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Parsing the relations between SES and stress reactivity: examining individual differences in neonatal stress response

Kate Keenan1, Dana Gunthorpe, Desia Grace

  • 1Department of Psychiatry (MC 3077), University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637-1470, United States. kkeenan@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu

Infant Behavior & Development
|February 13, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Perinatal risks, including socioeconomic factors and maternal stress, impact infant stress responses. Greater risk was linked to both heightened and blunted neonatal stress reactivity, particularly in low-income settings.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neonatal Health
  • Stress Physiology

Background:

  • Socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to children's stress reactivity.
  • Perinatal experiences may influence early life stress responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine associations between perinatal risk factors and neonatal stress reactivity.
  • To investigate the impact of socio-demographic, obstetrical, and maternal psychological factors on infant stress responses.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 100 healthy African American neonates from low-income families.
  • Assessed behavioral and cortisol reactivity using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and heel stick procedures.
  • Measured risk across socio-demographic, obstetrical, and maternal psychological domains.

Main Results:

  • Significant associations found between perinatal risk factors and neonatal stress reactivity on the NBAS.
  • Few associations observed with heel stick stressor.
  • Higher perinatal risk correlated with both increased and decreased neonatal stress reactivity.

Conclusions:

  • Perinatal experiences significantly affect human neonatal stress reactivity, especially in poverty contexts.
  • Findings support the hypothesis of prenatal stress programming the fetal/neonatal stress response system.
  • Preliminary data highlight specific perinatal factors influencing infant stress regulation.

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