Authors: Melissa J Hagan Danielle S Roubinov Jenna GressSmith Linda J Luecken Irwin N Sandler Sharlene Wolchik
Publish Date: 2010/06/03
Volume: 214, Issue: 1, Pages: 231-238
Abstract
Early parental loss has been associated with neuroendocrine dysregulation in youth however the form of cortisol dysregulation varies widely Identifying risk and protective factors that influence physiological regulation has important implications for understanding the development of mental health problems in parentally bereaved youthPositive parenting was assessed an average of 185 months following parental death Six years later adolescents/young adults N = 55 reported on exposure to recent negative life events and salivary cortisol was assessed before and after a conflict discussion task with their caregiver The interaction between positive parenting and exposure to recent negative events was used to predict total cortisol output and response to the taskMultilevel modeling and the probing of the interaction effect demonstrated that total cortisol output increased with greater exposure to recent negative events among those with lower levels of past positive parenting These relations were significant over and above current internalizing and externalizing symptoms
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