Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress as a Mediator of Early Adversity on Risk and Adaptive Outcomes

Elisabeth Conradt; Beau Abar; Barry M. Lester; Linda L. Lagasse; Seetha Shankaran; Henrietta Bada; Charles R. Bauer; Toni M. Whitaker; Jane A. Hammond

doi:10.1111/cdev.12316

Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress as a Mediator of Early Adversity on Risk and Adaptive Outcomes

Elisabeth Conradt, Beau Abar, Barry M. Lester, Linda L. Lagasse, Seetha Shankaran, Henrietta Bada, Charles R. Bauer, Toni M. Whitaker, Jane A. Hammond

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Children chronically exposed to stress early in life are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes, though the physiological mechanisms driving these effects are unknown. Cortisol reactivity was tested as a mediator of the relation between prenatal substance exposure and/or early adversity on adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. Data were drawn from a prospective longitudinal study of prenatal substance exposure (N = 860). Cortisol reactivity was assessed at age 11. Among African Americans, prenatal substance exposure exerted an indirect effect through early adversity and cortisol reactivity to predict externalizing behavior, delinquency, and a positive student-teacher relationship at age 11. Decreased cortisol reactivity was related to maladaptive outcomes, and increased cortisol reactivity predicted better executive functioning and a more positive student-teacher relationship.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2279-2298
Number of pages	20
Journal	Child Development
Volume	85
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12316
State	Published - Nov 1 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Funding

Funders	Funder number
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development	U10HD021397

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Education
Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1111/cdev.12316

Cite this

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title = "Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress as a Mediator of Early Adversity on Risk and Adaptive Outcomes",

abstract = "Children chronically exposed to stress early in life are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes, though the physiological mechanisms driving these effects are unknown. Cortisol reactivity was tested as a mediator of the relation between prenatal substance exposure and/or early adversity on adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. Data were drawn from a prospective longitudinal study of prenatal substance exposure (N = 860). Cortisol reactivity was assessed at age 11. Among African Americans, prenatal substance exposure exerted an indirect effect through early adversity and cortisol reactivity to predict externalizing behavior, delinquency, and a positive student-teacher relationship at age 11. Decreased cortisol reactivity was related to maladaptive outcomes, and increased cortisol reactivity predicted better executive functioning and a more positive student-teacher relationship.",

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AU - Conradt, Elisabeth

AU - Abar, Beau

AU - Lester, Barry M.

AU - Lagasse, Linda L.

AU - Shankaran, Seetha

AU - Bada, Henrietta

AU - Bauer, Charles R.

AU - Whitaker, Toni M.

AU - Hammond, Jane A.

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AB - Children chronically exposed to stress early in life are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes, though the physiological mechanisms driving these effects are unknown. Cortisol reactivity was tested as a mediator of the relation between prenatal substance exposure and/or early adversity on adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. Data were drawn from a prospective longitudinal study of prenatal substance exposure (N = 860). Cortisol reactivity was assessed at age 11. Among African Americans, prenatal substance exposure exerted an indirect effect through early adversity and cortisol reactivity to predict externalizing behavior, delinquency, and a positive student-teacher relationship at age 11. Decreased cortisol reactivity was related to maladaptive outcomes, and increased cortisol reactivity predicted better executive functioning and a more positive student-teacher relationship.

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Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress as a Mediator of Early Adversity on Risk and Adaptive Outcomes

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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