Association between distinct coping styles and heart rate variability changes to an acute psychosocial stress task

Modern life comprises a myriad of stressful situations, ranging from life-threatening ones to others not so deadly, all of which activate a physiologic stress response. Engaging in healthy ways to cope can prevent us from wearing out our physiological systems. Heart rate variability (HRV) is often used as an index of emotion regulation response. Hence, our goal is to investigate whether the habitual use of coping strategies is related to a distinct pattern of HRV changes when the individual is exposed to a moderate psychosocial stressor. In this study, 60 female participants performed a psychosocial stress task—oral speech preparation—while ECG signals were collected during the whole experimental procedure. Heart rate (HR), HRV parameters (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF) and coping strategies (Brief COPE) were registered. Participants were divided into two groups (low and high groups) as a function of their scores on the maladaptive and adaptive coping strategies of the Brief COPE. As expected, the task alone induced increases in heart rate and reductions in HRV parameters. Additionally, the analyses revealed a different pattern of HRV (SDNN, RMSSD, LF and HF) changes in response to the stressor, with participants using less maladaptive strategies being able to maintain the HRV at baseline levels when confronting the stressor, while those using more maladaptive strategies reducing HRV during the task. These results show a different pattern of HRV changes as a function of the coping style, suggesting a possible autonomic advantage, namely, the maintenance of HRV, in individuals who use maladaptive coping strategies less frequently.