Children's cortisol responses to a social evaluative laboratory stressor from early to middle childhood.

This study examined the stability of children's cortisol responses to a social evaluative laboratory stressor from early to middle childhood. Ninety-six children (51 males) completed stress-inducing laboratory tasks and provided five salivary cortisol samples in early (W1) and middle (W2) childhood. Although W1 cortisol responses did not predict W2 cortisol responses, children's cortisol responses demonstrated change: compared to their W1 cortisol responses, children's W2 cortisol responses demonstrated an increased slope and more negative quadratic curvature. Furthermore, child psychiatric symptoms at W1 moderated the stability of children's cortisol responses. Children with fewer preschool psychiatric symptoms demonstrated greater inter-individual and intra-individual stability, whereas children with higher preschool psychiatric symptoms and comorbidity demonstrated systematic inter-individual and intra-individual instability in cortisol responses over time. Findings suggest a developmental shift toward increasing cortisol stress responses from early to middle childhood and highlight preschool psychopathology as a moderator of stability in children's cortisol responses over time.

Parent-child adrenocortical concordance in early childhood: The moderating role of parental depression and child temperament.

This study examined biological concordance between parent and child morning cortisol and whether parent and child-level risk factors for depression moderated this association. Participants included 136 parents and their preschool-aged children. Parents and children obtained salivary cortisol samples at waking, and 30 and 45min post-waking across two days to assess the cortisol awakening response. Parental lifetime depression was assessed using a clinical interview and child temperamental negative emotionality (NE) and positive emotionality (PE) were assessed using an observational laboratory-based assessment. Results indicated significant parent-child concordance between both average cortisol levels and cortisol fluctuations across waking. Greater concordance was observed for dyads with parents with a lifetime history of depression and with children high in NE and PE. These parent- and child-level moderators were associated with different indices of concordance. Findings highlight the need to examine the role of parent and child risk factors for depression on parent-child adrenocortical concordance.

Physiological and Behavioral Vulnerability Markers Increase Risk to Early Life Stress in Preschool-Aged Children.

The study examined whether child physiological (cortisol reactivity) and behavioral (negative emotionality) risk factors moderate associations between the early rearing environment, as measured by child exposure to maternal depression and stressful life events, and preschool psychopathology and psychosocial functioning. A sample of 156 preschool-aged children (77 boys, 79 girls; age M = 49.80 months, SD = 9.57, range: 36-71) participated in an observational assessment of temperament and was exposed to a stress-inducing laboratory task, during which we obtained five salivary cortisol samples. Parents completed clinical interviews to assess child and parent psychopathology and stressful life events. Results indicated that the combination of a blunted pattern of cortisol reactivity and recent stressful life events was associated with higher levels of preschoolers' externalizing symptoms and lower psychosocial functioning. In addition, greater life stress was associated with higher levels of preschoolers' internalizing symptoms. Lastly, children with high levels of negative emotionality and who were exposed to maternal depression had the lowest social competence. Our findings highlight the critical role of the early environment, particularly for children with identified risk factors, and add to our understanding of pathways involved in early emerging psychopathology and impairment.