The Longitudinal Association Between COVID-19 Stress and Adolescents' Diurnal Cortisol: the Mediating Effects of Parental Anxiety and Behaviors

During the COVID-19 pandemic, research indicated increased psychological distress among adolescents. However, limited research has investigated the association between COVID-19-related stress and the adolescent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a critical stress response system. To address this gap, we conducted a longitudinal study exploring the relationship between COVID-19 stressors and adolescent HPA activity. We recruited 121 adolescents (M-age = 10.02) and their parents. One parent reported COVID-19 stressors and their own anxiety, while adolescents reported parenting behaviours. Diurnal cortisol levels in adolescents were assessed 4 months later. Our results found that the association between COVID-19 stressors and diurnal cortisol levels was sequentially mediated by parental anxiety and indifference, but not parental caring. These findings underscore the detrimental effects of negative parental behaviours on adolescent HPA axis during the pandemic. Therefore, interventions targeting reduced parental anxiety and negative parental behaviours may effectively protect adolescents' mental health in such circumstances.