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Role Fulfillment Mediates the Association Between Daily Family Assistance and Cortisol Awakening Response in Adolescents
Author(s) -
ArmstrongCarter Emma,
Ivory Susannah,
Lin Lynda C.,
Muscatell Keely A.,
Telzer Eva H.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13213
Subject(s) - psychology , association (psychology) , developmental psychology , cortisol awakening response , feeling , sibling , ethnically diverse , multilevel model , daughter , clinical psychology , hydrocortisone , psychotherapist , social psychology , ethnic group , medicine , machine learning , sociology , evolutionary biology , anthropology , computer science , biology
Family assistance (helping the family) is associated with both positive and negative psychological and biological outcomes during adolescence. However, the association between family assistance and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis remains unstudied. Thus, we assess how helping the family relates to adolescents’ diurnal cortisol, an index of HPA activity, and psychological outcomes. Three hundred and seventy ethnically diverse adolescents (ages 11–18) reported daily helping behaviors and psychological experiences for 14 days and provided four saliva samples per day for 4 days. Multilevel modeling revealed that cortisol awakening response was lower the day after adolescents helped their families more. This association was explained, in part, by perceived role fulfillment (feeling like a good son, daughter, and sibling). Results highlight a possible psychological and biological benefit of assisting the family during adolescence.