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Running Head: STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Exploring the Differences in Stress in Children and Adults

Joelle Sarnoff-Loo
Portland State University

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Abstract
Most people experience stress on a daily basis, whether they recognize the signs and
symptoms or not. This population continues to expand to include children that are becoming
stressed regularly. The ways that adults and children experience stress may be different, as an
analysis of the causes and results of stress in each will examine. The main causes of stress in
adults include life changes, work, and health. These causes result in a variety of mental health
effects as well as long-term risk for disease. In children, trauma, lifestyle, and home life are the
main impacts on how stressed they are. These stressors cause negative effects on development in
children in addition to the shared risk for disease in the long-term. Key differences in each of the
causes and effects of stress in children and adults contribute to the conclusion that the two
population groups experience stress differently.
Keywords: stress, children, family, disease, mental health, stress levels, health, heart
disease

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Introduction
Stress is a factor of daily life that many adults are very familiar with. Anyone who has to
manage work, family, and hobbies is probably familiar with how people experience stress in an
adult lifestyle. The National Institute of Mental Health defines stress as the brains response to
any demand, especially change, (Fact Sheet, 2013). This definition has clearly been applied to
adults on a widespread basis, but what about a population that is less thought about in the
discussion of stress- children? Exploring how children experience stress can provide insight into
the leaders of our future and what type of lifestyles they should be set up to have. Looking into
whether or not children experience stress differently than adults in particular may show what
tactics are needed to enhance the quality of life for upcoming generations. Based on my research,
the assumption that children experience stress differently than adults appears to be true.
PART I: Analyzing Stress in Adults
First of all, in order to determine if children experience stress differently than adults, it is
important to fully understand how adults are affected by stress and what main stressors cause
these results. The many fine stressors of adult life that cause mainly negative results can be
separated into a few sets of overarching categories. The first of these sets is the events in life that
can be classified as major life changes. These kinds of changes can include events that may or
may not be within an individuals control. Moving into a new home, becoming pregnant, getting
a divorce, and dealing with the death of a loved one are all life changes that are considered to be
major enough to cause a significant amount of stress in adults. Divorce in particular, has been
quantified as the number one most stressful life event, according to Bernstein (2010). All of these
events cause stress in adults because they involve major changes in the way those involved are
used to living, requiring adaptation and the ability to conceptualize and accept change.

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Understanding these events as one of the main causes of stress in adults is a vital piece in
assessing the ways adults experience stress.
The next major cause of stress for adults in the United States is work life. This subject is
stressful for Americans for many reasons. Not only do deadlines high expectations in the
workplace create pressure for employees, there are a multitude of factors that go into a work day
that cause stress for adults. The competitive market for obtaining a job can bring stress to the
minds of adults, as they have to face the alternative lifestyle of unemployment if they are
unsuccessful in securing a job. Once in the workplace, daily occurrences like an abundance of
assignments or difficult interpersonal interactions can be unpleasant enough to cause some
symptoms of stress. Facing the responsibility of fulfilling the needs of employers, which may be
extensive for many people, is a significant demand that requires the brain to react accordingly.
Overall, these pressures show that daily logistics of mature American life can collectively make
up a factor that contributes to stress for adults.
The final of the three most significant causes of stress in adults is health status. This can be
any form of health, including physical, mental, or financial well-being. In addition to ones
personal health, the health of loved ones and relatives can often produce a stress reaction in
adults. These are all capable of causing stress because it often takes adaptation to continue living
without full health. The uncertainty that comes along with any form of poor health also takes a
toll on the brain as it constantly requires the brain to respond to a new situation. Health is an
especially tricky cause of stress for adults because the more symptoms of stress that are present,
the more difficult it may become to recover from physical ailments or to focus on achieving solid
financial health. Physical health in particular is stressful because it can lead to a situation that
includes the other main causes of stress for adults. For example, a serious disease may require an

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

individual to make
major changes in their
lifestyle, like transition
to assisted living or
cause a divorce. In less
extreme cases, physical
illness can cause
damage that creates
stress as a result of
having to make up
Figure 1. Retrieved from National Institutes of Mental Health.

events or

responsibilities that may have been missed while ill. The amount of employed individuals lives
that is being missed due to illness in recent years shows the broad effects that unsatisfactory
health can have. Figure 1 presents statistics on the amount of working days lost due to illness in
the United Kingdom, which most recently reached an average of 131 million days throughout the
year (Fact Sheet, 2013). Each of these sick days is a cause for stress for those involved.
Interestingly, a sector of this cause for stress can be attributed to stress itself. This shows that the
powerful causes of stress have the ability to influence adults in a collection of ways that ripples
through multiple aspects of life.
With a clear idea of what types of situations and events cause stress in adults, many may
wonder what the consequences of such stressors are. The results of stress and the effects it has on
the health of adults is another key to assessing if children experience stress differently. The
results of stress in the adult body are commonly known as symptoms, and present themselves in

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

a variety of ways. The most easily identifiable symptoms of stress are those that are physical
effects on the body. These include headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure, and fatigue.
These physical ailments that come as a result of the stressful conditions described earlier are
alarmingly present in Americas population. According to Loman and Gunnar, nearly 80 percent
of people surveyed in America experience physical symptoms of stress (2010, pp. 867-876). This
shows that stress is an aspect of life that can have harmful effects on the adult body. However,
for the most part the physical symptoms that are noticeable on a random daily basis are not
extremely harmful to the adult body, but rather more of a nuisance. Recognizing these symptoms
can aid adults in taking action to reduce the amount of stressors in their life, and show that the
physical adult reaction to stress is mildly negative.
In addition to the discussed physical symptoms, stress can have distinct long-term effects
when they are left unresolved for a prolonged period of time. While the symptoms of stress do
not do major damage when they occur on an occasional basis, regular exposure over many years
can lead to serious negative health effects. Some long-term results of stress have been linked to
medical conditions like depression, heart disease, heart attack, and strokes. Stress is most closely
related to strokes, as it has been shown by Tennant to increase the risk of a stroke by up to 50
percent (2005). This is due to the fact that stress can result in the physical symptom of high blood
pressure, which when left unchecked can result in strokes. The risk of heart disease also has a
significant connection, as seen through the increase of 40 percent when an individual is stressed
(Tenant, 2005). This shows the severity of the potential risks that come along with chronic
stress, and highlights the need for a balanced life. Having too many stressors in life with few
breaks to calm down creates an environment open to negative health effects that can even lead to
death. Building a basis of knowledge on the events that cause adults to develop stress as well as

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

the results of these stressors give a perspective on how adults and children differ in how they
experience stress.
Part II: Examining Stress in Children
Like with adults, it is necessary to understand the causes of stress in children to
understand the ways that they react to it. The first major cause of stress in young people is
trauma. Experiencing a traumatic event can bring stress to a child at the time it occurs, as well as
continue to stay with them for several years, potentially even into adulthood. Smith, Perrin,
Dalgeish, Meider-Stedman, Clark, and Yule define trauma as any event that is life-threatening to
an individual or someone they share a bond with (2013, pp.66-72). This could be any type of
violence or accident that threatens the health of a child, or the death of someone close to them.
Peer pressure and bullying in severe cases can also be classified as trauma since these types of
interaction threaten the developing sense of self. Trauma can cause stress for children because it
threatens to create huge changes in a childs life, often in a dangerous manner. Loman and
Gunnar report the risk of being involved in traumatic events to be fairly high for children, as
nearly half of children and adolescents were assaulted at least once in the last year (2010,
pp.867-876). This shows that many children are exposed to the potential risks of trauma that can
cause stress. These factors create reactions in children that may be different than when adults are
exposed to the same events.
The next common cause of stress in children is their schedule. How parents set up the
schedule for their children has a significant impact on the amount of stress they carry in their
lives. The American culture in the modern day is known for being busy and having events and
commitments back to back all day long. While this type of scheduling is efficient and can be

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

managed well by adults, it is a cause of stress in children. This is because it requires children to
think ahead about events [they] have not yet considered as important and vital to daily life
(Jewett & Peterson, 2002). Rather than being geared toward prioritizing daily commitments, the
brains of children are in a state prepared to help them develop and survive. Therefore, needs like
intellectual and physical stimulation are more likely to be the activities that bring a healthy
lifestyle for children with reduced amounts of stress. The importance of play for children is
expressed Jewett and Peterson as being a vital part of childhood that aids social and motor skills
while using up energy, (2002). This statement from Jewett and Peterson highlights the need for
play to be incorporated into the regular schedule of a growing child for the benefit of their
developing brain. When parents or guardians set up a schedule for their child that is fully
booked, it reduced the opportunities for children to have time to play and explore their
imaginative skills. This causes stress by creating an expectation for children to invest their
energy to react to changes in activities rather than providing the opportunity to react to their own
thoughts.
The final cause of stress for children is the conditions of their home life. Having a stable
home life is important in building a low-stress environment for children because it creates a
sense of security and knowing of their surroundings. Conditions that require a parent to not be
present for extended periods of time compromise this feeling for children, according to Loman
and Gunnar (2010). This could include conditions such as deployment, divorce, or incarceration.
With divorce rates rising to cause 50 percent all North American children to witness their
parents divorce (Loman & Gunnar, 2010). There is a huge risk for home conditions to cause
stress. Growing up in environments like this is stressful to children because it reduces the bond
they can have with one of their natural caretakers. In addition, the uncertainty about when the

STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

parent will return home or what terms their guardians are on can create changes in their lifestyle
that me be uncomfortable or difficult to get used to.
The symptoms that occur as a result of stress for children are the main signs that can be
used to evaluate if children experience stress differently than adults. These symptoms present
themselves in two major ways, the first of which is the development of a childs abilities. This
includes not only emotional and mental and development, but also physical development as well.
Exposure to stress has been shown to lead to an increased heart rate. This can have a negative
influence on the way that children develop physically because it affects the blood flow in the
body that facilitates growth. Stress hindering mental development is often seen through the
behaviors of children as they grow. Behavioral issues have been linked by Tenant of the Johns
Hopkins School of Education to stressful lifestyles in up to 60 percent of cases that were
involved in the study (2005). This is a clear sign that stress caused by trauma, lifestyle, and home
life have to power to have a great negative impact on children. The results of stress on a childs
development is concerning as it affects the way they will behave the rest of their life, but the
problems extend beyond that as well.
As discussed earlier, the longer an individual is exposed to the causes of stress, the more
likely they are to develop long-term consequences. Diseases are a serious condition that can
result from too much stress in a childs life. High blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and
diabetes are all serious diseases that can be seen as a result of stress in children. One reason that
these diseases are relevant in children that are stressed is that they dovetail with obesity, which is
a common result of stress in children. Stress-induced eating has been seen in more than a quarter
of the youth population (Carlsson, Frostell, Ludvigson, & Fersjo, 2014, p.2071). This type of
eating is classified as eating that is used specifically as a stress management technique rather

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STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

than in a need for nourishment. While eating is not necessarily harmful, continuing this behavior
often means that a child is eating more than they should when they are not hungry and
potentially at unusual hours like late at night. This overeating is a result of stress that contributes
to the third of the American population of children that are obese (Carlsson, Frostell, Ludvigson,
& Fersjo, 2014, p.2071). This harmful result of stress is affecting children in a way that will
impact them for the rest of their lives, as childhood obesity increases the risk for diseases like
high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes earlier on in life. Accepting diagnoses of a
disease of this nature as a child is a serious condition that they must be aware of for the rest of
their life, with the potential to impact future opportunities for that child.
Part III: Concluding Observations
With detailed information on the causes and results of stress in both children and adults,
it is appropriate to approach the original question of how the two differ. While many of the
causes share the same root principles, it can be observed that children are stressed by simpler
things than adults. Based on the way American family structures are commonly set up, adults
take on the stress that comes along with finance and the well-being of their family, while
children are left to face the stress of reacting to all of the things they must do in a day. It is
important to understand these causes because they do differ between children and adults, but not
to the point that the stressors are in completely different realms. Likewise, the results of stress in
children and adults remain similar as well, but the severity of those results is what differs. In
adults, the physical symptoms are more relevant and are noticed more often than in children.
However, there are no developmental effects on adults as a result of stress as is seen in
developing youth. This result is significant because any hindrances to a childs development will
affect the way they act for the rest of their lives. For adults, the symptoms and results of stress

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STRESS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

result in only damaging the state of health they have already developed. The long-term effects of
stress on both children and adults can lead to similar diseases, but are a more serious concern in
children. While high blood pressure or heart disease are concerning at any age, they are
especially concerning in children because they carry the risk of heart attack and stroke for a
longer period of time. Children are the future of our nation, so seeing high rates of disease early
on in life is not very promising about what our future will be like. With such serious effects of
stress showing up in the people of our nation, finding ways to combat the negative results in both
children and adults must be done.

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References
Bernstein, A. (2010, May 25). 8 Deadly Myths About Stress. Psychology Today.
Carlsson, E., Frostell, A., Ludvigsson, J., & Faresj, M. (2014, March 1). Psychological stress in
children may alter the immune response. Journal of immunology, 192(5), 2071-81.
Fact Sheet on Stress [Web log post]. (2013, February 17). Retrieved from National Institute of
Mental Health.
Jewett, J., & Peterson, K. (2002). Stress and Young Children. ERIC Clearinghouse on
Elementary and Early Childhood Education.
Loman, M. M., & Gunnar, M. R. (2010). Early experience and the development of stress
reactivity and regulation in children. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 34(6),
867-876.
Smith, P., Perrin, S., Dalgleish, T., Meiser-Stedman, R., Clark, D. M., & Yule, W. (2013).
Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents. Current
Opinion in Psychiatry, 26(1), 66-72.
Tennant, V. 2 (2005, September). The Powerful Impact of Stress. Johns Hopkins School of
Education.