Dettling A C, Gunnar M R, Donzella B
Institute of Behavioral Science, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1999 Jul;24(5):519-36. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4530(99)00009-8.
Cortisol levels of 70 children, aged 39-106 months, were sampled at home and at their full-day childcare centers at two times of day, mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires assessing child temperament (negative affectivity, surgency or extroversion, and effortful control) and aggressive behavior. The results replicated a previous study showing increases in cortisol levels over the day at childcare for preschool-aged children, while home levels followed the expected circadian decrease in cortisol from morning to afternoon for most children regardless of age. At childcare, 3- and 4-year olds were more likely to show elevations in cortisol by mid-afternoon than were older children. Controlling statistically for age, shyness for boys, and poor self-control and aggression for both sexes were associated with increases in cortisol over the day at childcare. The results suggest that younger children and those with more immature social skills may frequently experience elevations in cortisol as the day progresses in group care contexts.
研究对70名年龄在39至106个月之间的儿童的皮质醇水平进行了采样，采样时间为上午和下午，地点分别是他们家中和全日制托儿中心。家长和教师完成了问卷调查，评估儿童的气质（消极情感、活力或外向性以及努力控制）和攻击行为。研究结果重复了之前的一项研究，该研究表明，学龄前儿童在托儿中心时，皮质醇水平在一天中会升高，而对于大多数儿童来说，无论年龄大小，家中的皮质醇水平会遵循从早晨到下午预期的昼夜节律下降。在托儿中心，3岁和4岁的儿童比年龄较大的儿童在下午中段更有可能出现皮质醇升高的情况。在对年龄、男孩的害羞程度以及男女两性的自控能力差和攻击行为进行统计学控制后发现，这些因素与托儿中心一天中皮质醇水平的升高有关。研究结果表明，随着一天中集体照料环境的进展，年龄较小的儿童以及那些社交技能较不成熟的儿童可能经常会出现皮质醇水平升高的情况。
