Can social support change the impact of stress on gastric functioning?

You will be asked to complete a validated stressful task, known as the Maastricht Acute Stress Test, which involves immersing a hand in cold water and a maths task. Measurements will be taken of your gastric activity, stress response and pain perception.

Your perceptions of social support experienced in your everyday life will also be measured. The effects of social support on stress, pain, and gastric activity will be analysed.

Participants will receive a $50 Woolworths voucher as koha. The time commitment is two hours.

You may be eligible for this study if you are:

• 18-years or older and fluent in English 

You will not be eligible to participate in the study if you: 

• have chronic gastrointestinal disorders. 
• have a history of gastrointestinal surgeries. 
• are pregnant or lactating. 
• have allergies to adhesives. 
• have extreme skin sensitivities to cosmetic lotions. 
• are a regular user of cannabis. 
• have open abdominal wounds. 
• have fragile skin that tears/breaks/bruises easily. 
• are unable to safely refrain from taking any of the following medications for a period of at least 48-hours: drugs that affect gastric emptying (e.g., metoclopramide, domperidone, erythromycin), antispasmodics (e.g., dicyclomine, atropine, flavoxate), pain medications which contain opiates (e.g., codeine, oxynorm, morphine, and tramadol), and sedatives (e.g., diazepam, xanax, alprazolam). 
• have a current injury on either of your arms/hands, or if you have received a diagnosis of any of the following conditions: 
  • A cardiovascular condition (e.g., heart disease, high blood pressure, or a stroke). 
  • Raynaud’s syndrome. 
  • A metabolic or endocrine disorder (e.g., hypothyroidism). 
  • A neurogenic disorder (e.g., Parkinson’s disease). 
  • A terminal illness.

Researcher

Christopher Roper
Email: crop723@aucklanduni.ac.nz