Familial social support predicts a reduced cortisol response to stress in sexual minority young adults

PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY

卷:47

Article

Burton, C. L.¹  Bonanno, G. A.¹  Hatzenbuehler, M. L.² 

[1] Columbia Univ, Dept Counseling & Clin Psychol, Teachers Coll, New York, NY 10027 USA

[2] Columbia Univ, Mailman Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Sociomed Sci, New York, NY 10032 USA

关键词: Salivary cortisol;    HPA axis;    Stigma;    Stress;    Social support;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.05.013

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Social support has been repeatedly associated with mental and physical health outcomes, with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity posited as a potential mechanism. The influence of social bonds appears particularly important in the face of stigma-related stress; however, there is a dearth of research examining social support and HPA axis response among members of a stigmatized group. To address this gap in the literature, we tested in a sample of 70 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults whether family support or peer support differentially predict cortisol reactivity in response to a laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. While greater levels of family support were associated with reduced cortisol reactivity, neither peer support nor overall support satisfaction was associated with cortisol response. These findings suggest that the association between social support and neuroendocrine functioning differs according to the source of support among members of one stigmatized group. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free