Low basal salivary cortisol is associated with teacher-reported symptoms of conduct disorder.
Cortisol has been implicated in psychobiological explanations of antisocial behavior. This study measured basal salivary cortisol in a sample of 25 children (age range 6 to 12 years) selected to vary in levels of antisocial behavior. Regression analyses were used to predict cortisol concentrations from parent- and teacher-reported symptoms. Parent-reported symptoms did not predict basal cortisol. Teacher-reported conduct disorder (CD) symptoms explained 38% of the variance in the cortisol concentrations, with high symptom severity associated with low cortisol. When a distinction was made between aggressive and non-aggressive CD symptoms, aggressive CD symptoms were more clearly related to low cortisol than non-aggressive CD symptoms. In contrast to previous research, no evidence was found for a mediating role of anxiety symptoms in the relationship between CD and cortisol. The results support biologically based models of antisocial behavior in children that involve reduced autonomic activity.
Oosterlaan
Jaap
J
Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.oosterlaan@psy.vu.nl
Geurts
Hilde M
HM
Knol
Dirk L
DL
Sergeant
Joseph A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D006854:Hydrocortisone