Abstract
Experience with and management of stress has implications for adolescents’ behavioral and socioemotional development. This
study examined the relationship between adolescents’ physiological response to an acute laboratory stressor (i.e., Trier Social
Stress Test; TSST) and anger regulation and interpersonal competence in a sample of 175 low-income urban adolescents (51.8%
girls). Findings suggested that heightened reactivity as indicated by cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure was associated
with increased interpersonal competence and anger regulation. However, these findings were context dependent such that, for
youth high in self-reported child maltreatment, heightened reactivity was associated with decreased interpersonal competence
and anger regulation. Results highlight the importance of considering how context may condition the effect of stress reactivity
on functioning during adolescence.
study examined the relationship between adolescents’ physiological response to an acute laboratory stressor (i.e., Trier Social
Stress Test; TSST) and anger regulation and interpersonal competence in a sample of 175 low-income urban adolescents (51.8%
girls). Findings suggested that heightened reactivity as indicated by cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure was associated
with increased interpersonal competence and anger regulation. However, these findings were context dependent such that, for
youth high in self-reported child maltreatment, heightened reactivity was associated with decreased interpersonal competence
and anger regulation. Results highlight the importance of considering how context may condition the effect of stress reactivity
on functioning during adolescence.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-9746-y
- Authors
- Emily C. Cook, Department of Psychology, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Providence, RI 02908, USA
- Tara M. Chaplin, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Rajita Sinha, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Jacob K. Tebes, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Linda C. Mayes, Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891