Text

theses

ETD graduate

Cigarette smokers represent a vulnerable group for mounting a dysregulated stress response. One predominant determinant of the stress response is the autonomic nervous system’s ability to flexibly shift between arousal and rest states largely driven by the interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system branches. Cardiac vagal control (CVC) has been cited as one measure of autonomic flexibility with evidence suggesting that greater CVC is associated with more adaptive functioning and flexible emotional responding. However few studies have examined how measures of CVC relate to regulatory processes implicated in smoker stress-responsivity. The primary aim of this study sought to explore how two indices of CVC relate to smoker threat appraisal in response to a laboratory stress test. Sixty cigarette smokers underwent a modified trier social stress test during which they gave an impromptu speech to a panel of evaluators while unknowingly randomized to receive positive or negative social feedback. Resting and reactivity measures of CVC were computed, along with a post-task threat appraisal index reflecting the ratio of how demanding participants perceived the task to be relative to their available coping resources. In efforts to build off the exploratory nature of our first aim, we also examined whether social feedback condition moderated the effect of CVC on post-task threat appraisal. In contrast to previous empirical findings from healthy samples, we found no significant main or interactive effects of CVC indices and feedback condition on smoker post-task threat appraisal. Findings from this study have several implications when considering the relationship between these variables in smokers and can be used to inform future investigative efforts.

ETD_11611

M.S.

Includes bibliographical references

doi:10.7282/t3-2t38-jp12

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