de Haan M, Gunnar M R, Tout K, Hart J, Stansbury K
Cognitive Development Unit Medical Research Council, London, UK.
Dev Psychobiol. 1998 Jul;33(1):93-101. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2302(199807)33:1<93::aid-dev8>3.0.co;2-n.
We examined 10:30 a.m. salivary cortisol levels in twenty-four 2-year-old children at home, and then at several points during transition into preschool: Week 1, Weeks 6-9, and the 1st week following a month-long holiday break. Cortisol levels did not increase when the children first started school as compared to either home or later school levels. Cortisol levels were correlated across similar, but not across dissimilar, psychosocial contexts. Home levels were correlated wit more shy, anxious, internalizing behavior while the response to starting school was correlated with more assertive, angry, and aggressive behavior. Behavior was assessed using parent temperament reports, teacher reports, and observational measures. We conclude that HPA activity as indexed by salivary cortisol measures is differentially associated with behavior in familiar and novel contexts. Consistent with our prior work, shy/anxious behavior is not significantly associated with elevations in cortisol when young children enter new social situations.
我们于上午10:30在家中检测了24名2岁儿童的唾液皮质醇水平，随后在进入学前班的几个阶段进行了检测：第1周、第6 - 9周以及为期一个月的假期结束后的第1周。与在家中或之后的学校阶段相比，孩子们刚入学时皮质醇水平并未升高。在相似但非不同的心理社会环境中，皮质醇水平具有相关性。在家中的水平与更害羞、焦虑、内化行为相关，而对入学的反应则与更自信、愤怒和攻击性行为相关。行为通过家长气质报告、教师报告和观察测量进行评估。我们得出结论，唾液皮质醇测量所反映的下丘脑 - 垂体 - 肾上腺（HPA）活动在熟悉和新环境中与行为存在差异关联。与我们之前的研究一致，当幼儿进入新的社交情境时，害羞/焦虑行为与皮质醇升高并无显著关联。
