Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines

Abstract Racial discrimination is conceptualized as an acute and chronic stressor. Like other acute stressors, lab-based studies demonstrate acute effects of discrimination-related stressors on stress-related cardiovascular outcomes, including total cardiac output, blood pressure, and indices of sym...

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Main Authors: Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond, Jessica R. Bray, Samantha M. Pages, Chad Danyluck
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76795-y
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author Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond
Jessica R. Bray
Samantha M. Pages
Chad Danyluck
author_facet Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond
Jessica R. Bray
Samantha M. Pages
Chad Danyluck
author_sort Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Racial discrimination is conceptualized as an acute and chronic stressor. Like other acute stressors, lab-based studies demonstrate acute effects of discrimination-related stressors on stress-related cardiovascular outcomes, including total cardiac output, blood pressure, and indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity. Critically, it is important to understand how individual and social factors buffer the experience of race-related acute stress. The current study extends existing work by measuring cardiovascular indices of stress during conversations about racial/ethnic discrimination and examines the moderating role of social support. Latine/Hispanic participants (N = 97) talked about personal discrimination experiences with either a close other or a research assistant they had never previously met. Participants in both conditions exhibited cardiovascular reactivity indicative of stress during the conversation. Additionally, patterns of reactivity reflected a more adaptive stress response and recovery profile when participants talked about discriminatory experiences with a close other relative to a stranger (less parasympathetic withdrawal during the stressor and more parasympathetic rebound during recovery). These patterns are consistent with a stress buffering account of social support, which suggests social bonds and community-level support are critical to consider in interventions to mitigate the harms of experiencing discrimination and prevent chronic health disparities.
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spelling doaj-art-a67ee73393b947f792fb3ec8f36906a82025-08-20T02:20:48ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-76795-yCardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. LatinesHannah I. Volpert-Esmond0Jessica R. Bray1Samantha M. Pages2Chad Danyluck3Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Psychology, University of KentuckyDepartment of Psychology, University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Psychology, Carleton UniversityAbstract Racial discrimination is conceptualized as an acute and chronic stressor. Like other acute stressors, lab-based studies demonstrate acute effects of discrimination-related stressors on stress-related cardiovascular outcomes, including total cardiac output, blood pressure, and indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity. Critically, it is important to understand how individual and social factors buffer the experience of race-related acute stress. The current study extends existing work by measuring cardiovascular indices of stress during conversations about racial/ethnic discrimination and examines the moderating role of social support. Latine/Hispanic participants (N = 97) talked about personal discrimination experiences with either a close other or a research assistant they had never previously met. Participants in both conditions exhibited cardiovascular reactivity indicative of stress during the conversation. Additionally, patterns of reactivity reflected a more adaptive stress response and recovery profile when participants talked about discriminatory experiences with a close other relative to a stranger (less parasympathetic withdrawal during the stressor and more parasympathetic rebound during recovery). These patterns are consistent with a stress buffering account of social support, which suggests social bonds and community-level support are critical to consider in interventions to mitigate the harms of experiencing discrimination and prevent chronic health disparities.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76795-y
spellingShingle Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond
Jessica R. Bray
Samantha M. Pages
Chad Danyluck
Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
Scientific Reports
title Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
title_full Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
title_fullStr Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
title_full_unstemmed Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
title_short Cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among U.S. Latines
title_sort cardiovascular reactivity during conversations about discrimination is buffered by social support among u s latines
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76795-y
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