Poster #103 - Longitudinal links between Interpersonal Trauma and Family Stress and Adolescent Adjustment: A Bio-Ecological Perspective

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Daily stress and interpersonal trauma (e.g., loss of parent/caregiver) have been shown to occur disproportionally among low-income youth resulting in greater maladjustment (Schwerdtfeger et al., 2015; Wells et al., 2014). For example, daily stress and interpersonal trauma were found to be significantly and positively related to internalizing and externalizing problems. What is less understood is whether stress and trauma serve as incremental predictors of adjustment when examined simultaneously. Moreover, it is unclear whether these associations vary depending on biological factors, such as cortisol, pubertal development, and genetic variation. The first goal of this two-year longitudinal study was to examine whether family stress and interpersonal trauma were related to youth adjustment when examined simultaneously using a low-income sample. Next, we explored whether these links varied by oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism, cortisol reactivity, and pubertal development.

The sample consisted of 171 adolescent girls (M age = 13.58; range = 12-17 years, 24.6% European American, 75.4% ethnic minorities) and parents (81.3% biological mothers; Median annual income = $27,300; 42.1% single parents; 47.4% living below poverty line). At time 1, interpersonal trauma (adolescent reports), family stress (parent reports), adolescent cortisol reactivity (saliva collection), and youth OXTR polymorphism (r53576; saliva collections) were assessed. At time 2 (two-years later), youth antisocial behavior and school grades were measured using parent and youth ratings; binge drinking and sleep quality were based on youth reports.

After controlling for parent education and youth age at Time 1, interpersonal trauma (but not family stress) was positively and significantly related to antisocial behavior (see Table 1). In contrast, high levels of family stress (but not interpersonal trauma) were related to low school grades and sleep quality. Neither trauma nor stress were significantly related to binge drinking. Next, we investigated whether these associations varied depending on cortisol reactivity (low vs. high), pubertal development (low vs. high), and OXTR polymorphism (AA/AG vs. GG). Findings showed that interpersonal trauma was more strongly related to antisocial behavior among youth with a GG allele (compared to AA/AG youth), high cortisol (compared to low cortisol), and high pubertal development (compared to low levels). In addition, interpersonal trauma was positively and significantly related to binge drinking behavior for youth reporting low levels of pubertal development (but not high levels). Family stress was more strongly related to school grades among AA/AG adolescents (compared to GG) and low puberty (compared to high puberty) youth.

These findings suggest that adolescent girls from low-income families who experience interpersonal trauma may have difficulties regulating their behavior, perhaps owing to the loss of an important socializing agent. In contrast, experiencing daily and chronic stress in the family may disrupt the adolescent’s performance in school and sleep quality. Overall, the findings suggest that high levels of cortisol and carrying the GG oxytocin allele may magnify the impact of interpersonal trauma on adjustment. The analyses involving pubertal development was mixed indicating that both high and low levels may exacerbate the impact of stress and trauma, depending on the risk and outcome factors.

Authors

• Erin L. Ratliff, Oklahoma State University
  Presenting Author

• Michael M. Criss, Oklahoma State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jennifer Byrd-Craven, Oklahoma State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erin Elizabeth Wood, Oklahoma State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lixian Cui, New York University – Shanghai
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amanda Sheffield Morris, Oklahoma State University
  Non-Presenting Author