title: Stress, cortisol and well-being of caregivers and children in home-based child care: a case for differential susceptibility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined whether children cared for by stressed caregivers show lower socio-emotional well-being and more stress, compared with children cared for by less stressed caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perceived stress and cortisol levels of professional caregivers (n = 44), and associations with children's (n = 44) well-being and cortisol levels in home-based child care were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregiver perceived stress and cortisol levels were related to children's well-being but not to children's cortisol levels. Children's social fearfulness acted as a moderator between caregivers' mean ratio of diurnal change in cortisol and children's well-being. When caregiver cortisol levels decreased, more fearful children were reported higher on well-being than less fearful peers. In contrast, when caregiver cortisol levels increased, more fearful children were reported lower on well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings point to differential susceptibility. Child care organizations and parents need to notice that a non-stressful child care environment is in particular important for children with a difficult temperament.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Groeneveld
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Vermeer
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van IJzendoorn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linting
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002654:Child Care; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D013694:Temperament
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone