Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Recalibration During Puberty Among Maltreated Youth: The Role of Caregiver...

To examine trajectories of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis sensitivity, we tested growth models of cortisol reactivity before and during puberty using longitudinal data from maltreated and comparison adolescents. Moderating effects of parental depressive symptoms on pubertal cortisol reactivity slope tested for HPA axis recalibration.

Youth (N = 454) completed 4 assessments across 10 years (Wave 1 M_age = 10.95). We collected 6 cortisol samples following the Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Measures included self-report pubertal stage (Tanner stage), parental depressive symptoms at Tanner 3, and maltreatment exposure pre- and post-Tanner 3. Growth models with landmark registration modeled cortisol reactivity trajectories in the years before and after Tanner 3. To test HPA axis recalibration, we selected those with physical abuse and/or sexual abuse (PA/SA) exposure before Tanner 3 and tested interactions for parental depressive symptoms by post-Tanner 3 cortisol trajectory among those with stable caregivers.

Cortisol reactivity did not change before Tanner 3 but increased in the years following Tanner 3 in both girls and boys. The interaction was significant between parental depressive symptoms at Tanner 3 and post-Tanner 3 cortisol reactivity trajectory among those with PA/SA exposure prepuberty.

The results indicate possible recalibration of the HPA axis where youth with childhood PA/SA exposure and benevolent family environments (i.e., no parental depressive symptoms, stable caregiver) appeared to regain the expected developmental pattern of increasing cortisol reactivity during puberty. This indicates puberty as a key developmental period to regulate HPA functioning and mitigate potential associated physical and mental health outcomes.