Dissecting the Cognitive, Motivational, and Affective Dimensions of the Acute Psychological Stress Response Across Two Empirical Studies

König V, Abel L, Burkhardt F, Kurz M, Müller V, Richer R, Schindler-Gmelch L, Eskofier B, Shields GS, Rohleder N (2025)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Conference contribution, Abstract of lecture

Publication year: 2025

Event location: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 921 Canal Street | New Orleans, Louisiana

Abstract

Background: Most studies utilizing a stress paradigm (e.g., the Trier Social Stress Test; TSST) include a measure of the emotional dimension of the psychological stress response. However, we argue that affective measures alone are insufficient to capture the complexity of the psychological stress response.

Methods: To address this gap, we present data from two studies (Study 1: N = 213, 112 women, mean age = 23.36 ± 3.62 years; Study 2: N = 105, 59 women, mean age = 22.11 ± 3.52 years) using the Short Stress State Questionnaire (SSSQ-G; German version).

Results: In the first study, validating the SSSQ-G, we identified six subscales—two from each of the domains of affect (“Distress”, “Negative Affect”), motivation (“Confidence”, “Motivation”), and cognition (“Worry”, “Self-evaluation”). In the second study, we employed the TSST and friendly TSST in a within-subjects design, assessing multiple outcome measures, including the SSSQ-G. The total scale of the SSSQ-G, as well as the six subscales, showed significant condition effects (largest p < .008). The subscales were sensitive to stress-induced changes, with significantly greater increases in the cognitive and affective subscales in the TSST.

Conclusion: Our results highlight the value of incorporating self-report measures that differentiate cognitive, motivational, and affective dimensions in order to capture the psychological response to task-related acute stress more comprehensively.

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APA:

König, V., Abel, L., Burkhardt, F., Kurz, M., Müller, V., Richer, R.,... Rohleder, N. (2025). Dissecting the Cognitive, Motivational, and Affective Dimensions of the Acute Psychological Stress Response Across Two Empirical Studies. Paper presentation at 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 921 Canal Street | New Orleans, Louisiana, US.

MLA:

König, Veronika, et al. "Dissecting the Cognitive, Motivational, and Affective Dimensions of the Acute Psychological Stress Response Across Two Empirical Studies." Presented at 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 921 Canal Street | New Orleans, Louisiana 2025.

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