TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortisol and children's adjustment
T2 - The moderating role of sympathetic nervous system activity
AU - El-Sheikh, Mona
AU - Erath, Stephen A.
AU - Buckhalt, Joseph A.
AU - Granger, Douglas A.
AU - Mize, Jacquelyn
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This research was partially supported by a National Science Foundation Grant 0339115, and an Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station/Lindsey Foundation Grant no. ALA080-001. We gratefully acknowledge contributions made by Christine Acebo for help with the actigraphy measures, and the staff of the Child Development Lab for data collection. We also thank children and parents who participated. In the interest of full disclosure, it is noted that Dr. Granger is founder and CEO of Salimetrics LLC.
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - We examined relations among cortisol, markers of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (including salivary alpha-amylase and skin conductance level), and children's adjustment. We also tested the Bauer et al. (Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 23(2), 102-113, 2002) hypothesis that interactions between the SNS and cortisol would be associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. Saliva samples were obtained from 8- to 9-year-olds before and after a laboratory assessment battery, and were assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA). Basal skin conductance level (SCL) was measured during resting conditions. Parents reported on child adjustment. Interactions between basal SNS and cortisol levels explained moderate amounts of unique variance in children's externalizing and internalizing problems. More specifically, higher basal cortisol levels were positively associated with higher internalizing and externalizing problems among children with higher SNS activity, as compared to children with lower SNS activity. Findings underscore the utility of including information about the coordination between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and SNS activity in biosocial models of atypical child development.
AB - We examined relations among cortisol, markers of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (including salivary alpha-amylase and skin conductance level), and children's adjustment. We also tested the Bauer et al. (Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 23(2), 102-113, 2002) hypothesis that interactions between the SNS and cortisol would be associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. Saliva samples were obtained from 8- to 9-year-olds before and after a laboratory assessment battery, and were assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA). Basal skin conductance level (SCL) was measured during resting conditions. Parents reported on child adjustment. Interactions between basal SNS and cortisol levels explained moderate amounts of unique variance in children's externalizing and internalizing problems. More specifically, higher basal cortisol levels were positively associated with higher internalizing and externalizing problems among children with higher SNS activity, as compared to children with lower SNS activity. Findings underscore the utility of including information about the coordination between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and SNS activity in biosocial models of atypical child development.
KW - Children's adjustment
KW - Cortisol
KW - Salivary alpha-amylase
KW - Skin conductance level
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41549101034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=41549101034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10802-007-9204-6
DO - 10.1007/s10802-007-9204-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 18197472
AN - SCOPUS:41549101034
SN - 0091-0627
VL - 36
SP - 601
EP - 611
JO - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
JF - Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
IS - 4
ER -