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Cortisol and externalizing behavior in children and adolescents: Mixed meta‐analytic evidence for the inverse relation of basal cortisol and cortisol reactivity with externalizing behavior
Author(s) -
Alink Lenneke R.A.,
van IJzendoorn Marinus H.,
BakermansKranenburg Marian J.,
Mesman Judi,
Juffer Femmie,
Koot Hans M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.20300
Subject(s) - hypoactivity , psychology , basal (medicine) , hydrocortisone , reactivity (psychology) , medicine , glucocorticoid , externalization , endocrinology , stressor , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , alternative medicine , pathology , neuroscience , insulin , psychoanalysis
An inverse relation between cortisol (re)activity and externalizing behavior has been hypothesized, but research findings seem equivocal. We tested this hypo(re)activity hypothesis in two meta‐analyses, one for basal cortisol ( k = 72 studies, N = 5,480) and one for cortisol reactivity to a stressor ( k = 29 studies, N = 2,601). No association was found between cortisol reactivity and externalizing behaviors ( r = −.04, 95% CI = −.11, .02). However, the relation between basal cortisol and externalizing behavior was significant but small ( r = −.05, 95% CI = −.10, −.002). The age of the children significantly moderated this relation: Externalizing behavior was associated with higher basal cortisol (hyperactivity) in preschoolers ( r = .09, 95% CI = .002, .17), and with lower basal cortisol (hypoactivity) in elementary school‐aged children ( r = −.14, 95% CI = −.19, −.08). There was no significant relation between cortisol and externalizing behavior in adolescents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 427–450, 2008.