The purpose of the study was to find whether there were differences in cortisol awakening response (CAR) between a neutral day and an exam day in a group of female students and to explore possible relationships between CAR, self-reported affect, and exam performance. A group of 25 female students took samples of their saliva using Salivettes at the moment of waking and after 30 min. They then described their affect using the PANAS scale. Measures were taken twice: three days before an examination and on the day of the examination. The level of free cortisol in saliva samples was determined using enzyme immunoassay. The integrated volume of cortisol (CARauc) was significantly higher on the day of the exam than on the neutral day. There were also significant differences in affect, with negative higher and positive lower on the exam day, but correlations between cortisol measures and self-reported affect were low and not significant. A negative relationship between integrated volume of cortisol (CARauc) and exam performance was also found. Anticipated exam stress caused a significant increase in CAR in female study participants when compared to a neutral day, but only in the case of integrated volume of cortisol over the waking period (CARauc). The negative relationship between this measure and exam performance can be explained by attributing CARauc to negative expectations concerning the anticipated exam.

中文翻译：

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女学生的皮质醇觉醒反应，自我报告的情绪和考试成绩。

这项研究的目的是发现一组中学生在中性日和考试日之间的皮质醇觉醒反应（CAR）是否存在差异，并探讨CAR，自我报告的情感和考试成绩之间的可能关系。一组25位女学生在醒来时和30分钟后使用Salivettes采集唾液样本。然后他们使用PANAS量表描述了他们的影响。采取了两次措施：检查前三天和检查当天。使用酶免疫测定法测定唾液样品中游离皮质醇的水平。考试当天的皮质醇（CARauc）积分量显着高于中性日。情感方面也存在显着差异，考试当天负数较高，正数较低，但是皮质醇测量值与自我报告的影响之间的相关性较低且不显着。还发现皮质醇（CARauc）的积分量与考试成绩之间存在负相关关系。与中性日相比，预期的考试压力会导致女性研究参与者的CAR显着增加，但仅在清醒期间皮质醇累积量（CARauc）的情况下。可以通过将CARauc归因于与预期考试有关的负面期望来解释此度量与考试成绩之间的负相关关系。与中性日相比，预期的考试压力会导致女性研究参与者的CAR显着增加，但仅在清醒期间皮质醇累积量（CARauc）的情况下。可以通过将CARauc归因于与预期考试有关的负面期望来解释此度量与考试成绩之间的负相关关系。与中性日相比，预期的考试压力会导致女性研究参与者的CAR显着增加，但仅在清醒期间皮质醇累积量（CARauc）的情况下。可以通过将CARauc归因于与预期考试有关的负面期望来解释此度量与考试成绩之间的负相关关系。