The relationship between trauma, depression and biological stress response in Icelandic adolescents

Abstract

Early life experiences and exposure to trauma have shown to be a factor that can have a long term effect on health. Studies have shown that stressful experiences, such as trauma like sexual abuse and family conflict in childhood, can have a disturbing effect on neurobiological mechanisms which can result in changes in both productions and functions of cortisol and alpha-amylase. Changes in biological stress factors may also increase the risk of emotional problems. The aim of the study was to examine biological stress response in Icelandic adolescents with and without trauma experience and depression, by measuring salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase responses to psychological stress. Participants (female, n =195, male, n =145) in the age of 14-15 years old and 18-19 years old, performed a Trier Social Stress test, answered questionnaires on trauma experiences such as sexual abuse and family conflict, and the depression subscale of HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale). The main result showed that trauma alone had lowering effects on cortisol levels but did not affect alpha-amylase levels. Depression did not have the expected effect on either cortisol or alpha-amylase. The predicted interaction among depression, trauma experience and cortisol levels was also not detected. For alpha-amylase the interaction between these factors was also not detected. This study indicates that trauma experience alone can affect cortisol levels in adolescents, but does not affect alpha-amylase levels. However, there are no indications of depression, or trauma and depression together, effecting either cortisol levels or levels of alpha-amylase. Keywords: adolescents, trauma, depression, stress response, cortisol, alpha-amylase