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Rising cortisol at childcare: relations with nap, rest, and temperament

Sarah E Watamura1, Anne M Sebanc, Megan R Gunnar

  • 1Department in Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Developmental Psychobiology
|February 9, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Cortisol levels unexpectedly rise during full-day childcare, despite typically dropping at home. Napping duration or quality did not explain this childcare cortisol increase.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Childcare Research

Background:

  • Recent studies show an unexpected rise in cortisol levels throughout the day in children attending full-day, center-based childcare.
  • This contrasts with the typical diurnal cortisol rhythm, which includes a drop in the evening, often observed at home.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between daytime rest patterns and cortisol level changes in children at childcare.
  • To determine if napping duration or quality influences the observed cortisol rise during the childcare day.

Main Methods:

  • Salivary cortisol was measured in 35 children at multiple time points during childcare (10:30 a.m., pre-rest, post-rest, 3:30 p.m.).
  • Cortisol was also measured in 8 children at home (10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m.).
  • Rest duration and quality were systematically coded during nap periods.

Main Results:

  • A cortisol rise across the childcare day was observed in 91% of children.
  • A cortisol drop was observed at home in 75% of children.
  • No significant relationship was found between napping variables (duration, quality) and the cortisol rise at childcare.
  • No differences in rest quality or duration were identified between home and childcare settings.

Conclusions:

  • Daytime rest periods do not appear to explain the cortisol rise observed during full-day childcare.
  • Factors beyond napping, potentially related to social interaction demands in group settings, may contribute to elevated cortisol levels.
  • Further research is needed to explore the impact of the childcare environment on children's stress physiology.

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