(PS14-69) Effects of Brief Compassion and Cognitive Reappraisal Training on Cardiovascular and Subjective Stress Reactivity: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Excessive stress reactivity, particularly excessive blood pressure reactivity, to social-evaluative stress is associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes. Compassion-based interventions have demonstrated the ability to buffer against physiological and subjective stress reactivity. However, extant studies have predominantly implemented interventions requiring an intensive time commitment which limits intervention accessibility. Further, no studies have measured blood pressure reactivity as a compassion-based intervention outcome. To address these gaps in the literature, this study recruited undergraduate students (n = 50), who were cluster randomized to participate in one of two possible brief (40 min), group-based interventions: (1) compassion training, or (2) an active control intervention which taught participants a skill from cognitive behavioral therapy (i.e., cognitive reappraisal). After the intervention, participants immediately underwent an acute social-evaluative stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G). State compassion for others, state self-compassion, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and subjective stress were measured before and after the intervention to evaluate pre- to post-intervention effects. Physiological and subjective stress were also measured before, during, and after the TSST-G to evaluate stress-buffering effects of the interventions. Linear mixed models were used to examine both immediate intervention effects and stress-buffering effects. Results indicated that the brief, group-based compassion intervention demonstrated pre- to post-intervention increases in state compassion for other and decreases in systolic blood pressure compared to cognitive reappraisal training, while both interventions demonstrated immediate increases in self-compassion and reductions in heart rate. The compassion intervention also demonstrated reduced diastolic blood pressure reactivity to the TSST-G compared to the cognitive reappraisal training. These results indicate that brief interventions are promising for young adults, particularly compassion training. These results also provide impetus for incorporating brief interventions into settings which serve young adults, such as college counseling centers.