Hair Cortisol, Perceived Stress and Dispositional Optimism: A Pilot Study among Adolescents

Hair Cortisol, Perceived Stress and Dispositional Optimism: A Pilot Study among Adolescents

Psychological stress is often associated with poor health-related outcomes. One potential biomarker for chronic stress, hair cortisol, is minimally invasive compared to other cortisol collection techniques. This pilot study examined the relationships between hair cortisol and self-reported perceived stress, stressful life events, depressive symptoms, and dispositional optimism among adolescents.