The current study aimed to (1) examine the association between trait social anxiety and cardiovascular reactivity and recovery to an initial psychological stress exposure, as well as cardiovascular response adaptation to repeated acute stress, and (2) determine whether self-reported perceptions of negative social relationships mediate the association between social anxiety and cardiovascular stress responses. The current study employed a quasi-experimental observational design, whereby participants (n = 137) completed a standardized cardiovascular stress adaptation protocol with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) monitored throughout. Participants ( M age = 19.54, SD = 1.53, ages 18 -26) included healthy young adults who were free from cardiovascular conditions. A total 72 (52.6 %) participants were women, 63 (46 %) were men, and 2 (1.5 %) were non-binary. Participants also completed measures assessing trait social anxiety (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale) and self-reported perceptions of negative social relationships which measures perceived hostility and rejection from one’s social network (NIH Social Distress Scale). The results indicated that greater perceptions of hostility from others significantly mediated the association between trait social anxiety and both diminished HR reactivity, B = -.03, 95% CI [-.070, -.001], and poorer HR recovery, B = .03, 95% CI [-.07, -.001] to acute psychological stress. Given that both blunted HR reactivity and poorer HR recovery have been associated with future health outcomes, these findings may suggest a potential psychophysiological pathway linking social anxiety and negative social relationships to adverse cardiovascular health outcomes.
The current study examined associations between body image and relationship quality among cancer patients and survivors and tested whether exercise moderated these associations. Participants were 71 cancer patients and survivors who were at least 18 years old, currently in a romantic relationship, and had completed an online survey assessing body image dissatisfaction, body image concerns, body appreciation, relationship satisfaction, commitment, and exercise behavior. Results indicated that body image dissatisfaction and body image concerns were negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, whereas body appreciation was positively associated with relationship satisfaction and commitment. Exploratory interactions illustrated moderations of vigorous and moderate exercise between body image and relationship quality, although these effects were modest. Findings suggest that body image perceptions are associated with romantic relationship experiences among cancer patients and survivors, and that exercise may be relevant to understanding these associations. These findings provide implications for supporting relationships involving a cancer patient or survivor.
Endometriosis is a chronic and often misunderstood condition that exposes affected individuals to public stigma. This qualitative interview study explored how experienced public stigma by healthcare experts shapes women’s self-stigma before and after diagnosis and if women change health behaviors after public stigma was experienced and/or self stigma developed. In-depth interviews were conducted with recently diagnosed participants, focusing on public and self-stigma and their impact on health behaviors. Findings show that early and repeated exposure to stigma eroded trust in medical professionals, led to withdrawal from care, and fostered hyper-independence. Receiving a diagnosis provided both validation and emotional strain—strengthening self-confidence for some, while reinforcing distress for others. The study underscores the need for improved awareness and stigma-sensitive communication in healthcare to foster patient-centered, empathetic support and better outcomes for individuals with endometriosis.
Mental health research has increasingly moved beyond linear risk models that view adversity as having uniform effects on psychological outcomes, toward identifying protective factors that shape responses to stress. This study examined social support as one such factor in the relationship between perceived stress and PTSD among South African university students. Participants ( n = 491) completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Moderation analysis found no significant direct effect of social support on PTSD. However, overall support, support from significant others, friends, and family, each moderated the relationship between perceived stress and PTSD. Specifically, the association between perceived stress and PTSD was stronger at low levels of social support and weaker at high levels. These findings highlight the buffering role of perceived social support and suggest that interventions strengthening support from multiple sources may reduce the impact of stress on PTSD symptoms.
Background: Body self-concept is vital to psychological well-being, yet little is known about how women living with obesity in non-Western contexts, particularly Iran, negotiate their bodily identities amidst familial and gendered expectations. Methods: This descriptive phenomenological study explored body self-concept among 48 Iranian women with obesity using purposive maximum-variation sampling, including 24 treatment-seeking and 24 non-treatment participants. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed via Colaizzi’s method, supported by reflexive and validation procedures. Results: Body self-concept emerged as a continuously negotiated, relational, and multilayered process. It is shaped by inner disruptions of the lived body, social visibility, life-course bodilychanges, psychobehavioural dynamics, and intergenerational influences. Participants experienced identity negotiation, self-surveillance, and stigma management within familial and social contexts, often marked by moral judgment and ambivalence toward change. Conclusions: Body self-concept is co-constructed through culturally embedded relational processes. Findings highlight the need for context-sensitive, stigma-reducing, and family-aware approaches in obesity care.
