TitleStressful life events and daily stressors affect awakening cortisol level in midlife mothers of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsWong, JD, Seltzer, MM, Greenberg, JS, Hong, J, Almeida, DM, Coe, CL
JournalAging Ment Health
Volume16
Issue8
Pagination939-49
Date Published2012
ISSN1364-6915
KeywordsActivities of Daily Living, Adolescent, Adult, Aging, Autistic Disorder, Child, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Life Change Events, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Saliva, Severity of Illness Index, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Surveys and Questionnaires, Wakefulness
Abstract

<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>The current study examines the awakening cortisol level in midlife mothers (M = 51.4 years old, SD = 8.4) of individuals (M = 22.1 years old, SD = 7.1) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) under stressful conditions that are not specific to their son or daughter's ASD symptoms.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>In addition to completing a set of questionnaires and in-home interviews, 82 mothers from the Adolescents and Adults with Autism Study (AAA) participated in a Daily Diary Study.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Findings from the multilevel models indicated that mothers who previously were exposed to no negative life events in the previous period had an increased awakening cortisol level on days following a greater number and more severe stressors, a normative stress response. In contrast, we observed a flatter cortisol level of daily stressors in mothers who experienced a greater number of negative life events in the previous period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>These findings highlight the sustained toll that global and everyday stressors have on awakening cortisol level of midlife and aging mothers of individuals with ASD.</p>

DOI10.1080/13607863.2012.688191
Alternate JournalAging Ment Health
PubMed ID22640177
PubMed Central IDPMC3434247
Grant ListP30 HD003352 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
T32 HD007489 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
P30 HD03352 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG008768 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01AG08768 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R24 HD041025 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
T32 HD07489 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States