Individual Differences in the Correspondence Between Psychological and Physiological Stress Indicators

Stress threatens physical and mental health. Reactions to acute stress comprise multiple levels, including negative thoughts, bodily symptoms and behaviors. Individuals differ in their reaction to acute stress, and importantly, also in the extent to which these levels align, with a closer correspondence between psychological and physiological stress indicators being beneficial for mental health and well-being. This preregistered study investigates such individual differences systematically by inducing psychological (social-evaluative) and physiological (cold water) stress with the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST) in 149 healthy adults. Participants indicated their perceived stress and four physiological stress indicators (blood pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase) were obtained. Finally, multiple personality traits were assessed as potential moderators, including the Big Five, trait anxiety, and general cognitive ability. In line with previous research, psychological and physiological stress indicators were only weakly correlated and Bayesian analyses provided evidence favoring the absence of close psychophysiological correspondence. Considering individual differences in personality, especially conscientiousness and openness emerged as potential moderators. We propose individual differences in interoceptive abilities as another critical moderator, which deserves further investigation, and discuss how future research on individual differences in psycho-physiological correspondence can contribute to further our understanding of mental and physical diseases.