Dexamethasone suppression test and coping behavior in psychosocial stress

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) were administered to 144 healthy inductees on day 2 of military service. One hundred and four of them completed a 120-item questionnaire describing their coping responses to this particular challenge. Thirty-six subjects (25%) failed to suppress plasma cortisol adequately. Their mean scores on the MMPI clinical standard scales were within the normal range. High postdexamethasone cortisol levels were associated with denial and passivity, and with low demand for social support. These results suggest that the DST might be more related to coping with a stressor than to a specific diagnosis. The authors speculate that high hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity may have a primary role in psychological defense promoting inattention to the aversive aspects of stressful situations.