Stress Reactivity: Prediction of Attrition Following Medical Problems in Basic Training.
Abstract
Stress reactivity is a psychobiological construct deriving from work with children and nonhuman primates. Stress reactivity is defined by a set of overlapping behavioral and endocrine indicators. While behavioral indicators of stress reactivity in adult humans have not been precisely specified, there appears to be a consensus about the behavioral components of stress reactivity in the primate model. In a recent review summarizing observations relevant to that model, Higley and Suomi (1989) have described stress reactive animals as '... less likely to approach new stimuli, more anxious, more socially inhibited, and less likely to attempt challenging situations.' The reactive animal also is described as being more acquiescent in social interactions and more likely to show depressive symptomatology when separated from other animals or surrogates it was reared with. Sapolsky (199Oa,b) provides a complementary description of a low reactivity animal as one who can correctly discriminate between threatening and non-threatening situations, who initiates direct aggression when threatened, provided he can win, or who displaces aggression if he loses a fight. The present paper presents the results of a study that tested the hypothesis that stress reactivity differences will predict attrition in U.S. Navy recruits who encounter a significant health problem while going through basic training.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA302578
Entities
People
- Craig W. Bischoff
- Linda K. Hervig
- Ross R. Vickers
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center