TY - JOUR
T1 - Repressive and defensive coping styles predict resting plasma endorphin levels in the elderly
AU - Kline, John P.
AU - Bell, Iris
AU - Schwartz, Gary E.
AU - Hau, Vincent
AU - Davis, Thomas
PY - 1998/11
Y1 - 1998/11
N2 - Jamner, L.D., Schwartz, G.E., 1986, Psychosom. Med. 48, 211-223, have proposed that repressive and defensive coping are associated with greater central endogenous opioid activity. They reasoned that high-defensive (HD) participants' attenuated distress, increased pain tolerances, attenuated somatic symptomatology, and accentuated reports of positive emotions are consistent with actions of centrally active opioid peptides. The present study assessed plasma β-endorphin (END) levels, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSD), and Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS) scores in men (n=6) and women (n=20) between the ages of 59 and 79. Contrary to predictions, HD had lower plasma endorphin levels than did low-defensive (LD) participants. Raw MCSD scores correlated negatively with endorphin levels. Findings were significant for women only, which may have been due to the small sample of men. The results are discussed as they related to the hypothesis that defensiveness involves alteration of central opioid systems. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
AB - Jamner, L.D., Schwartz, G.E., 1986, Psychosom. Med. 48, 211-223, have proposed that repressive and defensive coping are associated with greater central endogenous opioid activity. They reasoned that high-defensive (HD) participants' attenuated distress, increased pain tolerances, attenuated somatic symptomatology, and accentuated reports of positive emotions are consistent with actions of centrally active opioid peptides. The present study assessed plasma β-endorphin (END) levels, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSD), and Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS) scores in men (n=6) and women (n=20) between the ages of 59 and 79. Contrary to predictions, HD had lower plasma endorphin levels than did low-defensive (LD) participants. Raw MCSD scores correlated negatively with endorphin levels. Findings were significant for women only, which may have been due to the small sample of men. The results are discussed as they related to the hypothesis that defensiveness involves alteration of central opioid systems. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Defensiveness
KW - Endorphins
KW - Opiod peptides
KW - Personality
KW - Social desirability
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U2 - 10.1016/S0301-0511(98)00048-9
DO - 10.1016/S0301-0511(98)00048-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 9858058
AN - SCOPUS:0032212377
SN - 0301-0511
VL - 49
SP - 295
EP - 302
JO - Biological Psychology
JF - Biological Psychology
IS - 3
ER -