Age and gender as determinants of stress exposure, generation, and reactions in youngsters: a transactional perspective

Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal and Gender Predicting Blood Pressure Reactivity and Recovery From Stress in Early Adolescence

This study investigated the association between relational-interdependent self-construals (relational interdependence) and blood pressure reactivity and recovery from two types of peer stressors (i.e., relational and instrumental) and gender as a moderator of this association. One hundred and ninety-six early adolescents (M = 10.11 years) reported their relational interdependence and participated in a laboratory stress protocol in which their systolic and diastolic blood pressures before, during, and after experiencing peer stressors were assessed. Results indicated that for males only, those with high relational interdependence showed greater systolic blood pressure reactivity and, at a trend level, impaired recovery from instrumental stressors; females with high relational interdependence showed greater diastolic blood pressure reactivity to relational stressors.