Protocol for project MHISS: Mental Health and Immunodynamics of Social Stress

Background

Growing evidence suggests that immune alterations may mediate the impact of stress on a plethora of negative psychological and somatic health outcomes. In particular, social stress has been demonstrated to be a particularly potent type of stress that modulates immune activity. Typically, this effect has been tested in the lab with acute social stressors. To build upon this research with greater external validity, we used the transition to college campuses for 1st year undergraduates as an ecologically valid social stressor in this novel, intensive longitudinal psychoneuroimmunology study.

Method

This NIMH-funded study collected data from 173 incoming 1st year students at a large public university in California, USA. Eligible participants were recruited using an online screener disseminated by the University registrar's office and had to be 17–19 years old, fluent in English, living on campus, not have self-selected any roommates, and have moved at least 100 miles to campus. Enrolled participants completed a baseline survey, daily self-report measures (3589 reports total), and blood draws every three days for 22 days (656 assayed samples), as well as an additional survey on the 22nd day. The start of the daily surveys was timed so that students' 7th survey was their first full day on campus (i.e., the day after move-in). We also describe sub-studies involving (a) diagnostic interviews at the end of students' 1st academic year, (b) extending the daily surveys to capture a full month for participants with a menstrual cycle, and (c) piloting a college transition resilience program.

Discussion

Consistent with recent calls from the NIMH Director, this study uses the transition to college as an ecologically valid stress paradigm, in combination with novel intensive longitudinal assessment of immunology, to characterize social stress-related changes in biopsychosocial functioning over time. Studies resulting from this project will shed light on the dynamic interplay between key psychoneuroimmunological processes, advance the methodological standards of this field, and help identify intervention opportunities to improve mental health on college campuses and beyond.