Blunted stress reactivity as a mechanism linking early psychosocial deprivation to psychopathology during adolescence

Abstract

Early psychosocial deprivation is associated with alterations in stress-response system development and later psychopathology. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, we examined whether blunted reactivity to social stress served as a mechanism linking early deprivation to later psychopathology in 135 youths, 89 of whom were raised in institutions during early childhood (46 randomly assigned to foster care intervention). At 12 and 16 years, cortisol and sympathetic nervous system reactivity were assessed using the Trier Social Stress Test. Bifactor scores of general and specific psychopathology were estimated from caregiver and teacher reports. Blunted cortisol reactivity at 12 years mediated the association between deprivation and general psychopathology at 16 years, whereas blunted sympathetic nervous system reactivity mediated externalizing-specific problems. Increased stress reactivity did not mediate intervention effects on psychopathology. Early deprivation may shape stress-response system development in a way that confers broad risk for mental health problems during adolescence. Wade and colleagues analyze data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project to examine whether stress reactivity measured at age 12 may serve as a mechanism linking early institutional deprivation with psychopathology at age 16.