Communication ability as a buffer against cardiovascular reactions to stress

Communication ability (CA) may contribute to cardiovascular risk by mediating the relationship between coping and stress. The present study sought to assess the relationship between CA and cardiovascular reactivity. 32 undergraduates were exposed to two different laboratory stressors while having their blood pressure and heart rates monitored, and afterwards were administered with a standardized questionnaire that measured CA. Results revealed a stress buffering effect with regard to pulse reactivity, whereby ability to communicate effectively was associated with reduced reactivity to the more stressful of the two tasks (p = .003). This effect was not present with regard to ability for nonverbal communication, or ability to dominate communication.