---
_id: '13578'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technology has found its way into nearly
    all fields of psychology. Previous studies indicated that virtual reality adaptations
    of the TSST are less potent in stimulating HPA-axis responses, with lower salivary
    cortisol responses recorded as compared to the in-vivo TSST. (TSST-IV). In the
    present experiment we tested the stress-induction potential of a refined version
    of the TSST-VR using a fully orthogonal experimental design in which ninety-three
    healthy males were either assigned to the TSST condition or a corresponding control
    condition in a real or virtual environment. We found a significant increase of
    endocrine, autonomic and self-reported stress markers in both stress conditions.
    Notably, we found a robust rise in salivary cortisol to the TSST-VR comparable
    to that observed in the TSST-IV. Despite subtle differences in response between
    virtual and in vivo settings, we conclude that VR adaptations of in-vivo stressors
    have the potential to induce real physiological and subjective reactions.
author:
- first_name: Patrick
  full_name: Zimmer, Patrick
  last_name: Zimmer
- first_name: Benjamin
  full_name: Buttlar, Benjamin
  last_name: Buttlar
- first_name: Georg
  full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
  id: '85780'
  last_name: Halbeisen
  orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Eva
  full_name: Walther, Eva
  last_name: Walther
- first_name: ' Gregor'
  full_name: Domes,  Gregor
  last_name: Domes
citation:
  ama: Zimmer P, Buttlar B, Halbeisen G, Walther E, Domes  Gregor. Virtually stressed?
    A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) induces
    robust endocrine responses. <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>. 2019;101(3):186-192.
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>
  apa: Zimmer, P., Buttlar, B., Halbeisen, G., Walther, E., &#38; Domes,  Gregor.
    (2019). Virtually stressed? A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier
    Social Stress Test (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses. <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>,
    <i>101</i>(3), 186–192. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>
  bjps: <b>Zimmer P <i>et al.</i></b> (2019) Virtually Stressed? A Refined Virtual
    Reality Adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) Induces Robust Endocrine
    Responses. <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i> <b>101</b>, 186–192.
  chicago: 'Zimmer, Patrick, Benjamin Buttlar, Georg Halbeisen, Eva Walther, and  Gregor
    Domes. “Virtually Stressed? A Refined Virtual Reality Adaptation of the Trier
    Social Stress Test (TSST) Induces Robust Endocrine Responses.” <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>
    101, no. 3 (2019): 186–92. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>.'
  chicago-de: 'Zimmer, Patrick, Benjamin Buttlar, Georg Halbeisen, Eva Walther und  Gregor
    Domes. 2019. Virtually stressed? A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier
    Social Stress Test (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses. <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>
    101, Nr. 3: 186–192. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>,
    .'
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Zimmer, Patrick</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Buttlar, Benjamin</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Halbeisen,
    Georg</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Walther, Eva</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Domes,  Gregor</span>: Virtually stressed? A
    refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) induces
    robust endocrine responses. In: <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i> Bd. 101. Amsterdam
    [u.a.], Elsevier (2019), Nr. 3, S. 186–192'
  havard: P. Zimmer, B. Buttlar, G. Halbeisen, E. Walther,  Gregor Domes, Virtually
    stressed? A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test
    (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses, Psychoneuroendocrinology. 101 (2019)
    186–192.
  ieee: 'P. Zimmer, B. Buttlar, G. Halbeisen, E. Walther, and  Gregor Domes, “Virtually
    stressed? A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test
    (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses,” <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>, vol.
    101, no. 3, pp. 186–192, 2019, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>.'
  mla: Zimmer, Patrick, et al. “Virtually Stressed? A Refined Virtual Reality Adaptation
    of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) Induces Robust Endocrine Responses.” <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i>,
    vol. 101, no. 3, 2019, pp. 186–92, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010</a>.
  short: P. Zimmer, B. Buttlar, G. Halbeisen, E. Walther,  Gregor Domes, Psychoneuroendocrinology
    101 (2019) 186–192.
  ufg: '<b>Zimmer, Patrick u. a.</b>: Virtually stressed? A refined virtual reality
    adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses,
    in: <i>Psychoneuroendocrinology</i> 101 (2019), H. 3,  S. 186–192.'
  van: Zimmer P, Buttlar B, Halbeisen G, Walther E, Domes  Gregor. Virtually stressed?
    A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) induces
    robust endocrine responses. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019;101(3):186–92.
date_created: 2026-03-25T13:36:07Z
date_updated: 2026-04-08T13:49:27Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.010
extern: '1'
external_id:
  isi:
  - '000459840000024'
  pmid:
  - '30469086'
intvolume: '       101'
isi: '1'
issue: '3'
keyword:
- Psychological stress
- Virtual reality
- Trier Social Stress Test
- Free salivary cortisol
- Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis
- Alpha amylase
language:
- iso: eng
page: 186-192
place: Amsterdam [u.a.]
pmid: '1'
publication: Psychoneuroendocrinology
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1873-3360
  issn:
  - 0306-4530
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Virtually stressed? A refined virtual reality adaptation of the Trier Social
  Stress Test (TSST) induces robust endocrine responses
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 101
year: '2019'
...