title: The effects of SES on infant and maternal diurnal salivary cortisol output.
abstract: The present study directly compared diurnal salivary cortisol output and maternal-infant synchrony in low and high socio-economic status (SES) mother-infant dyads. Saliva cortisol samples were collected from 32 6-12-month-old infants and their mothers on the same day in the morning, afternoon and evening, and assayed for free cortisol concentration. Low-SES infants and mothers exhibited higher average salivary cortisol output, without dysregulation, compared to high-SES infants. Low-SES infants and mothers also showed reduced synchrony in cortisol output compared to high-SES infants and mothers. Results are discussed with respect to maternal sensitivity and early stress reduction interventions.
authors.affiliation: Whitman College, United States. Electronic address: clearfmw@whitman.edu.
authors.forename: Melissa W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Clearfield
authors.affiliation: Whitman College, United States.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carter-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Whitman College, United States.
authors.forename: Al-Rahim
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Merali
authors.affiliation: Whitman College, United States.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shober
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012923:Social Class; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Circadian rhythm; Cortisol; HPA-axis; Infancy; Mother–child relations; SES; Stress