Relationship between immune cell response, self-perceived stress, and coping strategies

The main aim of this exploratory study is to scrutinize the relationship between biologically- based personality dimensions, mood as selfperception of a state of arousal, coping strategies, and cellular immune response measured by a delayed hypersensitivity skin test. Several questionnaires for testing their basic personality features, their coping strategies, and their self-perceived state of arousal were administered to a sample of 23 students. The magnitude of the inflammarory triggered by Dinitroclorobenzene was also registered as well. Results show a lack of relationship between personality dimensions and inflammatory response. In addition, there is a negative relationship between coping strategies, as “seeking social support” and “planning a response”, and the degree of swelling of the inflammatory response. These results would be interpreted in terms of a better control of inflammatory mechanisms by non-immunological processes. Such results may open future pathways for new researches in other to a better study of the relationship between coping strategies and immune system.