Differential Emphasis in Somatic Response to Stress

Abstract

The autonomic responses to stress of 57 boys and 53 girls of ages 6-18 years were studied and a method is presented for constructing a"reaction profile." The responses measured were blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and palmar conductance. The stress situation was a modified cold pressor test in which the foot was immersed in water having a temp. of 4[degree]C. Individuals responded to the stress situation with patterned autonomic reactions. On some measures of the response an individual might be hyporeactive while on other measures he would show hyper-reactivity. The pattern of response of an individual was, however, relatively constant, tending to be reproduced upon an immediate retest.