The influence of examination stress on psychophysiological characteristics and heart rate in students

With the aim to assess the influence of pre-examination psychoemotional stress on the level of centralization of the heart rate control, mathematical analysis of ECG of students was performed in normal condition (a common day of academic semester), before, and after an examination. The ECG was recorded and processed with the help of IBM-486 PC. R-R cardiointevalograms were processed by the method of variational pulsometry after Baevsky. Common quantitative heart rate indices were studied. The level of anxiety of students was assessed by Spilberger, and subjective estimations of general condition, activity and mood were obtained from the respective questionnaire. Three types of heart rate reactions on the examination stress were revealed. The reactions depended on the individual typological characteristics and the state of autonomic nervous system.