ScholarWorks@UNO

Gender on Testosterone-Stress Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test

The number of studies on the effects of stress on testosterone levels is very limited. Through a controlled laboratory stressor and analysis of salivary testosterone levels, we investigated the role of stress in terms of individual’s testosterone reactivity levels, including gender differences. We can better understand the main and interactive effects of gender and stress on testosterone levels. A total of 65 participants provided repeated salivary samples (N=615) before and after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and on a baseline comparison day. Testosterone levels were log transformed and treated as the outcome in a Hierarchical Linear Model which separated within individual variation (level 1) from between individual variation in testosterone (level 2). We found that testosterone levels rise from the start of the session, B=.076, p<.007, until participants achieved a peak in testosterone levels after the stressor, B=4.58, p<.001. After testosterone peaked, levels dropped significantly, B=-.29, p<.0001. In addition to this testosterone reactivity, we found a transient drop in testosterone in anticipation for the TSST, B=-.24, p<.001, and that testosterone was lower on the baseline day compared to the TSST day, B=-.24, p<.0001. Overall, males had higher testosterone levels than females, B=-.846, p<.001. Preliminary results also indicate unique responses to frustrating confederates; we will further explore whether gender of the confederates influence testosterone reactivity to a laboratory stressor with regards to the gender of the participant.