The father-daughter dance: the relationship between father-daughter relationship quality and daughters' stress response

J Fam Psychol. 2012 Feb;26(1):87-94. doi: 10.1037/a0026588. Epub 2011 Dec 19.

Abstract

The goal of the study was to determine whether father-daughter relationship quality is related to activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (salivary cortisol) and autonomic nervous system (salivary alpha-amylase, sAA) in late adolescence-emerging adulthood during peer interactions. In the 1st study, reported father-daughter relationships characterized by rejection, chaos, and coercion had lower morning cortisol levels and were temperamentally more sensitive to emotional changes. In the 2nd study, young women who reported father-daughter relationships characterized by warmth, autonomy, support, and structure had lower pretask cortisol levels, and they had attenuated cortisol responses to problem discussion with a friend. In contrast, those who reported father-daughter relationships characterized by rejection, chaos, and coercion had higher pretask cortisol levels, had elevated cortisol in response to problem discussion with a friend, and were more likely to self-disclose about psychosocial stressors. No differences were observed between reported father-daughter relationship quality and sAA levels or task-related reactivity. The findings suggest that father-daughter interactions potentially influence both social cognition and HPA reactivity to developmentally salient stressors in young women.

MeSH terms

  • Father-Child Relations*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / analysis
  • Male
  • Parenting / psychology
  • Peer Group
  • Saliva / chemistry
  • Saliva / enzymology
  • Salivary alpha-Amylases / analysis
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Salivary alpha-Amylases
  • Hydrocortisone