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The development of the cortisol response to dyadic stressors in Black and White infants
Andrew Dismukes1, Elizabeth Shirtcliff1, Christopher W Jones2
1Iowa State University.
Insights
Early life stress impacts cortisol reactivity differently in Black and White infants. Racial discrimination contributes to these differences by 1 year, highlighting the need for early interventions to reduce health disparities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Stress and health research
- Pediatric health disparities
Background:
- Cortisol reactivity, a marker of stress exposure, can be influenced by early adversity.
- Existing research suggests race may moderate the impact of adversity on stress response.
- Understanding infant stress responses is crucial for identifying early markers of health disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize infant cortisol reactivity to dyadic stress paradigms in the first year of life.
- To investigate race-based differences in cortisol reactivity between Black and White infants.
- To examine the influence of socioeconomic status, discrimination, urban stressors, and racial socialization on infant cortisol patterns.
Main Methods:
- Salivary cortisol reactivity was measured in 207 infants at 4 months using the Still Face paradigm.
- Cortisol reactivity was assessed in 129 infants at 12 months during the Strange Situation procedure.
- Correlates of racial inequity and racial socialization were evaluated alongside cortisol levels.
Main Results:
- Infants showed the fastest cortisol recovery after the Still Face paradigm and highest reactivity to the Strange Situation procedure.
- No race differences in cortisol reactivity were observed at 4 months.
- By 12 months, Black infants exhibited higher cortisol reactivity compared to White infants, with discrimination experiences contributing to these differences.
Conclusions:
- Race-related differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity emerge during infancy.
- The first year of life is a critical window for interventions targeting maternal-infant dyads to shape HPA reactivity.
- Early interventions can potentially mitigate long-term health disparities stemming from early life stress and racial inequity.
Abstract:
Acute reactivity of the stress hormone cortisol is reflective of early adversity and stress exposure, with some studies finding that the impact of adversity on the stress response differs by race. The objectives of the current study were to characterize cortisol reactivity to two dyadically based stress paradigms across the first year of life, to examine cortisol reactivity within Black and White infants, and to assess the impact of correlates of racial inequity including socioeconomic status, experiences of discrimination, and urban life stressors, as well as the buffering by racial socialization on cortisol patterns. Salivary cortisol reactivity was assessed at 4 months of age during the Still Face paradigm (N = 207) and at 12 months of age across the Strange Situation procedure (N = 129). Infants demonstrated the steepest recovery after the Still Face paradigm and steepest reactivity to the Strange Situation procedure. Race differences in cortisol were not present at 4 months but emerged at 12 months of age, with Black infants having higher cortisol. Experiences of discrimination contributed to cortisol differences within Black infants, suggesting that racial discrimination is already "under the skin" by 1 year of age. These findings suggest that race-related differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity are present in infancy, and that the first year of life is a crucial time period during which interventions and prevention efforts for maternal-infant dyads are most likely able to shape hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity thereby mitigating health disparities early across the life course.
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