title: Associations between coping and diurnal cortisol among children affected by parental HIV/AIDS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prior research has shown that early life adversity is associated with physical health problems, but little is known about the health-related effects of coping in the context of having a parent with HIV/AIDS. The goal of this study was to investigate the associations between positive and negative coping strategies and diurnal cortisol among children affected by parental HIV/AIDS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 645 children aged 8-15 affected by parental HIV/AIDS, who provided 4 saliva samples per day over 3 days (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) to assess diurnal cortisol. Positive and negative coping strategies were measured via self-report prior to saliva collection. Possible confounds of the associations between coping and diurnal cortisol also were assessed, including age, gender, socioeconomic status, parenting quality, parental death, other stressful life events, sleep quality, and perceived health status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater positive coping (e.g., problem solving, cognitive reframing) was associated with children's higher morning cortisol (p = .037), whereas greater negative coping (e.g., fighting, breaking things) was independently associated with lower morning cortisol (p = .038) and a flatter diurnal cortisol slope (p = .003). These associations remained significant after controlling for potential confounds. Neither positive coping nor negative coping interacted with stressful life circumstances to predict cortisol (all ps > .27).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate the extent to which a child's coping strategy is associated with indicators of stress biology in the context of having a parent with HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Slatcher
authors.affiliation: University of Macau.
authors.forename: Peilian
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Henan University.
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Henan University.
authors.forename: Guoxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Huaihe Hospital.
authors.forename: Xuequn
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Huaihe Hospital.
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University.
authors.forename: Bonita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stanton
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone