Tj. Mayne et al., THE DIFFERENTIAL-EFFECTS OF ACUTE MARITAL DISTRESS ON EMOTIONAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND IMMUNE FUNCTIONS IN MARITALLY DISTRESSED MEN AND WOMEN, Psychology & health, 12(2), 1997, pp. 277-288
We examined the impact of acute marital conflict pn emotion, cardiovas
cular arousal, and immune function in men and women. Subjects were 10
heterosexual, distressed couples, who participated in exchange for mar
ital therapy. Each couple participated in a 40 minute conflict inducti
on regarding an area of difficulty in their relationship. During this
induction, blood pressure and heart rate were monitored and blood samp
les were drawn pre- and post-induction for analysis of immune change.
Women responded to the experimental induction with significantly great
er increases in depression and hostility, and with significantly great
er increases in SBP than men. Women also responded to the acute marita
l distress with slight decreases in lymphocyte proliferative response
to PHA, while men displayed an increase in PHA response. The sex by ti
me interaction was significant. Change in PHA was associated with chan
ge in hostility and SBP.