Our research program investigates the impact of chronic stress on health and well-being. Specifically, we examine risk and resiliency psychosocial processes (rumination, interpersonal relationship quality & sleep quality) impacting the negative psychological and physiological consequences of cumulative and chronic exposure to social and environmental stressors over the life course. In this context, we are particularly interested in dyadic coping, how spouse work together to deal with the stresses that both partners are facing and how spouses influence each other in terms of emotional responses, health behaviours, and physiology. We are also interested in identifying neurophysiological indicators of sensitivity to the social environment and vulnerability to stress, with a particular emphasis on oxytocin and heart rate variability. The overarching goal of these experimental, longitudinal and treatment studies is to develop and optimize psychosocial interventions to improve resilience to chronic stress.
