Positive Health Online

Abstract

CHRISTENSEN and colleagues, Department of Psychology, Unviersity of Iowa, Iowa City USA examined the immunological effects of self-disclosing personal information about a traumatic or stressful experience and examined the hypothesis that the effect of self-disclosure upon immune function is moderated by individual differences in cynical hostility.

Background

Methodology

43 male college undergraduates who were classified as high or low on the Cook-Medley Hostility scale were randomly assigned to either a verbal self-disclosure or a nondisclosure discussion procedure. Task-induced changes in natural killer (NK) cell activity (ie cytotoxicity) was the dependent variable.

Results

There was a significant interaction between the discussion procedure and hostility. In the self-disclosure group, the high hostility subjects showed a significantly greater increase in NK cell cytotoxicity compared to the men with low hostility scores.

Conclusion

The effect of self-disclosure upon NK cell activity is moderated by an individuals level of cynical hostility. The greater short term enhancement in NK cell activity seen in hostile people is likely to be correlated with a more pronounced acute arousal response elicited by the self-disclosure task.

References

Christensen AJ et al. Effect of verbal self-disclosure on natural killer cell activity: moderating influence of cynical hostility. Psychosom Med 58(2): 150-5. Mar-Apr 1996.