Children's diurnal cortisol activity during the first year of school. Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Pei-Jung; Lamb, Michael E.; Kappler, Gregor; Ahnert, Lieselotte
• Is Part Of: Applied developmental science. Volume 21:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 30
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1080/10888691.2016.1140578
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1088-8691

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The present study examined 4- to 5-year-old British children's diurnal cortisol activity during their first year of school. The children's cortisol was measured before enrollment (baseline), upon enrollment, and both 3 and 6 months after enrollment. On each day, cortisol was sampled four times, providing information about the diurnal amount of cortisol secreted (AUCG ). Mixed-effect models were constructed to examine the way children's cortisol fluctuated over the course of the school year. Physiological activity was greater 3 months after enrollment, suggesting that some children reacted more to the challenge of school later than they did initially. Implications and suggestions for transitional practices and future research are discussed.