Perceived discrimination and diurnal cortisol: Examining relations among Mexican American adolescents

Abstract

Perceived discrimination remains a salient and significant environmental stressor for ethnic and racial minority youth. Although many studies have examined the impact of racial/ethnic discrimination on mental health symptomatology and physical health, little is known of the potential physiological processes underlying such experiences, especially during adolescence. In an attempt to understand how varying perceptions of discrimination relate to functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), the current study examined the relation between Mexican American adolescents’ (N= 100, Mage = 15.3 years old) perceptions of discrimination and aspects of their diurnal cortisol profiles. Three salivary samples (wakeup, +30 waking, bedtime) were collected across three days (total of 9 samples). Utilizing multi-level modeling, results revealed that adolescents’ perceived discrimination related to greater overall cortisol output (area under the curve; AUC) after controlling for other life stressors, depressive symptoms, family income, acculturation level, daily stress levels and daily behaviors. Findings also revealed that perceived discrimination was marginally related to a steeper cortisol awakening response (CAR). Together, these findings suggest that perceived discrimination is a salient and impactful stressor for Mexican American adolescents. Understanding the physiological correlates of discrimination can provide insight into larger health disparities among ethnic and racial minority individuals.

Daily family stress and HPA axis functioning during adolescence: The moderating role of sleep

“…Of note is that even relatively low exposure to family demands in the context of relatively poor sleep may lead to HPA alterations during adolescence, thereby conferring early risk for poor health. This finding is similar to research demonstrating that discrimination during adolescence and young adulthood, although experienced infrequently, can leave a biological residue manifested by altered HPA functioning (Zeiders et al, 2012; Zeiders et al, 2014). …”

Ethnic discrimination predicts poor self-rated health and cortisol in pregnancy: Insights from New Zealand

“…Although there are good empirical precedents suggesting that discrimination per se can lead to chronic activation of stress physiology and other biological pathways that influence health (FullerRowell et al, 2012;Tomfohr et al, 2010;Zeiders et al, 2012), women who experience discrimination may vary in myriad other ways that can also impact these systems. For example, in a prior analysis of data collected in this sample we found a significant relationship between poverty, as indexed by material deprivation, and maternal and offspring cortisol (Thayer and Kuzawa, 2014).…”

“…Ethnic discrimination has been associated with a wide range of poor health outcomes, including hypertension, self-reported health, health risk behaviors and adverse birth outcomes (Collins et al, 2000;Dailey, 2009;Dole et al, 2003;Harris et al, 2006b;Pascoe and Smart Richman, 2009;Schulz et al, 2006). Cortisol, a hormone released following activation of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA)-axis, is modified in response to discrimination experience (Fuller-Rowell et al, 2012;Zeiders et al, 2012) and is hypothesized to contribute to the adverse health effects of discrimination through downstream impacts on other physiological systems (Williams and Mohammed, 2009).…”

Developmental Implications of Discrimination

“…Stress can easily be measured via self-report, however. Zeiders, Doane, and Roosa (2012) were interested in determining the underlying physiological correlates of stress. In measuring salivary cortisol levels (a hormone that is often released in times of heightened stress) in Mexican American adolescents in response to perceived discrimination in their daily lives, the authors were able to ascertain that discrimination was significantly correlated with cortisol wakening response, such that increased perceptions of discrimination were associated with increased cortisol wakening responses (i.e., cortisol levels upon wakening).…”

“…In measuring salivary cortisol levels (a hormone that is often released in times of heightened stress) in Mexican American adolescents in response to perceived discrimination in their daily lives, the authors were able to ascertain that discrimination was significantly correlated with cortisol wakening response, such that increased perceptions of discrimination were associated with increased cortisol wakening responses (i.e., cortisol levels upon wakening). Zeiders et al (2012) also determined that discrimination was associated with increased daily life stress, which was self-reported by participants. In these studies, children and adolescents were not simply reporting perceptions of discrimination, but also reporting on (or having directly measured) their stress reactions to perceived discrimination.…”