Ye-Von Lee’s research while affiliated with University of British Columbia and other places

The present study examined the effects of a new frustration-provoking stressor, the Frustration Social Stressor for Adolescents (FSS-A), on psychological and physiological stress responses, compared to a well-established anxiety-provoking stressor, an adapted version of the Trier Social Stress Test for Teenagers (TSST-T) and a Low-Stress (LS) control. The sample included 146 adolescents from British Columbia and New Brunswick, Canada, aged 13 to 16. Results showed that the moderate-stress conditions (FSS-A, TSST-T) effected significant changes in cortisol levels compared to the LS condition, but only the TSST-T group presented a significant heart-rate change in comparison to the LS group. Increased cortisol arousal was associated with involuntary engagement strategies. Both moderate-stress conditions elicited more psychological and physiological stress responses than the LS control, especially more disengagement strategies, thereby further establishing the FSS-A as an effective protocol for exploring adolescent psychological and physiological stress. Theoretical implications are discussed and suggestions for psychoeducational interventions are given.