Raymond Catherine, Bilodeau-Houle Alexe, Arcand Maryse, Peyrot Clémence, Marin Marie-France
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Research Centre of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2025 Feb;172:107233. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107233. Epub 2024 Nov 13.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased internalizing symptoms (IS) among adults, with notable interindividual differences. Cross-sectional studies suggest that both biological (physiological stress) and psychological (socio-emotional) factors independently contribute to IS. This longitudinal study examined whether physiological stress during the pandemic moderated the relationship between socio-emotional vulnerability and IS. In June 2020, 94 adults (average age 34.16, SD = 8.86) provided a 6 cm hair sample, allowing the quantification of cumulative hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) during the three months preceding the pandemic (Segment A) and the three months of the first wave of the pandemic in Quebec, Canada (Segment B). We calculated HCC reactivity (rHCC) as the percent change between the two segments. A socio-emotional composite score (SECS) was derived using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire. Every three months from June 2020 to March 2021, participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and Impact of Event Scale. Analyses revealed an interaction between Time, SECS, and rHCC on stress, and between SECS and rHCC on depressive symptoms. High rHCC was associated with a stronger correlation between SECS and stress symptoms in September and December 2020 (these months were significant transition periods during the pandemic in Quebec). Additionally, individuals with low rHCC exhibited greater depressive symptoms, regardless of time. Our findings suggest that the activation of the physiological stress system at the beginning of the pandemic was associated with increased stress symptoms during subsequent transition periods. Conversely, lower activation of the stress system contributed to greater depressive symptoms over time, particularly in individuals with heightened socio-emotional vulnerability. This highlights the role of physiological responses in modulating emotional outcomes under prolonged stress and adds to the growing literature on vulnerability factors in response to enduring stressors.
新冠疫情导致成年人内化症状（IS）增加，且个体间存在显著差异。横断面研究表明，生物因素（生理应激）和心理因素（社会情绪）均独立促成内化症状。这项纵向研究考察了疫情期间的生理应激是否缓和了社会情绪易感性与内化症状之间的关系。2020年6月，94名成年人（平均年龄34.16岁，标准差=8.86）提供了一份6厘米长的头发样本，以便对疫情前三个月（A段）和加拿大魁北克省疫情第一波的三个月（B段）期间的累积头发皮质醇浓度（HCC）进行量化。我们将HCC反应性（rHCC）计算为两段之间的百分比变化。使用焦虑敏感性指数、不确定性不耐受量表和执着思维问卷得出社会情绪综合评分（SECS）。从2020年6月到2021年3月，参与者每三个月完成一次抑郁焦虑压力量表和事件影响量表。分析揭示了时间、SECS和rHCC在压力方面的交互作用，以及SECS和rHCC在抑郁症状方面的交互作用。高rHCC与2020年9月和12月SECS与压力症状之间更强的相关性相关（这几个月是魁北克省疫情期间的重要过渡时期）。此外，无论时间如何，rHCC低的个体表现出更严重的抑郁症状。我们的研究结果表明，疫情开始时生理应激系统的激活与随后过渡时期压力症状的增加有关。相反，随着时间的推移，应激系统较低水平的激活导致更严重的抑郁症状，尤其是在社会情绪易感性较高的个体中。这凸显了生理反应在长期压力下调节情绪结果中的作用，并为应对持久应激源的脆弱性因素的不断增长的文献增添了内容。
