The use of salivary cortisol as an assessment tool in phobic anxiety

This study examined the salivary cortisol response to the presentation of a phobic stimulus in ten spider phobic women. Blood pressure, heart rate and subjective units of distress were also monitored. It was found that saliva cortisol responded to the presentation of both the neutral and spider cues indicating a possible response to novelty rather than anxiety. Cortisol levels did not correlate significantly with the other measures. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate appear to be more sensitive indicators of anxiety than salivary cortisol