It's no secret that -- regardless of how hard their parents work to establish a safe and loving home -- adopted children can experience a wide range of stresses and pressures.
Now, research indicates that a difficult childhood contributes to the development of heart disease and other health problems, according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh. (This research applied to all children, not just those in adoptive families.)
- Psychiatrist Karen Matthews studied 212 teenagers, ages 12 to 14 years old from various economic backgrounds.
- All were healthy at the time of the study.
- However, several years later, the children from lower socioeconomic levels were more likely to have stiff arteries and high blood pressure, as well as thickening of their carotid artery walls.
In her second study, Dr. Mathews asked 201 children ages 8 to 10 or 15 to 17 years to respond to stress tasks and to judge situations in terms of danger.
- Children from the lower economic levels were more likely to find danger in ambiguous situations that could be interpreted as safe.
- They had higher blood pressure, faster heart rates, and higher scores on anger and hostility.
"Many diseases first diagnosed in midlife can be traced back to childhood," Dr. Mathews said in a presentation of her study before the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.
Posted By: Adoption Issues
