Abstract
Background: Sex differences in stress responses may be one mechanism underlying gender
differences in depression. We hypothesized that men and women would show different
adrenocortical responses to different stressors. In particular, we predicted that
women would show greater responses to social rejection stressors, whereas men would
demonstrate greater responses to achievement stressors.
Methods: Following a rest session in which they habituated to the laboratory, 50 healthy
volunteers (24 men and 26 women, mean age 19.1, SD = 1.13) were randomly assigned
to achievement or rejection stress conditions. The achievement condition involved
a mathematical and a verbal challenge; the rejection condition involved two social
interaction challenges. Self-reported affect and salivary cortisol were measured throughout
each stress session (baseline, stress, and poststress periods).
Results: There were no sex differences in mood ratings following the stressors; however,
cortisol responses showed the predicted gender by condition by time interaction. Men
showed significantly greater cortisol responses to the achievement challenges, but
women showed greater cortisol responses to the social rejection challenges.
Conclusions: Women appear more physiologically reactive to social rejection challenges,
but men react more to achievement challenges. Women’s greater reactivity to rejection
stress may contribute to the increased rates of affective disorders in women.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 7,
2002
Received in revised form:
December 20,
2001
Received:
September 4,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
