Premium
Personality, examination stress and serum concentrations of immunoglobulins
Author(s) -
VASSEND OLAV,
HALVORSEN RAGNHILD
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9450.1987.tb00760.x
Subject(s) - psychology , anxiety , clinical psychology , mood , analysis of variance , immunoglobulin e , alienation , antibody , medicine , immunology , psychiatry , law , political science
In the first part of the study, 10 undergraduate students were tested to determine the effects of examination stress on serum concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM and IgE). Testing was undertaken six weeks prior to a final written examination, at the time of the examination, and 12–14 days after the examination. A control group consisted of students not taking an examination. The results demonstrated a small but significant decrease in IgM during the observed period. However, there were no other significant effects. In the second part of the study, correlations between baseline serum levels of immunoglobulins and psychological variables in a sample consisting of 40 undergraduate students were examined. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between IgM concentrations and psychological variables reflecting acute or chronic psychological load, e.g. social alienation, anxiety/tension, depressive mood, and emotional and bodily complaints. There were no significant correlations between the psychological variables and IgA, IgG or IgE. Multiple regression analysis showed that 34% of the variance in IgM levels could be explained by the variables Somatic complaints and Social alienation. Immunoglobulin levels were not significantly correlated with serum Cortisol or prolactin concentration.