Biological Stress Regulation in Female Adolescents: A Key Role for Confiding

Abstract

Attachment behaviors play a critical role in regulating emotion within the context of close relationships, and attachment theory is currently used to inform evidence-based practice in the areas of adolescent health and social care. This study investigated the association between female adolescents' interview-based attachment behaviors and two markers of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity: cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Unlike the classic stress hormone cortisol, there is very limited investigation of DHEA-a quintessential developmental hormone-in relation to attachment, especially in adolescents. Fifty-five healthy females mean age 14.36 (± 2.41) years participated in the Attachment Style Interview. A smaller cortisol awakening response was related to anxious attachment attitudes, including more fear of rejection, whereas greater morning basal DHEA secretion was only predicted by lower levels of reported confiding in one's mother. These attachment-hormone relationships may be developmental markers in females, as they were independent of menarche status. These findings highlight that the normative shifts occurring in attachment to caregivers around adolescence are reflected in adolescents' biological stress regulation. We discuss how studying these shifts can be informed by evolutionary-developmental theory.

Adverse childhood event experiences, fertility difficulties and menstrual cycle characteristics

“…In support of this, the CDC has recognized child abuse, neglect, and exposure to intimate partner violence, as being particularly important childhood stressors affecting health across the lifespan [42]. Evolutionary studies also suggest that severe hardships, especially with regard to parental attachment and relationships, may cause earlier maturation and program HPA axis regulation, at the expense of future reproduction and child-rearing investment [43–46]. Additionally, cumulative exposure to 4 or more childhood adversities was more strongly associated with fertility difficulties and amenorrhea, suggesting that in addition to the type of hardship experienced the level of exposure to adverse experiences during childhood may also affect health.…”

Anxious attachment style predicts an enhanced cortisol response to group psychosocial stress

“…Furthermore it performs somewhat better in predicting depression than other self-report measures of attachment (Bifulco et al, 2003), as well as predicting negative psychosocial well-being and mental health in university students (Carr et al, 2013). The VASQ, was developed and validated in relation to an in-depth interview procedure (Attachment Style Interview; Bifulco et al, 2002a;Bifulco et al, 2002b) which has been used in previous research examining HPA axis activity and attachment style (Oskis et al, 2014;Oskis et al, 2011).…”

Effectiveness of TSL Program in Improving Child Abuse, Cortisol, and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-s): A Biomedical Perspective

“…In terms of challenges in controlling various confounding variables, cortisol as a single indicator may limit the search for its relevance to physical and emotional functions (Jang et al, 2016;Oskis et al, 2015). Banks and Dabbs (1996) suggested the difficulty of finding a direct link between cortisol and violence, which requires an examination of the effects of diverse hormones.…”