title: Sex differences in biological response to peer rejection and performance challenge across development: A pilot study.
abstract: A pilot study of sex differences in biological response to peer rejection and performance challenges across development was conducted. Participants were 59 typically-developing children (ages 8-17; 58% girls); 59 children completed one challenge: 37 completed both challenges. Following a habituation session, participants completed peer rejection (exclusion challenges) and/or performance (speech, arithmetic, tracing) stress sessions. Saliva cortisol and alpha amylase (AA) were measured throughout. Post-pubertal girls showed increased AA and equivalent cortisol output in response to rejection vs. performance; pre-pubertal girls showed heightened cortisol and AA response to performance vs. rejection. Boys showed similar biological responses across puberty, with pre- and post-pubertal boys demonstrating heightened cortisol, but equivalent AA output in response to performance vs. rejection stressors. Although results are preliminary, they suggest increases in relative sensitivity to rejection vs. performance stressors and malleability of stress response across development in girls, but stability of stress response across development in boys. Future, larger-scale, longitudinal studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, United States; Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, United States. Electronic address: Laura_Stroud@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Laura R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Stroud
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, United States. Electronic address: George_Papandonatos@brown.edu.
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Papandonatos
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, United States. Electronic address: cdangelo@uab.org.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, United States. Electronic address: b.brush10@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brush
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA 02747, United States. Electronic address: erichardson@umassd.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Lloyd-Richardson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006803:Human Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Autonomic; Cortisol; Development; Peer rejection; Performance; Puberty; Sex differences; Stress