Growing up fast: Stress exposure and subjective ‘weathering’ in emerging adulthood

Citation

Foster, H.; Hagan, J.; & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2008). Growing up fast: Stress exposure and subjective 'weathering' in emerging adulthood. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. vol. 49 (2) pp. 162-177

Abstract

We examine “subjective weathering” among females entering adulthood, using three waves of a national study. Subjective weathering is a social psychological component of aging that is associated with “physical weathering” previously observed in research on physical health. We examine the influence of stressors from childhood and adolescence on subjective weathering and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Childhood abuse is associated with early menarche, as anticipated in research on physical weathering. Early menarche and child abuse are in turn associated with intimate partner violence exposure in adolescence. Both early menarche and intimate partner violence are associated with early parenthood and diminish the likelihood of high school graduation. These experiences culminate in subjective weathering associated with depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Our findings connect physical and subjective weathering within the stress process paradigm.

URL

http://hsb.sagepub.com/content/49/2/162.full.pdf+html

Keyword(s)

Stress

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Health and Social Behavior

Author(s)

Foster, H.
Hagan, J.
Brooks-Gunn, J.

Year Published

2008

Volume Number

49

Issue Number

2

Pages

162-177

DOI

10.1177/002214650804900204

Reference ID

812