RELATION OF MOOD RATINGS AND NEUROHORMONAL RESPONSES DURING DAILY-LIFE IN EMPLOYED WOMEN

Diurnal variations in urinary norepinephrine, epinephrine, cortisol, a nd self-reported mood states were examined in 101 employed women. Urin e was collected on 2 consecutive workdays at 3 time periods: (1) overn ight, (2) daytime, and (3) evening. Self-reports of 14 mood states wer e combined to correspond with the urinary collection periods. Factor a nalyses revealed 3 mood factors: Pressured (rushed, busy, stressed, ha ssled, and tense), Distressed (afraid, depressed, bored, and nervous), and Contented (satisfied, thoughtful, excited, and calm). The Distres sed factor was significantly associated with norepinephrine excretion (p <.001). The Pressured factor was significantly associated with cort isol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine excretion (p <.001) independent of age, ethnicity, marital status, parental status, department within the company, and activity level. Secretion of urinary hormones and the Pressured factor followed the same diurnal pattern. Specifically, as women's self-ratings of feeling pressured initially increased and then decreased over the course of the workday, urinary hormones also peake d and then dropped. Once time of day was statistically controlled, how ever, the mood factors were no longer significantly related to the uri nary hormones.