Restraint coping predicts cortisol response but not subjective distress following a standardized social stressor

Research across multiple health-related fields has consistently indicated significant associations among coping style, illness susceptibility, and levels of perceived stress. However, whether specific coping style affects reactivity to an acute stress provocation in a laboratory setting is unknown. As part of a larger clinical laboratory study measuring stress reactivity ( NIH Grant P50AA010761 ), 58 healthy young adult participants were enrolled. Stress coping styles were assessed with a validated questionnaire (COPE Inventory; Carver et al., 1989). Participants were grouped via median split of scores for restraint coping (the degree to which one refrains from acting to resolve a stressful situation). Participants were exposed to a standardized stress provocation (Trier Social Stress Test) ( n  = 31) or non-stressor control ( n  = 27). Stress reactivity was measured using serum cortisol (mcg/dL) and subjective units of distress (SUDS). Although subjective distress response did not differ between high and low restraint copers, participants who endorsed high restraint coping had an elevated cortisol response to the stressor ( p = . 038 ). Findings suggest restraint coping style may be associated with dysregulated HPA axis reactivity. This exploratory analysis provides direction for future prospective intervention studies examining whether altering specific coping style—for instance, to a more active style—could result in normalizing cortisol response. Such changes may lessen susceptibility to illnesses associated with dysfunctional HPA axis reactivity to stress.