More than 25% of youths in America experience a severe traumatic event before their 16th birthday, and many more suffer repeated or multiple trauma (Lecarie et al., 2022). According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the leading causes of trauma develop from child abuse, neglect, physical injuries, accidents or disasters, and witnessing or experiencing violence in their surroundings. This indicates childhood is a crucial life stage where individuals must be protected from factors that can trigger stress.
The behavior of children can help in determining whether they are in distress or not. Psychologists claim that behavioral change is a primary indicator of trauma among children. Childhood stress is a condition that has several behavioral effects on human growth and development. This circumstance is associated with the nature of the condition and those affected, which makes the state challenging to deal with, considering that children are less likely to speak freely about life difficulties. In most cases, children do not comprehend their stress situation unless adults monitor and notice changes in how they portray themselves in daily activities. This aspect makes it challenging for psychologists to understand how children develop and deal with the situation.
The nature of childhood stress has made researchers undertake different methods of inquiry into the physiological responses children show toward stress and related difficulties. The technical aspect of examining the symptoms that children internalize during their early childhood and how such elements impact their behavior when they grow is also important. Such aspects have forced scholars to undertake different methods to gather the information that would enable them to understand the condition, the causative factors, children’s responses, and the impacts they are likely to develop. Since it is hard for researchers to interview children due to their lack of understanding of the traumatic incidences around them, most scholars use behavioral studies and theories to provide information about their observations. In this case, a wide range of studies has been developed to provide an understanding of the various factors that may lead to childhood stress and trauma development. Diversification in the methods and processes used to understand childhood stress is evident in the two articles developed.
McMahon et al. examine social integration as a significant factor in the development of and the response to childhood trauma and stress. The article examines whether there are any links between a lack of regulation of physiological responses to stress, notably lower cardiovascular activity, and acute stress. The authors use secondary data from various projects involving midlife citizens in the United States and how social integration influenced the level of CVR and childhood trauma (McMahon et al., 2022). Social integration involved the various activities youngsters were exposed to and where they would integrate with others. These processes enable youths to develop social relationships and avoid isolation, which is the leading cause of stress or trauma in kids. The reading indicates that dysregulated cardiovascular responses ensuing from childhood trauma can be highly impacted by the social integration activities they partake in (McMahon et al., 2022). The implication of such a relationship was perceived to vary based on the type of trauma that the teens experienced.
The information provided in the article is critical as it enables individuals to realize the importance of creating social environments that promote integration among kids. I believe such information would be highly useful to parents who confine their children at home and give them little or no time to get out and interact with others. I believe the youths must be taken to places where they can meet with other children and experience the freedom to be themselves. Such incidences would enable them to regulate their physiological responses to stress.
In the second article, Lecarie et al. (2020) explore whether childhood stress predicts the development of internalizing symptoms, especially during their development stages. The article examines the various types of stress, such as additive, mediated, moderated, physiological, and interpersonal stress, that happens daily (Lecarie et al., 2022). Based on the study, aspects such as early life stress, experiences that children experience daily, and the stress responsiveness they portray. These factors are considered to play a critical role in determining the predictors of the development of psychopathology. The study provided a critical model that enabled an understanding of the various domains of stress and how they affect the internalization of the symptoms of stress during early growth years (Lecarie et al., 2022). Using models such as the additive, stress mediation, and stress sensitization frameworks allowed researchers to understand better the effects of internalizing stress on children’s development. Such models aided in comprehending stress in kids and its impact on development.
The article is beneficial as it addresses issues that affect children during their early development stages. Understanding the various determinants of stress and how they impact childhood development is essential for every parent as it would enable them to create a safe and healthy environment. I believe such information would allow them to avoid instances that would expose the kids to stress or depression. Therefore, such knowledge prevents the development of situations that would lead to the internalization of stressful incidences among the youths.
In conclusion, the two studies provide critical information related to childhood development. Considering that childhood stress is challenging to understand, the two articles provide essential information on how the conditions develop and influence behaviors during human development. While one article examines the role of social integration in dealing with childhood stress, the other examines how stressful situations are internalized, impacting their development. Such aspects are evident based on the models used to understand the cause and impacts of childhood stress.
References
Lecarie, E. K., Doane, L. D., Stroud, C. B., Walter, D., Davis, M. C., Grimm, K. J., & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2022). Does stress predict the development of internalizing symptoms in middle childhood? an examination of additive, mediated, and moderated effects of early family stress, daily interpersonal stress, and physiological stress. Developmental Psychology, 58(10), 1849–1862. Web.
McMahon, G., Griffin, S. M., Borinca, I., Bradshaw, D., Ryan, M., & Muldoon, O. T. (2022). Social Integration: Implications for the association between childhood trauma and stress responsivity. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Web.