Are there any relationships between personality type, salivary total antioxidant level and academic stress?

BACKGROUND: Stress is one of the most important determinants of total antioxidant capacity (TAC). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess alterations in salivary TAC following academic stress according to the personality type. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive study evaluated 53 dental students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, who were divided into type A (n = 25) and type B (n = 28) personality groups using the Bortner questionnaire. Saliva samples were collected during the 1st week of the semester (a low-stress period) and during the 1st week of the final exams (a high-stress period). Salivary TAC was measured using a specific kit. The data was analyzed using the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the χ2 tests, the independent t tests, and the Bonferroni adjustments. RESULTS: Overall, salivary TAC in the high-stress period was significantly lower than that in the low-stress period (0.27 vs 0.31 mM) (p = 0.016). The comparison of salivary TAC between the type A and type B personality groups in the low-stress period showed no significant difference (p = 0.450). During the highstress period, a reduction in salivary TAC was recorded in both groups, which was borderline significant in the type A personality group (p = 0.050), but non-significant in the type B personality group (p = 0.140). The comparison of salivary TAC between the type A and B personality groups in the high-stress period also revealed no significant difference (p = 0.780). CONCLUSIONS: Academic stress can decrease salivary TAC, and the personality type has no significant effect on this relationship.