Stress through the mind of the beholder: preliminary differences in child and maternal perceptions of child stress in relation to child cortisol and cardiovascular activity

Abstract

The present study examined associations among parent and child reports of youth’s stressful life events (SLEs), perceived stress, and biological measures of stress activity (i.e. cortisol and cardiovascular activity). Examining these aspects of youth stress presents several challenges. Unlike adult studies of individual differences in which information regarding SLEs, perceptions of events, and biological activity are gathered from one individual, assessment of individual differences among children usually involves other informants (e.g. parent). However, parent and child reports of SLEs and the child’s psychological response to such events are often discordant. Moreover, examinations of youth perception of stress are hampered by limitations of child cognitive processes, as well as parents’ limited knowledge of their child’s perception of stress. In a preliminary effort to unscramble the complex effects of youth SLEs and perceived stress in relation to biological response to acute stressors, this study examined 51 boys and girls aged 7–16, with no history of psychopathology or medical concerns. Contrary to hypotheses, findings revealed that compared to actual experiences of stress, perceived stress has greater associations with both cortisol and cardiovascular activity. That is, perceived stress is more biologically salient relative to actual stress. Results also suggest that informant differences may explain some previous inconsistent findings in studies of youth’s stress reactivity. The current findings mirror the adult studies that show appraisal and perception of traumatic and stressful events may be more predictive of negative health and mental health outcomes than the severity of the events. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of youth’s perceptions of stress on their biological stress reactions and later health outcomes such as clinical disorders.

Keywords:

• Stress
• stressful life events
• perceived stress
• child–parent agreement
• cortisol
• heart rate

Disclosure statement

The authors have no financial, consulting, or personal relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by an NIMH Career Development Award (K23MH065443), a National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Junior Investigator Award, NCI grant P50 CA84719, and NSF grant 0644171 awarded to Dr. Stroud.