A study that exposed participants to a cold virus found a clear correlation between the duration of chronic stress and the likelihood of developing a cold. The results, visualized in a bar graph, showed that individuals with chronic stressors lasting one month or more had a significantly higher incidence of colds. Approximately 50-52% of participants with chronic stress developed colds, regardless of whether the stress lasted for one, three, or six months. In contrast, only about 35-36% of participants without chronic stressors developed colds.

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A notable experiment provided compelling evidence for the link between stress and immune vulnerability. In the study, 276 healthy volunteers were first interviewed to assess their recent stressful life experiences. Subsequently, they were administered nasal drops containing a common cold virus. The findings revealed that participants who had been dealing with chronic stressors for more than a month, particularly those stemming from work or relationship problems, were substantially more likely to catch a cold than participants who reported no chronic stressors.

Experimental Evidence for Stress-Induced Cold Susceptibility

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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