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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Adversity-driven changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning during adolescence. The trails study
Odilia M Laceulle1, Esther Nederhof2, Marcel A G van Aken3
1Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, The Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been proposed to be a key mechanism underlying the link between adversity and mental health, but longitudinal studies on adversity and HPA-axis functioning are scarce. Here, we studied adversity-driven changes in HPA-axis functioning during adolescence (N=141). HPA-axis functioning (basal cortisol, cortisol awakening response, anticipation of, reaction to and recovery after a stress task) was measured twice, at age 16 and 19. Adversity (i.e., social defeat and loss/illness) since age 16 was measured extensively with the Life Stress Interview at age 19. Adolescents who reported being exposed to social defeat showed increases in basal cortisol (ɳ2=0.029) and decreases in reaction to the stress task (ɳ2=0.030) from age 16-19, compared to their peers in the loss/illness and no stress group. The current study provides unique longitudinal data on the role of adversity in HPA-axis functioning. Evidence is provided that adversity can affect the body's neuroendocrine response to stress, dependent on the nature of both the HPA-measures and adverse events under study.
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