Social Support for Stress in Children and Adolescents

Overseen By Bonny Donzella

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Must not be taking: Glucocorticoids, Beta-blockers

Disqualifiers: Premature birth, Autism, Psychiatric illness, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the mechanisms through which parental buffering of stress physiology during aversive conditioning diminishes with pubertal development and whether this diminution of effectiveness extends to social buffering by peers (best friends) and/or other unfamiliar social partners (e.g., experimenters).

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are taking systemic glucocorticoids or beta-adrenergic medications, you cannot participate in this trial. The protocol does not specify about other medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Social Buffering for stress in children and adolescents?

Research shows that social support, a key part of Social Buffering, can help reduce stress by affecting the body's stress response system, especially in children. Studies indicate that support from parents and peers can lower stress and improve mental health, suggesting that Social Buffering may be effective in managing stress in young people. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the treatment of social support for stress in children and adolescents differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it focuses on providing social support from parents, peers, and classmates to help reduce stress and internalizing problems in children and adolescents. Unlike traditional treatments that might involve medication or therapy, this approach leverages the natural support systems around the child to buffer against stress and improve mental health outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Research Team

Megan Gunnar, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Minnesota

Kathleen Thomas, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Minnesota

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adolescents with normal hearing, vision, and language skills. It's not for those with autism, tattoos that interfere with MRI scans, severe claustrophobia, certain medications like beta-blockers or glucocorticoids, psychiatric or neurological disorders, serious medical conditions like cancer or organ transplants, pregnancy, congenital/chromosomal disorders (e.g., Down Syndrome), or metal implants/piercings/braces.

Inclusion Criteria

Sufficient hearing to complete assent and study procedures

Sufficient language skills to provide verbal and written assent

Sufficient vision to complete assent and study procedures

Exclusion Criteria

Premature birth (less than 37 weeks)

Known pregnancy

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 visit

1 visit (in-person)

Initial Assessment

Participants undergo a pubertal assessment exam, complete questionnaires, and experience a simulated MRI

1 visit

1 visit (in-person)

Conditioning and MRI

Participants undergo MRI safety screening and complete aversive conditioning paradigms with different social partners

2 hours

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the conditioning session

2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Social Buffering

Trial Overview The study aims to understand how parental support helps reduce stress in teenagers during scary situations and if this changes as they grow up. It also looks at whether friends or strangers can provide similar comfort. Participants will answer questionnaires and undergo MRI scans.

Participant Groups

Group I: Primary Parent Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions that differ by who is with them in the MRI scanner room: Primary Parent, Close Friend, Experimenter, No Social Partner.

Group II: No Social Partner Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions that differ by who is with them in the MRI scanner room: Primary Parent, Close Friend, Experimenter, No Social Partner.

Group III: Experimenter Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions that differ by who is with them in the MRI scanner room: Primary Parent, Close Friend, Experimenter, No Social Partner.

Group IV: Close Friend Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions that differ by who is with them in the MRI scanner room: Primary Parent, Close Friend, Experimenter, No Social Partner.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,459

Recruited

1,623,000+

Findings from Research

Social support from various sources, including mothers, fathers, classmates, and close friends, generally benefits early adolescents in reducing internalizing problems, as shown in a study of 364 middle school students.

Mother support can help mitigate the negative effects of low classmate support for both boys and girls, while father support specifically helps boys when classmate support is lacking, highlighting the importance of different support sources in adolescent mental health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent and peer social support compensation and internalizing problems in adolescence. Lyell, KM., Coyle, S., Malecki, CK., et al.[2021]

In a study of 1888 children, both supportive parenting and peer victimization independently influenced depressive symptoms and negative thoughts, indicating that parental support plays a crucial role in children's mental health.

While supportive parenting did not buffer against the negative effects of peer victimization, it still had a significant main effect that could help mitigate some of the adverse outcomes associated with stress from peer victimization.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does supportive parenting mitigate the longitudinal effects of peer victimization on depressive thoughts and symptoms in children? Bilsky, SA., Cole, DA., Dukewich, TL., et al.[2021]

Social support, particularly from parents, plays a crucial role in shaping the stress response system (HPA axis) in early childhood, which is a critical period for development.

The review highlights that social buffering can be effective not only during acute stress but also in chronic stress situations, suggesting that interventions aimed at enhancing social support could positively influence HPA axis functioning in children, especially those in the child welfare system.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The role of social buffering on chronic disruptions in quality of care: evidence from caregiver-based interventions in foster children. Flannery, JE., Beauchamp, KG., Fisher, PA.[2019]

Social buffering is crucial for regulating stress responses throughout human development, starting with parents in infancy and transitioning to friends and romantic partners in later stages of life.

The effectiveness of parental support as a stress buffer diminishes during adolescence, potentially due to changes associated with puberty, highlighting the evolving nature of social support systems in managing stress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The social buffering of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in humans: Developmental and experiential determinants. Gunnar, MR., Hostinar, CE.[2023]

This meta-analysis of 341 studies involving 273,149 participants found a moderate positive relationship (r = .26) between social support and reduced depression in youth, supporting the general benefits model of social support.

The study highlights that while social support is generally beneficial, its effectiveness can vary based on stressful contexts, and suggests that understanding both stress-buffering and reverse stress-buffering effects is crucial for future research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and depression in childhood and adolescence. Rueger, SY., Malecki, CK., Pyun, Y., et al.[2022]

High-school students experiencing academic problems showed increased psychological distress, but social support from family and friends helped reduce these symptoms for both genders.

For females, social support from classmates and issues with parents and friends had significant impacts on psychological distress, and the negative effects of long-lasting adversities were more pronounced compared to males.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Life stress, social support and psychological distress in late adolescence. Ystgaard, M.[2019]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent and peer social support compensation and internalizing problems in adolescence. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does supportive parenting mitigate the longitudinal effects of peer victimization on depressive thoughts and symptoms in children? [2021]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The role of social buffering on chronic disruptions in quality of care: evidence from caregiver-based interventions in foster children. [2019]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The social buffering of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in humans: Developmental and experiential determinants. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A meta-analytic review of the association between perceived social support and depression in childhood and adolescence. [2022]

6. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Life stress, social support and psychological distress in late adolescence. [2019]