The effects of life events on cardiovascular reactivity to behavioral stressors as a function of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and sex

Objective: The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the effects of str essful life events on cardiovascular reactivity to acute laboratory stresso rs in youth and 2) to determine whether these effects varied as a function of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and/or sex, Methods: Four hundred eight y-three youths (mean age = 16.7 years; 249 Caucasian Americans [126 males, 123 females] and 234 African Americans [109 males, 125 females]) completed the Adolescent Resources Challenge Scale (ARCS), a measure of stressful lif e events, and underwent two laboratory stressors (a car-driving simulation and the Social Competence Interview) during which blood pressure, heart rat e, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance were assessed. Results: Youths who reported high levels of stressful life events showed smaller inc reases in blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) and heart rate to th e car-driving simulation but larger increases in cardiac output in response to the Social Competence Interview than did youths who reported low levels of stressful life events. The effect of stressful life events on cardiovas cular reactivity was not moderated by sex, ethnicity, or socioeconomic stat us. Higher family socioeconomic status was associated with greater blood pr essure, heart rate, and cardiac output increases in response to the Social Competence Interview. Conclusions: The attenuating effects of stressful lif e events on cardiovascular reactivity in response to car-driving simulation in youths are consistent with an inoculation effect, whereas the potentiat ing impact of stressful life events on reactivity observed during the socia l stressor interview is compatible with a possible cost of coping effect.