Reading Exercise: Toxic stress, a gradual wearing and tearing

B. This mechanism works well when we need to dodge a speeding bus or when we feel someone trailing us down a dark alley. In those instances, our stress is considered 'positive' because it's temporary and aids survival. However, our bodies sometimes respond similarly to more everyday stressors. When a child confronts continuous and unrelenting stress from neglect, abuse, or chaotic living conditions, the response remains active and can eventually disrupt normal development. This is what we refer to as 'toxic stress'. Its effects vary among children and can be mitigated by the presence of a parent or caregiver, making the stress 'tolerable'. Nonetheless, toxic stress can have profound consequences, sometimes spanning generations. Addressing stressors before they alter the brain and impact our immune and cardiovascular systems is a major concern in childhood development today.

C. In 1998, researchers Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda introduced a study that illustrated how individuals who experienced abuse or dysfunction in their households during childhood were more likely to suffer from serious health issues like cancer or liver diseases, as well as adopt unhealthy lifestyle habits such as heavy drinking or drug use in adulthood. This study became known as the 'ACE Study', short for 'adverse childhood experiences'. Since then, scientists have linked over a dozen forms of ACEs—including homelessness, discrimination, and physical, mental, and sexual abuse—with an increased risk of poor health outcomes in adulthood.

D. Each child responds to stress differently, and some are naturally more resilient than others. Nevertheless, the pathways connecting childhood adversity to health problems in adulthood ultimately lead back to toxic stress. Jenny Anderson, senior reporter at Quartz, explains that 'when a child lives with abuse, neglect, or witnesses violence, he or she is constantly primed for fight or flight'. The burden of this stress, termed 'allostatic load or overload', refers to the wear and tear resulting from excessive stress or ineffective management of internal balance—such as failing to deactivate the stress response when it's no longer needed. This can harm developing brains and bodies. A brain that consistently perceives danger struggles to organize itself, leading to later difficulties in paying attention, sitting still, or following instructions—skills crucial for learning.

E. Toxicity is a contentious term. Critics argue that it carries inherent judgment and may unfairly attribute blame to parents for social circumstances beyond their control. Others suggest it's often misapplied to describe the stress itself rather than the biological processes through which it can impact certain children negatively. According to John Devaney, centenary chair of social work at the University of Edinburgh, the term can stigmatize individuals and imply traumatic events in their past.

F. Some pediatricians dislike the term because of the complexity in addressing the stressors their patients face, ranging from poverty to racism. They find it pessimistic to inform families that their child is experiencing toxic stress without actionable solutions. However, Nadine Burke Harris, surgeon general of California, argues that identifying the issue allows us to allocate resources towards it, giving pediatricians tools to address 'toxic stress'.

G. The most effective strategy to prevent toxic stress is to reduce its sources. This can be challenging, especially if the stress originates from the child's own family. However, coaching for parents and connecting families with resources to address their stressors—such as food insecurity, housing instability, or the parent's own trauma—can be beneficial. Another approach is to ensure children receive love and support from trusted adults, which stabilizes their stress responses even in difficult situations.

H. Megan Gunnar, a child psychologist and director of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, explains, 'When a parent is present and the relationship is secure, the parent essentially buffers stress: the child cries, the parent responds, and the need for intense biological responses diminishes because the parent serves as a protective system.' This underscores why Harvard's Center on the Developing Child recommends supporting caregivers with services like mental health or addiction support, as their well-being enables them to better care for their children.

Question 1-6

The reading text consists of six sections, A-F.

Select the appropriate heading from the list below for each section.

Place the correct number (i – vii) into the boxes provided.

List of Headings

i The debate surrounding the term 'toxic'

ii Impacts of various stress types

iii Ways to safeguard children from harmful stress

iv An association between adverse experiences and health issues and unhealthy habits

v The body’s responses to perceived harmful events

vi Indications of prolonged stress

vii Adverse effects of toxic stress on children’s mental well-being

1 Paragraph A

2 Paragraph B

3 Paragraph C

4 Paragraph D

5 Paragraph E

6 Paragraph F

Questions 7-9

Select TRUE if the statement aligns with the information provided in the text, FALSE if it contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

7 Felitti and Anda were the first to show that ACEs create impacts regarding health and habits later on in life.

8 Some children have the same level of vulnerability to stressful events.

9 Several paediatricians consider poverty and racism the primary contributors to toxic stress.

Questions 10-13

Examine the individuals below and the list of statements provided.

Associate each individual with the appropriate statement, A-E.

Indicate the correct letter A-E in the boxes.

List of statements

A Early traumatic experiences could lead to difficulties in self-regulation.

B Supportive and responsive relationships with caring parents can prevent or reverse the detrimental effects of toxic stress reactions.

C Accurately identifying a type of stress can aid in its treatment process.

D The actual name of a specific stress type could expose a multitude of individuals.

E Toxic stress may result in subsequent generations suffering from adverse impacts on both mental and physical health issues.

10 Megan Gunnar

11 Jenny Anderson

12 John Devaney

13 Nadine Burke Harris

Answers:

1. v (Đoạn A, “We breathe faster, taking in more oxygen, muscles tense, our senses are sharpened and beads of sweat appear.”)

2. ii (Đoạn B, “In those cases, our stress is considered “positive”, because it is temporary and helps us survive. But our bodies sometimes react in the same way to more mundane stressors, too.”)

3. iv (Đoạn C, “…people who had experienced abuse or household dysfunction as children were more likely to have serious health problems, like cancer or liver diseases…”)

4. vii (Đoạn D, “The burden of that stress, which is known as ‘allostatic load or overload,’ referring to the wear and tear that results from either too much stress…”)

5. i (Đoạn E, “Toxic is a loaded word. Critics say the term is inherently judgmental and may appear to blame parents for external social circumstances over which they have little control.”)

6. iii (Đoạn F, “Another one is to ensure love and support from a parent or caregiver. Young children’s stress responses are more stable, even in difficult situations, when they are with an adult they trust.”)

7. TRUE (Đoạn C, “In 1998, two researchers, Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda, pioneered in publishing a study demonstrating that people who had experienced abuse or household dysfunction…”)

8. FALSE (Đoạn B, “The effects are not the same in every child, and can be buffered by the support of a parent or caregiver, in which case the stress is considered “tolerable”.”)

9. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

10. B (Đoạn F, “As Megan Gunnar, …basically the parent eats the stress: the kid cries, the parent comes, and it doesn’t need to kick in the big biological guns because the parent is the protective system”.”)

11. A (Đoạn D, “As Jenny Anderson, senior reporter at Quartz, explains, “when a child lives with abuse, neglect, or is witness to violence, he or she is primed for that fight or flight all the time.”)

12. D (Đoạn E, “The term, writes John Devaney, centenary chair of social work at the University of Edinburgh, “can stigmatise individuals and imply traumatic happenings in the past”.”)