Mood and autonomic responses to repeated exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G)

Introduction: A group version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-G) was introduced as astandardized, economic and efficient tool to induce a psychobiological stress response simulta-neously in a group of subjects. The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy of theTSST-G to repeatedly induce an affective and autonomic stress response while comparing twoalternative protocols for the second examination.Methods and materials: Healthy young male recruits participated twice in the TSST-G 10 weeksapart. In the first examination, the TSST-G consisted of a combination of mental arithmetic and afake job interview (TSST-G-1st; n = 294). For the second examination, mental arithmetic wascombined with either (a) a defensive speech in response to a false shoplifting accusation (TSST-G-2nd-defence; n = 105), or (b) a speech on a more neutral topic selected by the investigators (TSST-G-2nd-presentation; n = 100). Affect ratings and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) were determinedimmediately before and after the stress test, while heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability(HRV) were measured continuously.