Maltreated Youth Display a Blunted Blood Pressure Response to an Acute Interpersonal Stressor

Abstract

Although there is much evidence of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction among individuals who have experienced child maltreatment, dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has received less attention. Understanding the role of the ANS in maltreated children may help clarify how these children respond to subsequent life stress. We explored ANS reactivity among 111 youth (ages 9–14), 34 of whom had experienced verified child maltreatment. ANS activity was assessed via blood pressure—a convenient, noninvasive physiological index—while youth underwent a social stress task. Blood pressure and subjective mood ratings were obtained prior to and following the task. Nonmaltreated youth experienced an increase in systolic blood pressure following the stressor, whereas maltreated youth did not. Self-reported subjective mood worsened for both groups. The current data suggest that children who experienced early stress exposure demonstrate blunted ANS reactivity. Results are discussed in terms of children's healthy adaptations to transient social stressors. In addition, we discuss the cost-effectiveness and benefits of physiological measures such as blood pressure for understanding risk for psychopathology.

Notes

^a n = 27.

^b n = 84.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

¹We also conducted the analysis after removing three participants who withdrew from the study following the stressor, as they perceived the performance task to be too stressful to continue; these participants included two maltreated participants and one nonmaltreated participant. The pattern of results for positive and negative affect held, as did SBP, although the interaction effect was only marginally significant, F(1, 105) = 3.396, p = .068. Post hoc analyses revealed findings consistent with that of the entire sample such that SBP was also higher for nonmaltreated youth (M = 125.55, SD = 11.54) than maltreated youth (M = 119.32, SD = 13.90) after the stressor, t(106) = 2.255, p = .026. Also consistent with the entire sample, SBP still did not differ between nonmaltreated youth (M = 117.83, SD = 10.82) and maltreated youth (M = 115.12, SD = 10.04) at baseline, t(106) = 1.116, ns.

²To test for the impact of depression, we entered this into our analyses as a covariate; results for Time × Maltreatment Status interaction on SBP was comparable, F(1, 108) = 11.25, p = .001,  = .098.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brian T. Leitzke

Lori Hilt is now at the Department of Psychology, Lawrence University. Funding was provided by National Institute of Mental Health grant R01-MH061285 to SDP; BTL was supported by T32-MH018931-23; LMH was supported by T32-MH018931-21.