@article{ref1,
title="Lower cortisol level in response to a psychosocial stressor in young females with self-harm",
journal="Psychoneuroendocrinology",
year="2016",
author="Plener, Paul L. and Zohsel, Katrin and Hohm, Erika and Buchmann, Arlette F. and Banaschewski, T. and Zimmermann, Ulrich S. and Laucht, Manfred",
volume="76",
number="",
pages="84-87",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Self-harm is highly prevalent in adolescence, often serving an emotion regulation function. Social stressors such as bullying are associated with self-harm. The neurobiological background of the relationship between social stressors and self-harm needs to be further understood to inform prevention and therapy. <br><br>METHODS: Participants were members of an epidemiological cohort study. 130 female participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) at age 19. Of them, 21 reported a history of self-harm as assessed by the Youth Self Report. Psychiatric diagnoses were recorded. <br><br>RESULTS: Participants with a history of self-harm showed significantly lower blood cortisol levels throughout the TSST. Early psychosocial adversity did not significantly differ between groups with and without self-harm, with self-harming participants reporting more childhood adversities. <br><br>CONCLUSION: These results add to the limited field of studies showing an altered HPA axis activity in females with self-harm. Future studies need to address the causal mechanisms behind this association.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-4530",
doi="10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.009",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.009"
}