Stressors and children's health

This article reviews the literature on the association of stressors and physical and psychological health in childhood. These relationships are considered from a multidisciplinary perspective. Many studies have been published comparing children experiencing a large number of life events with those who experience fewer, with the consistent finding that those with more stressful experiences are significantly more likely to experience illness, hospitalization, or use health services. Although a large body of research exists, a clear picture of the nature and strength of this relationship has not yet emerged. Clarification of the psychophysiological pathways responsible for the associations reported may be important to our understanding of these issues. Such pathways may have their origin in the alteration of immune function. Further research aimed at explication of the complex relationships between the neurological, endocrine, and immune systems and behaviors will need to be multifactorial. Such research has the potential to improve our understanding of psychosomatic phenomena and lead to more effective nursing care.