A MULTIDIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENT MODEL FOR CARDIOVASCULAR REACTIVITY - STABILITY AND CROSS-VALIDATION IN 2 ADULT SAMPLES

The factor structure for measures of stress-related cardiovascular rea ctivity was examined in 2 samples: a university campus employee sample (N = 72) and a sample of young adult twins (N = 113). In both samples , 5 noninvasive cardiovascular measures were monitored during a series of challenging laboratory tasks. We developed a 2-factor model depict ing vascular and cardiac influences on responding. With confirmatory f actor analysis, this model was shown to be consistent with the data ac ross both samples, across 2 testing sessions, and across 2 sets of tas ks. Latent variables measuring cardiac and vascular reactivity were hi ghly reliable on retest as well. Individual differences in cardiovascu lar reactivity to mental stress may be characterized by a stable, 2-di mensional pattern of response.