eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 2333-4606 2018-08-15 6 3 72 78 10.12691/ajssm-6-3-2 AJSSM2018632 article Eon Campbell eon.campbell@mymona.uwi.edu 1 Rachael Irving 1 Janel Bailey 1 Lowell Dilworth 2 Wendel Abel 3 Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Biochemistry Section, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica Department of Pathology, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica Department of Community Health & Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica Psychophysiological stress appears to be a significant parameter in youth competitive sport participation. Primarily because adolescent athletes are faced with the extreme pressurized scenarios, youth competitive sport offers. Numerous youth sport performers have not learned adaptive coping skills to ameliorate the effects of an inherently stressful environment. This oftentimes results in the elicitation of stress responses, which when prolonged cause an overproduction of hormones which can have severe negative psychological and physiological implications. The implications include a disruption of metabolism and cognitive functioning, as well as cell production in the immune system which may influence the course of chronic diseases and disorders. A detailed understanding of the molecular and genetic events underlying the association of stressors with the psychophysiological pathways is crucial for the design of psychological interventions tailored specifically for athletes so as to improve well-being and performance. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajssm/6/3/2/ajssm-6-3-2.pdf psychophysiological stress youth competitive sports athletes stress responses hormones