Teenage stress has implications for adult health

March 11, 2009

Study links teen conflicts to potential risk for adult cardiovascular disease

Most of us remember our teenage years with a mix of fondness and relief. Fondness for the good memories, and relief that all that teenage stress, angst and drama - first love, gossip, SATs, fights with parents - is behind us.

Or is it? It turns out, say UCLA researchers, that even stressful times from the teenage years exact a physical toll that could have implications for health during adulthood.

Andrew J. Fuligni, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, and colleagues report that in a study of otherwise healthy, normal teens who self-reported various negative interpersonal interactions, researchers found that a greater frequency of such stress was associated with higher levels of an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein, or CRP. CRP has been identified as an indicator for the later development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The study will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine and is currently available online (subscription only).

"Although most research on stress and inflammation has focused upon adulthood, these results show that such links can occur as early as the teenage years, even among a healthy sample of young men and women," Fuligni said. "That suggests that alterations in the biological substrates that initiate CVD begin before adulthood."

Those everyday kinds of stressors, such as a fight with a parent or peer, are among the most frequent and powerful predictors of psychological distress among individuals, he said. That led the researchers to wonder: If stress could have a powerful psychological influence, could it have a physiological influence as well?

The study looked at a total of 69 adolescents, average age 17, from Latin American and European backgrounds, who completed a daily diary checklist each night for 14 days. In it, they reported any experiences of negative interpersonal interaction with family, peers or school personnel - for example, conflicts with family and friends, peer harassment or any kind of punishment by parents or teachers. Blood samples were obtained an average of eight months later and assayed for circulating levels of the CRP protein; the research protocol took into account such factors as socioeconomic status, major stressful life events and being overly sensitive to rejection or daily psychological distress.

The researchers found that daily interpersonal stress experienced during the high school years was associated with elevated levels of inflammation, as measured by higher levels of CRP, even among normal, healthy teens.

"Our findings are consistent with the emerging body of evidence that points to the link between stress and increased inflammation, which places individuals at risk for the later development of cardiovascular disease," said Fuligni, who is also a member of the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and the UCLA Center for Culture and Health.

The results are also interesting because they suggest that the association of interpersonal stress with inflammation exists regardless of individual teens' psychological appraisal of stressful experiences or any tendency to be particularly sensitive to social rejection, he said.

Fuligni suggests the results of this research show the importance of focusing on actual daily stressful experiences when examining the implications of psychological and social factors for the development of risk for CVD during the teenage years.

"Although the frequency of some of these experiences may be low, they could have a significant impact upon long-term physical health during adulthood," Fulgini said.

University of California - Los Angeles

---

---

	The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) by Martha Davis (Author), Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman (Author), Matthew McKay (Author) The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook broke new ground when it was first published in 1980, detailing easy, step-by-step techniques for calming the body and mind in an increasingly overstimulated world. Now in its sixth edition, this workbook, highly regarded by therapists and their clients, remains the go-to source for stress reduction strategies that can be incorporated into even the busiest lives.This new edition is updated with powerful relaxation techniques based on the latest research, and draws from a variety of proven treatment methods, including progressive relaxation, autogenics, self-hypnosis, visualization, and mindfulness and acceptance therapy.In the first chapter, you'll explore your own stress triggers and symptoms, and learn how to create a personal plan for stress...
	Stress proof your life: 52 brilliant ideas for taking control by Elisabeth Wilson (Author) Stress proof your life is for people who struggle to find time for a shower, much less a bath. The ones who worry that stress is affecting their health and relationships. Or they would worry if they weren't so knackered. Some people are really good at avoiding some stresses without realising that they are slaves to another kind. Elisabeth Wilson looks at the sources - occupational, genetic and environmental - and reveals 52 brilliant techniques for creating a stress-free zone. When your batteries are blown and burnout is imminent these top tips can help you regain control.
	Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress, and Fear into Vibrance, Strength, and Love by Judith Orloff (Author) Are you forever rushing through your day, fending off chronic exhaustion? Are you desperately overcommitted, afraid to say no? Do you want to feel well rested and ready to conquer each day with enthusiasm, but fall short time and time again? If so, you’re the victim of a hidden energy crisis. Here, at last, is the complete prescription that will stop you from feeling constantly drained and enable you to live a more vibrant life. The Positive Energy Program will help you: •Generate positive emotional energy to counter negativity •Design an energy-aware approach to diet, exercise, and health—and teach you how to avoid the “energetic overeating” that sabotages attempts to lose weight •Awaken your intuition and rejuvenate yourself—and learn the cure...
	The Myth of Stress: Where Stress Really Comes From and How to Live a Happier and Healthier Life by Andrew Bernstein (Author) Where does stress come from? Financial pressures? Looming deadlines? Conflicts at work or at home? For more than half a century, we’ve been told that stress comes from circumstances like these, that it’s a by-product of our ancestors’ fight-or-flight response to danger, and that the best we can do, given the fast pace of life today, is to breathe, try to relax, and accept that life is hard. All of this, according to Andrew Bernstein, is wrong. Spurred by the death of several family members when he was young, Bernstein began a quest to understand the real dynamics of stress and resilience. He eventually realized that stress doesn’t come from your circumstances—it comes from your thoughts about your circumstances. More specifically, stress is created by a particular kind of...
	Stress Management for Dummies by Allen Elkin (Author) “This book gives you many action-oriented ways of coping with your anxiety about anxiety.” —Albert Ellis, PhD, President, Albert Ellis InstituteIs your job tying your stomach in knots? Do you toss and turn in bed at night? Are your ulcers having ulcers? Face it—you’ve got too much stress in your life, and it’s time to give yourself a break. The consequences of not dealing with stress range from poor health and broken marriages to premature death: not a very cheerful outlook. Thankfully, all kinds of stress reduction approaches are available today: from breathing and posture to imagery and meditation. These new ideas have taken the world by storm—and taken the pressure cooker off the fire for millions of chilled-out people around the world.Whether it’s love, work,...
	Stress - Proof You: How To Deal With Stress And Be Stress Free For Life by Sam Wenzel (Author) #1 - Best Stress Management Advice on How To Deal With Stress! ***GET 2 FREE BONUS BOOKS WITH PURCHASE!*** ***$49.97 Value - Yours FREE!*** 1. Stress Management 2.0 2. Eliminating Your Stress We would like to give you these bonuses as a way of saying thank you.  After your purchase you will find a link within the kindle and paperback edition to claim your FREE bonuses from our website.  Bonuses are in PDF downloadable format for your convenience. Enjoy! Other 5 Out of 5 Star Reviews . . . "This book offers some truly new refreshing ideas for stress reduction. It doesn't involve a lot of money or time. The author offers a way to shift how we view our stress, and how to tweak it so that it is manageable in our lives. If you are trying to...
	Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, Third Edition by Robert M. Sapolsky (Author) Renowned primatologist Robert Sapolsky offers a completely revised and updated edition of his most popular work, with nearly 90,000 copies in print Now in a third edition, Robert M. Sapolsky's acclaimed and successful Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into anxiety and personality disorder and the impact of spirituality on managing stress. As Sapolsky explains, most of us do not lie awake at night worrying about whether we have leprosy or malaria. Instead, the diseases we fear-and the ones that plague us now-are illnesses brought on by the slow accumulation of damage, such as heart disease and cancer. When we worry or experience stress, our body turns on the same physiological responses that an...
	Stress Relief Today: Causes, Effects, and Management Techniques That Can Improve Your Life! by D. K. Jefferson (Author) The average American’s daily life is filled with frustrations, demands, deadlines and hassles. Stress has become so common that many accept it as the norm. Stress isn’t always bad – in small doses. In fact, stress can help people perform under pressure and motivate them to do their best. On the other hand, if you’re constantly stressed and overwhelmed, it can have a dramatically negative effect on your physical and emotional well-being. In "Stress Relief Today: Causes, Effects and Management Techniques That Can Improve Your Life", D. K. Jefferson examines the various types of stress, and the universally common stressors. He gives practical advice for managing, reducing, and dealing with the things in our lives that keep us in a state of stress. Before stress can be managed,...
	Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson (Author), Johnathan V. Wright (Foreword) This is an incredibly informative and reader-friendly book about a common debilitating medical condition that goes largely undiagnosed and untreated. ADRENAL FATIGUE: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome is a very empowering work cram-packed with vital information about a condition that very likely affects millions of people.
	Relaxation Techniques: 92 Affirmations That Apply Anxiety Relaxation Techniques For Relaxation And Stress Reduction WARNING : THIS KINDLE TRIAL PRICE WILL BE INCREASING IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS! Relaxation Techniques: 92 Affirmations That Apply Anxiety Relaxation Techniques For Relaxation And Stress Reduction is a simple and easy-to-apply book in which you will discover ninety-two affirmations you can immediately use to apply anxiety relaxation techniques for relaxation and stress reduction in the shortest time possible. Also included...you will receive, completely FREE... - Full access to the "3 Powerful Tips To Help Manage Everyday Stress" video - Full access to the audio mp3 recording - Full access to the written transcript - Full access to the implementation workbook - Your own motivational screensaver - PLUS a special gift worth up to...