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Parenting and Cortisol in Infancy Interactively Predict Conduct Problems and Callous–Unemotional Behaviors in Childhood
Author(s) -
Wagner Nicholas J.,
MillsKoonce W. Roger,
Willoughby Michael T.,
Cox Martha J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.12900
Subject(s) - psychology , prosocial behavior , developmental psychology , context (archaeology) , conduct disorder , maternal sensitivity , diathesis–stress model , reactivity (psychology) , intrusion , clinical psychology , medicine , paleontology , alternative medicine , medical tourism , tourism , pathology , geochemistry , political science , law , biology , geology
This study examines observed maternal sensitivity, harsh‐intrusion, and mental‐state talk in infancy as predictors of conduct problems ( CP ) and callous–unemotional ( CU ) behaviors in middle childhood, as well as the extent to which infants’ resting cortisol and cortisol reactivity moderate these associations. Using data from the Family Life Project ( n = 1,292), results indicate that maternal sensitivity at 6 months predicts fewer CP at first grade, but only for infants who demonstrate high levels of cortisol reactivity. Maternal harsh intrusion predicts fewer empathic–prosocial behaviors, a component of CU behaviors, but only for infants who demonstrate high resting cortisol. Findings are discussed in the context of diathesis–stress and differential susceptibility models.