Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 51, Issue 2 P64-P69, Copyright © 1996 by The Gerontological Society of America
A measurement model of cortisol reactivity of healthy older adults
M Preville, E Susman, SH Zarit, M Smyer, HB Bosworth and JD Reid
The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Research on the physiological adaptation process has found that stress is
associated with the rate of cortisol secretion, the main hormone that
reflects stress. However, considerable variation among subjects has been
reported. Using a sample of older adults (N=46), we tested the hypothesis
that cortisol reactivity is composed of (1) a situation- related component
representing hypothalamic influence on cortisol secretion observed on three
different occasions, and (2) a stable component representing a general
trait responsible for cortisol responses observed from occasion to
occasion. LISREL VIII was used to test this hypothesis. Results indicated
that a homogeneous reliability model was not supported by the data. A
congeneric measurement model represented a better fit to the data. Results
suggest that subjects have consistent patterns of response during separate
experimental occasions. However, results do not suggest a consistent
pattern of response over time. The main implication of these results is
that salivary cortisol measures are sensitive to experimental stress
situations. As such, this noninvasive method may be useful in examining
adaptive responses to stress.
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