AI Insight
This study of 282 Chinese junior high school students examined how the ratio of hair cortisol to DHEA (stress-related hormones) relates to internalizing problems like anxiety and depression. While the cortisol-to-DHEA ratio alone did not predict internalizing problems, researchers found that psychological capital (positive psychological resources like hope and resilience) moderated this relationship. Specifically, adolescents with high psychological capital showed fewer internalizing problems when they had higher cortisol-to-DHEA ratios, suggesting that psychological resources may help some students adaptively respond to physiological stress indicators.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that building psychological capital through interventions focused on hope, resilience, and optimism could help adolescents better manage stress responses and reduce mental health problems. This provides a concrete target for school-based prevention programs aimed at reducing internalizing disorders in vulnerable adolescent populations.
Understand the Science
IntroductionInternalizing problems are increasingly prevalent among Chinese students in junior high school, and posing significant risks for long-term maladjustment. However, the mechanisms underlying these problems are unclear. The present study aimed to test the moderating effects of psychological capital and harsh parenting in the association between the hair cortisol-to-DHEA (C/D) ratio and internalizing problems in adolescence.Methods282 junior high school students in China participated in this study (114 boys, 166 girls, and 2 with missing sex data; Mage = 12.82 years). They provided hair samples and completed questionnaires on psychological capital, internalizing problems, harsh parenting of their parents, and control variables including sex, age, family socioeconomic status, negative life events, and body mass index. Hair concentrations of cortisol and DHEA were determined via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.ResultsThe main effect of the hair C/D ratio on internalizing problems was not significant. The interaction between the C/D ratio and psychological capital was significant. Simple slope analysis revealed that a higher C/D ratio predicted fewer internalizing problems among adolescents with high psychological capital, but not among those with mean or low psychological capital. The three-way interaction involving harsh parenting was marginal after correction for multiple testing.ConclusionPsychological capital moderates the association between the hair C/D ratio and adolescent internalizing problems. These findings highlight psychological capital as a potential intervention target for promoting adaptive stress responses in adolescents.