Cardiovascular Reactivity During Positive and Negative Marital Interactions
Abstract
Marriage reduces risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) but marital stress increases risk, perhaps through cardiovascular reactivity (CVR). However, previous studies have lacked controls necessary to conclude definitively that negative marital interactions evoke heightened CVR. To test the specific effects of marital stress on CVR, 114 couples engaged in positive, neutral, or negative interactions in which speaking and task involvement were controlled. Compared to positive and neutral conditions, negative discussions evoked larger increases in systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output, and larger decreases in peripheral resistance and pre-ejection period--similarly for men and women. Hence, CVR could contribute to the effects of marital difficulties on CVD. Previous evidence of sex differences in this effect might reflect factors other than simple reactivity to negative interactions.
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The results confirm earlier results on ANS activation in response to couple conflict, such as increased HR, BP and catecholamines.
“Overall, these results confirm earlier results on ANS activation in response to couple conflict, such as increased HR, BP and catecholamines (Ewart et al., 1991;Flor et al., 1995;Nealey-Moore et al., 2007).”
From Sex-specific effects of intranasal oxytocin on autonomic nervous system and emotional responses to couple conflict (2013) · cites this paper as Nealey-Moore et al., 2007
Couple conflict increases ANS stress responses, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, in both men and women.
“Kiecolt-Glaser et al. (1993) and, more recently, Nealey-Moore et al. (2007) observed increased heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in response to couple conflict in both men and women, as did Flor et al. (1995) in chronic pain patients and healthy controls.”
From Sex-specific effects of intranasal oxytocin on autonomic nervous system and emotional responses to couple conflict (2013) · cites this paper as Nealey-Moore et al., 2007
ANS responses were triggered by positive couple interactions compared to neutral interactions, an effect attributed to the emotional nature of the task.
“In a recent study, ANS responses were triggered by positive couple interactions (as compared to neutral interactions; Nealey-Moore et al., 2007), an effect which was attributed to the emotional nature of the task.”
From Sex-specific effects of intranasal oxytocin on autonomic nervous system and emotional responses to couple conflict (2013) · cites this paper as Nealey-Moore et al., 2007
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References 78 · Cited by 124
- Authors
- Nealey-Moore, J. B., Smith, T. W., Uchino, B. N., Hawkins, M. W., & Olson-Cerny, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Puget Sound (US)
- University of Utah (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Nealey-Moore, Jill B.
- Venue
- Journal of Behavioral Medicine
- Published
- 2007-09-21
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 505-519
- ISSN
- 0160-7715 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3521
- OpenAlex
- W1980374454
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 78
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 7.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Behavioral Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Sound Ideas (University of Puget Sound) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Keywords
- cardiovascular reactivity, marital stress, couples, cardiovascular risk, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance, pre-ejection period, sex differences, marital problems
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Conflict, Psychological, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Hypertension, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Marriage, Psychology, Risk Factors, Time Factors
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