Parent support is less effective in buffering cortisol stress reactivity for adolescents compared to children. Issue 2 (18th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hostinar, Camelia E.; Johnson, Anna E.; Gunnar, Megan R.
• Is Part Of: Developmental science. Volume 18:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 281
• Page End: 297
• Publication Date: 2014-06-18
• Subjects: Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1111/desc.12195
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1363-755X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="desc12195-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The goal of the present study was to investigate developmental differences in the effectiveness of parent support to alleviate hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses of children (ages 9–10, <italic>N</italic> = 40) and adolescents (ages 15–16, <italic>N</italic> = 41). We experimentally manipulated the provision of parent support during the speech preparation period before a modified Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and examined its effect on levels of salivary cortisol secreted in response to this laboratory stressor. Analyses revealed a significant interaction of condition and age group such that social support from the parent (versus a stranger) significantly eliminated the cortisol stress response in children, but had no effect on the response among adolescents.</p> </abstract>