Background

Maladaptive stress reactivity is a vulnerability factor for the recurrence of mood and anxiety episodes. Since appraisals of situational demand and available resources to cope with a stressor drive stress reactivity, they are meaningful targets for intervention. In the present study, we test whether exercise (EX) can facilitate learning arousal reappraisal (AR) techniques among individuals vulnerable to depressive episodes and thereby improve reactivity to stressful events.

Methods

Participants (N = 167) with mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression were randomly assigned to inactive control (CTRL), EX (three 5-min bouts at varying intensity), AR instruction, or their combination (EX+AR) prior to undergoing a stressor. Stress appraisal (pre- and post-stressor) and perceived stress (pre-, post-, 5-, 10-, and 15-min post-stressor) were assessed.

Results

The EX+AR condition reported a more adaptive appraisal of the stressor and exhibited a greater decline in perceived stress immediately and 15-min post the stressor compared to EX and CTRL conditions. The AR condition also reported a more adaptive appraisal of the stressor and exhibited a greater decline in perceived stress but only 15-min after the stressor and only in comparison to the CTRL condition. There were no significant differences between the EX+AR and AR conditions nor between the EX and CTRL conditions.

Conclusions

Results provide no clear evidence for a synergistic effect for EX+AR and highlights that AR instruction aids adaptive reappraisal of stress. Studies with longitudinal designs are needed. These observations add to the body of literature exploring mechanisms for improving stress reactivity and the role exercise may play.

中文翻译：

---

使用运动促进唤醒评估并降低压力反应性：一项随机对照试验

背景

适应性应激反应性是情绪和焦虑发作复发的易感性因素。由于对情境需求的评估和应对应激源的可用资源驱动了应激反应，因此它们是干预的有意义的目标。在本研究中，我们测试了运动（EX）是否可以促进易患抑郁发作的个体学习唤醒重新评估（AR）技术，从而提高对压力事件的反应性。

方法

患有轻度至中度抑郁症状的参与者（N = 167）在接受治疗前被随机分配至无效对照（CTRL），EX（3次5分钟，强度不同），AR指导或它们的组合（EX + AR）承受压力。评估了压力评估（压力前和压力后）和感知压力（压力前，压力后，5分钟，10分钟和15分钟）。

结果

与EX和CTRL条件相比，EX + AR条件报告了对应激源的适应性更强的评估，并且在应激源后立即和应激后15分钟表现出更大的感知压力下降。AR条件还报告了对应激源的更适应性评估，并且表现出更大的感知压力下降，但仅在应激源后15分钟且仅与CTRL条件相比。EX + AR和AR条件之间以及EX和CTRL条件之间没有显着差异。

结论

结果没有提供明确的证据证明EX + AR具有协同作用，并强调AR指令有助于对压力的适应性重新评估。需要对纵向设计进行研究。这些发现为提高压力反应性和运动可能发挥作用的机制探索了文献基础。