Perception of social support and blood pressure in young men

Abstract

This study investigated the association between perceived social support, blood pressure, and heart rate during rest and stress. 29 men were selected from 184 students on the basis of having high and low perceived social support. During rest and two of the laboratory stressors, the low-support group had higher diastolic pressure than the high-support group. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate did not differ between the two groups during either rest or stress. The low-support group was slightly older (24.8 yr.) than the high-support group (22.4 yr.), but the groups did not differ with respect to parental history of hypertension, body mass index, smoking, anxiety, anger inhibition, or environmental stress.