Empathic stress in the family system

家庭系统中的共情压力

• 批准号: 441652844
• 负责人: Professorin Dr. Veronika Engert
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Institut für Psychosoziale Medizin, Psychotherapie und Psychoonkologie
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/441652844?language=en
• 关键词: Empathic; stress; family; system

Psychosocial stress is a public health concern in modern society. Chronic stress-induced disease processes are, in large part, mediated by the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system. Previously, the applicants have shown that experiencing stress is not limited to one’s own challenges. Seemingly linked with their capacity for empathy, individuals also resonate with other people’s stress responses. This stress resonance is demonstrated by a proportional secretion of the HPA axis end hormone cortisol between the actively stressed and the observing individual. The likelihood of stress resonance increases with the intimacy of the relationship between the two interacting individuals. Acute physiological stress resonance may be adaptive in that it serves as a warning of imminent danger or mobilizes energy to support the stressed individual. Chronic stress resonance, however, may come with a health risk for the receiver, especially for highly empathic individuals. The overarching goal of the current project is to gain insight into the phenomenon of stress transmission in social relations. Because family members are particularly close and therefore prone to experience stress resonance, and given the significance of the mother-child bond, we will focus exclusively on the mother-child dyad. WP 1 will assess the occurrence of physiological stress resonance in children observing their mothers in a stressful situation. Further, the consequences of stress resonance for children’s executive function and emotion regulation will be examined. WP 2 will focus on the mechanisms underlying cortisol stress resonance. We plan to investigate the role of facial expressions in mothers and the mimicry thereof in children, as well as the contribution of perspective taking and trait empathy (affect sharing) capacities. WP 3 will capture stress- and empathy-dependent cortisol covariance in the everyday lives of the mother-child dyads tested in WP 2. This will speak to the real-world applicability of stress transmission processes. It will also be possible to explore health outcomes and behavioural modulators of diurnal cortisol covariation in the pre-tested children. In this synergistically rich cooperation, the two principal investigators will offer young scientists training across two laboratory sites. Our results will first and foremost advance our understanding of the significance and mechanisms of stress transmission in the family. In doing so, they will provide the basis for developing approaches to protect vulnerable populations from the negative impact of chronic stress resonance.

社会心理压力是现代社会的公共卫生关注。慢性应激诱导的疾病过程在很大程度上是通过下丘脑 - 垂体 - 肾上腺（HPA）轴和交感神经 - 肾上腺肾脏系统的激活来介导的。以前，申请人表明，经历压力不仅限于自己的挑战。似乎与他们的同理心能力有关，个人也与他人的压力反应产生了共鸣。 HPA轴终端皮质醇与主动压力和观察者个体之间的同性皮质醇的比例分泌证明了这种应力共振。压力共振的可能性随两个相互作用个体之间关系的亲密关系而增加。急性身体压力共振可能是适应性的，因为它是对即将发生的危险或动员能量支持压力人的警告。但是，慢性压力共振可能会对接收者产生健康风险，尤其是对于高度移情的人。当前项目的总体目标是深入了解社会关系中压力传播现象。由于家庭成员特别接近，因此容易经历压力共鸣，并且鉴于母子纽带的重要性，因此我们将专注于母子二元。 WP 1将评估在压力很大的情况下观察母亲的儿童身体压力共振的发生。此外，将检查压力共振对儿童执行功能和情绪调节的后果。 WP 2将重点放在皮质醇应激共振的基础机制上。我们计划调查面部表情在母亲中的作用及其在儿童中的模仿，以及观点采取和特质同情（影响共享）能力的贡献。 WP 3将在WP 2中测试的母子二元组的日常生活中捕获压力依赖性皮质醇协方差。这将表明应力传播过程的现实世界适用性。还可以探索预测试儿童中差异皮质醇协方差的健康结果和行为调节剂。在这一合成丰富的合作中，两位主要研究人员将为两个实验室培训的年轻科学家提供培训。我们的结果将首先提高我们对家庭压力传播的重要性和机制的理解。在这样做的过程中，他们将为开发方法提供保护脆弱人群免受慢性压力共振的负面影响的基础。