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Predictors of children's cortisol activation during the transition to kindergarten
Jodi A Quas1, Elise Murowchick, Jennifer Bensadoun
1Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA. jquas@uci.edu
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Stress Response
Background:
- The transition to kindergarten represents a significant developmental milestone.
- Understanding children's physiological responses to this transition is crucial for supporting their adjustment.
- Cortisol levels serve as a key biomarker for stress and adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predictors of children's cortisol responses during the kindergarten transition.
- To investigate the relationship between routine changes, prior experiences, and physiological reactivity.
- To explore parental perceptions of adaptation and their association with cortisol levels.
Main Methods:
- Salivary cortisol was measured in 50 children before and after kindergarten entry.
- Data on changes in daily routines and preschool attendance were collected.
- Parental expectations regarding children's adaptation were assessed.
Main Results:
- Increased morning cortisol levels were associated with greater changes in routines and less prior preschool experience.
- Children whose parents anticipated easier adaptation showed higher cortisol reactivity.
- These findings highlight the interplay of environmental and individual factors.
Conclusions:
- Experiential factors, such as routine changes and prior experiences, predict children's stress responses.
- Parental perceptions of adaptation are linked to children's physiological reactivity.
- Results offer insights into factors influencing self-regulation during stressful transitions.
Abstract:
The purpose of the present study was to identify predictors of children's cortisol responses after the transition to kindergarten. Morning salivary cortisol was measured in 50 children 1 week before and 1 week after they began kindergarten. Children who experienced a greater degree of change between their preschool and kindergarten routines and who had infrequent preschool experiences exhibited the largest increases in morning cortisols after kindergarten entry. Children whose parents indicated that they would have an easier, rather than more difficult, time adapting to kindergarten also tended to be more reactive in their morning cortisol levels after kindergarten entry. Results provide new insight into experiential and individual-difference factors that predict children's physiological reactivity and self-regulation during times of transition and potential stress.