Motivation-related predictors of physiological stress reactivity

This thesis used laboratory studies to examine the relationship between physiological reactivity to acute stress and motivation-related behavioural manifestations. Chapter 2 reported that lower blood pressure reactivity was associated with dysfunctional behavioural perseverance. This chapter also revealed that self-report and behavioural perseverance measures, in general, do not correlate. Chapter 3 demonstrated that poor self-reported resilience was related to blunted heart rate reactivity. Chapter 4 is slightly different in that it is a methodological chapter, it outlines the approach for a future study which will examine the relationship between physiological stress reactivity and fatigue in Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplastic Antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis patients. Overall, the empirical research reported in this thesis adds further support that blunted stress response patterns are maladaptive and relate to adverse behavioural outcomes that appear to reflect motivational dysregulation. This thesis also extends the literature by providing direct evidence that attenuated reactivity can predict both self-reported and objectively measured motivation-related behavioural outcomes