Patterns of stress-related change in salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol among young children: Associations with maternal psychosocial risk factors
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Our understanding of associations between family-level risk factors and children’s stress physiology is largely derived from studies that apply “mean-based” rather than “person-level” approaches. In this study, we employed group-based trajectory modeling, a person-centered approach, to identify children with similar patterns of stress-related sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation, and explored associations between these patterns and maternal psychosocial risk. Participants were five-year-old children ( N =147; 52 % female; 62 % Black/African American) and their mothers. Children’s saliva was sampled four times during a series of emotional stressor tasks and later assayed for sAA and cortisol, indexing SNS and HPA activity, respectively. Mothers reported their depressive and anxiety symptoms, parenting stress, financial stress, and income. Results revealed two task-related patterns of change for sAA (Low-Stable vs. High-Increasing) and cortisol (Low-Stable vs. High-Decreasing) concentrations. Children from families with lower income were more likely to exhibit the High-Increasing SNS pattern, [ OR =0.78, 95 % CI (0.64, 0.95)], and children of mothers reporting more anxiety symptoms [ OR =1.06, 95 % CI (1.00, 1.12)] and more parenting stress [ OR =1.04, 95 % CI (1.00, 1.07)] were more likely to show the High-Decreasing HPA pattern. Implications of this person-centered approach and findings for advancing our understanding of associations between family-level risk factors and children’s stress physiology are discussed. • Two task-related response patterns for salivary alpha amylase (Low-Stable vs. High-Increasing) and cortisol (Low-Stable vs. High-Decreasing) were found. • Children from lower income families were more likely to be in the High-Increasing Salivary Alpha Amylase Group. • Children with mothers reporting more anxiety symptoms and parenting stress were more likely to be in the High-Decreasing Cortisol Group.
Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology
Language: English
Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,890
OpenAlex ID: W4403563708