially have beneficial health effects. We assigned 66 university students to either the Best Possible Self (BPS) or an active control condition, respectively entailing two weeks of daily visualization of a positive future or time management exercises. Before and after the intervention, we assessed diurnal cortisol levels, response to awakening (CAR), and reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST), as well as optimism, affect, negative cognitions, perceived stress, and threat appraisal. Effects of the BPS intervention were tested with repeated measures ANOVA (psychological outcomes) and multilevel regression (cortisol outcomes). The BPS intervention was associated with decreases in both the CAR and cortisol responses to acute stress. Compared to controls, BPS participants showed decreased worrying and increased positive affect post-intervention; however, they did not show the expected greater increase in optimism. Within-person decreases in worrying were associated with decreased CARs, whereas both decreased worrying and increased PA were linked to attenuated stress reactivity. Results suggest that the BPS intervention can influence HPA axis reactivity, with effects on well-being variables likely mediating the process. More research is needed to determine longer-term neuroendocrine and health effects of such interventions in at-risk as well as healthy populations.
乐观对健康的积极影响部分归因于对压力的生理反应降低，例如下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺 (HPA) 系统的活性降低。先前研究的结果支持这样一种观点，即性格乐观可以影响日间皮质醇分泌以及皮质醇反应性。本研究旨在探讨诱导乐观是否也能影响 HPA 活动，从而可能对健康产生有益影响。我们将 66 名大学生分别分配到最佳自我 (BPS) 或积极对照条件下，分别进行为期两周的每天想象积极未来或时间管理练习。在干预前后，我们评估了日间皮质醇水平、觉醒反应 (CAR) 和对特里尔社会压力测试 (TSST) 的反应性，以及乐观、情绪、消极认知、感知压力和威胁评估。使用重复测量方差分析 (心理结果) 和多层回归 (皮质醇结果) 测试 BPS 干预的效果。BPS 干预与 CAR 和急性应激时皮质醇反应的降低有关。与对照组相比，BPS 组参与者在干预后担心减少，积极情绪增加；然而，他们并没有表现出预期的更大的乐观情绪增加。个体内担心的减少与 CAR 的减少有关，而担心的减少和积极情绪的增加都与应激反应性的减弱有关。结果表明，BPS 干预可以影响 HPA 轴反应性，幸福感变量的影响可能介导这一过程。需要更多的研究来确定这种干预对高危人群和健康人群的长期神经内分泌和健康影响。
