CORTISOL LEVELS IN STUDENTS UNDER EXAM STRESS

Abstract

The article presents the findings of a study on the changes in cortisol levels under exam stress in students and how individual emotional sensitivity affects the stress response. The aim of this study was to assess how individual emotional sensitivity of students influences the increase in cortisol levels in response to examination stress. In 58 second-year volunteers (aged 18–26 years) who identified examinations as their main source of stress, serum cortisol levels were measured twice — during a period of academic stability and on the day of the exam (before the exam) using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Depending on the degree of cortisol increase, students were divided into groups. In most participants (76%), hormone levels rose by no more than threefold, whereas in 24% this threshold was exceeded, which correlated with higher baseline emotional sensitivity. An increase of more than threefold in cortisol levels was associated with decreased attention and lower academic performance, whereas moderate activation of stress-response systems appeared to have adaptive significance. Individual differences in baseline sensitivity were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10).