The stress interview as a tool for examining physiological reactivity

Most studies of cardiovascular reactivity utilize tasks that are highly standardized and controlled. However, there is some concern whether the information obtained from these tasks is relevant to understanding the cardiovascular responses to behavioral stimuli encountered in real life. Historically, various forms of a stress interview have been used to examine physiological concomitants of emotional arousal. However, these tools fell into disuse because of ethical concerns, their intensive time requirements, and the perception that the interviews could not be standardized. We have developed a short (16-minute) interview that is not aversive or threatening. In studies on 24 normotensives and 19 hypertensives, the interview elicited greater blood pressure elevations than those elicited by mathematical calculations or cold pressor (p less than 0.0001). The interview increased systolic and diastolic pressures by 38/32 mm Hg in hypertensives and 31/24 mm Hg in normotensives. The variance in BP elicited by this interview is not appreciably greater than that found in highly structured tasks such as mathematical calculations. The test-retest stability of the interview is comparable to that of resting baseline blood pressure and is superior to that of mathematical calculations or cold pressor. Techniques such as the interview may be at least as useful as highly standardized tasks and possibly more valid as models for examining cardiovascular reactivity.