Date of Award
Spring 5-2021
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Psychology
Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Black, Sarah
Second Advisor
Harshaw, Christopher
Third Advisor
Kotelnikova, Yuliya
Abstract
Irritability is an indicator and predictor of psychopathology, as well as a sign of acute and chronic stress. Cortisol reactivity (CR), a physiological index of psychological stress, is bidirectionally associated with and predictive of psychopathology. Research addressing irritability and CR together is limited. Participants were 156 children enrolled in a longitudinal study. At age three, saliva was collected in relation to a stressor task and parents reported on child psychopathology. Psychopathology reports were also completed for ages six, nine, and 12. Results showed CR to have a moderating effect on the association between irritability and psychopathology symptoms when sex was included as an additional moderator, indicating that this moderating effect occurred differently for males and females. These findings underscore the importance of considering both biological and psychological variables, as well as sex differences, in understanding future risk for psychopathology.
Recommended Citation
Kaplan, Rachel, "The Complexities of Crankiness and Cortisol: Exploring the Association Between Irritability, Cortisol Reactivity, and Psychopathology" (2021). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2880.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2880
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.