Jos Brosschot PhD

Position:
  • Associate Professor Clinical, Health and Neuro Psychology


Telephone number: +31 (0)71 527 3740
E-Mail: brosschot@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
Faculty / Department: Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen, Instituut Psychologie, Klinische, Gezondheids- Neuropsychologie
Office Address: Pieter de la Court gebouw
Wassenaarseweg 52
2333 AK Leiden
Room number 2B37


Expertise


Stress and health

  • Theories and experimental studies of the influence of psychological stress can influence somatic disease 
  • Specific focus on prolonged physiological stress-related activity and the role of perseverative cognition: conscious (e.g. worry, rumination etc.) as well as unconscious (‘unconscious stress’) 
  • Studies in real life (‘ecological momentary assessment’) using ambulatory measures of heart activity and psychological factors (stressors, perseverative cognition)
  • Laboratory studies of conscious and unconscious perseverative cognition: their nature and their physiological effects  


Psychology of somatic complaints / medically unexplained symptoms 
  • Theories and experimental studies of the influence of (illness) worry and illness-related cognitive schemata (‘illness memory’) on the development of somatic complaints 
  • Experimental studies using activation of illness memory (e.g. via priming) 
  • Real life studies of prospective relationships of illness memory and somatic complaints

Ancillary Positions


Chair of Board of Examiners Institute of Psychology

Selected Publications


Brosschot
, J.F. (2010) Markers of chronic stress: Prolonged physiological activation and (un)conscious perseverative cognition. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35 (2010) 46–50.

Brosschot, J.F., Verkuil, B. & Thayer, J.F. (in press) Conscious and unconscious perseverative cognition: Is a large part of prolonged physiological activity due to unconscious stress? Journal of Psychosomatic Research  

Pieper, S., Brosschot, J.F.,  van der Leeden, R., Thayer, J.F. (2010) Prolonged cardiac effects of momentary assessed stressful events and worry episodes. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72, 6, 570-577.  

Verkuil, Brosschot, Gebhardt, W. & Thayer, J.F. (in press) When worries make you sick: A review of perseverative cognition, the default stress response and somatic health.  Journal of Experimental Psychopathology        

Brosschot, J.F, van Dijk E. & Thayer, J.F. (2007). Daily worry is related to low heart rate variability during waking and the subsequent nocturnal sleep period. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 63, 39-47.  

Pieper, S., Brosschot, J.F.,  van der Leeden, R., Thayer, J.F. (2007) Cardiac effects of momentary assessed worry episodes and stressful events. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69, 901–909  

Brosschot, J.F, Gerin, W. &  Thayer, J.F. (2006) Worry and health: the perseverative cognition hypothesis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60, 113-124.  

Brosschot,  J.F., Pieper, S. & Thayer J.F. (2005) Expanding Stress Theory: Prolonged Activation And Perseverative Cognition. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 30(10):1043-9.  

Pieper, S. & Brosschot, J.F. (2005) Prolonged Stress-related Cardiovascular Activation: Is There Any? Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 30(2):91-103.  

Thayer  J.F. & Brosschot J.F. (2005) Psychosomatics and Psychopathology: Looking Up and Down From the Brain. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 30(10):1050-8.  

Brosschot J.F. (2002) Cognitive-Emotional Sensitization and Somatic Health Complaints Scandinavian Journal of  Psychology, 43, 113-121.  

Brosschot J.F. & Thayer J.F. (1998) Anger inhibition, cardiovascular recovery, and vagal function: a model of the link between hostility and cardiovascular disease. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 20(4), 1-8.  

Brosschot J.F., Godaert G.L.R., Benschop R.J., Olff, M. & Bal­lieux, R.E. & Heijnen, C.J.  (1998) Experimental stress and immunological reactivity: a closer look at perceived uncontrollability. Psychosomatic Medicine, 60(3), 359-361.  

Brosschot J.F., Benschop R.J., Go­daert G.L.R., Olff M., De Smet M.B.M., Heijn­en­ C.J. & Ballieux R.E. (1994) Influ­ence of life stress on immu­nological reactivity to mild psychological stress. Psychosomatic Medicine, 56, 216-224.  

Brosschot, J.F., Benschop R.J., Go­daert G.L.R., De Smet M.B.M., Olff M., Heijn­en­ C.J. & Bal­lieux R.E. (1992) Effects of experi­men­tal psycho­logical stress on dis­tribu­tion and func­tion of perip­he­ral blood cells. Psychosomatic Medicine, 54, 394-406.  

Last Modified: 02-02-2012