Schneider Ida, Wettstein Alexander, Jenni Gabriel, Kühne Fabienne, Grosse Holtforth Martin, Wachs Sebastian, La Marca Roberto
Department of Research and Development, University of Teacher Education Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2025 May 21;16:1492379. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1492379. eCollection 2025.
This longitudinal study investigates to what extent salivary alpha-amylase (as an index of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, SNS), salivary cortisol (as an index of the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, HPA, axis), and their ratio (reflecting asymmetry between both physiological stress systems) are valid indicators of stress in teachers. Moreover, we pose the question of whether dysregulation of the SNS and HPA axis is associated with individual risk and protective factors of teachers.
Self-report questionnaires were used to assess personality factors, coping strategies, and perceived psychological and psychosomatic strain, with the latter being reassessed two years later.
The results show that cross-sectionally, alpha-amylase is positively associated with individual risk factors and psychological strain in teachers, whereas cortisol showed no significant correlations. Longitudinally, however, the ratio of alpha-amylase over cortisol was the most consistent indicator of stress in teachers, with higher values predicting a more unfavorable stress experience and psychosomatic strain.
In summary, an asymmetry between activity of the SNS and the HPA axis validly indicates work stress and psychosomatic strain in teachers.
本纵向研究调查了唾液α-淀粉酶（作为交感神经系统[SNS]激活指标）、唾液皮质醇（作为下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺[HPA]轴激活指标）及其比值（反映两个生理应激系统之间的不对称性）在多大程度上是教师压力的有效指标。此外，我们提出了SNS和HPA轴失调是否与教师的个体风险和保护因素相关的问题。
使用自我报告问卷评估人格因素、应对策略以及感知到的心理和身心压力，并在两年后对后者进行重新评估。
结果表明，在横断面研究中，α-淀粉酶与教师的个体风险因素和心理压力呈正相关，而皮质醇未显示出显著相关性。然而，在纵向研究中，α-淀粉酶与皮质醇的比值是教师压力最一致的指标，该比值越高，预示着压力体验和身心压力越不利。
总之，SNS和HPA轴活动之间的不对称性有效地表明了教师的工作压力和身心压力。
