title: Early family and child-care antecedents of awakening cortisol levels in adolescence.
abstract: This study examined early observed parenting and child-care experiences in relation to functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis over the long term. Consistent with the attenuation hypothesis, individuals (n = 863) who experienced: (a) higher levels of maternal insensitivity and (b) more time in child-care centers in the first 3 years of life had lower awakening cortisol levels at age 15. Associations were small in magnitude. Nonetheless, results were (a) additive in that both higher levels of maternal insensitivity and more experience with center-based care uniquely (but not interactively) predicted lower awakening cortisol, (b) not accounted for by later caregiving experiences measured concurrently with awakening cortisol at age 15 or by early demographic variables, and (c) not moderated by sex or by difficult temperament.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. roisman@uiuc.edu
authors.forename: Glenn I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Roisman
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Susman
authors.forename: Kortnee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barnett-Walker
authors.forename: Cathryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Booth-LaForce
authors.forename: Margaret Tresch
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belsky
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Houts
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012890:Sleep; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone