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Heart rate and daily stress : examining the intra-individual correlation of heart rate and self-reported stress in low- and high-stressed adults

Frye, Emily K. (2018) Heart rate and daily stress : examining the intra-individual correlation of heart rate and self-reported stress in low- and high-stressed adults.

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Abstract:Affective wearables, devices that can be worn on the body which measure physiological parameters, make use of an alleged correlation between heart rate and mental stress. This correlation, however, has only been investigated between-person. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether heart rate serves as a reliable indicator of mental stress, between- as well as within-person (intra-individually). Furthermore, it is investigated whether this correlation differs between low- and high-stressed people. Of in total 35 participants, HR and self-reported stress were obtained during their everyday life over the course of one week. The sample was split into a high- and a low-stress group. Only three participant showed a significant intra-individual correlation. The intra-individual correlations did not show any pattern within the groups (e.g. mainly positive or negative). The inter-individual correlations of the two variables per group were not significant, although the high-stress group had a moderate negative correlation of HR and perceived stress, whereas the low-stress group had a slightly positive one. Furthermore, the level of stress was not found to be moderating the association between herat rate and experienced stress. It is to conclude that HR is not a reliable indicator of experienced stress and therefore must not be used to assess a person’s current stress level.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/75212
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