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Externalizing behavior and stress system functioning in infants exposed to early adversity: A multi-system

Allison Frost1, Melanie Rodriguez2, Steven Imrisek2

  • 1Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Developmental Psychobiology
|January 10, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Early stress alters children's stress response systems. Low morning cortisol combined with high morning alpha-amylase predicted fewer externalizing behaviors in infants, highlighting the importance of examining multiple physiological markers.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Early life adversity impacts stress response systems like the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS).
  • Altered diurnal rhythms of salivary cortisol (HPA marker) and alpha-amylase (ANS marker) are linked to increased behavior problems.
  • Understanding these physiological changes is crucial for identifying infants at risk for behavioral issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase patterns.
  • To determine if these physiological markers predict externalizing behavior in infants exposed to early stress.

Main Methods:

  • 179 infants (6-20 months) and parents from low-income backgrounds participated.
  • Parents reported infant externalizing behaviors and collected saliva samples over three days (wake-up and bedtime).
  • Latent difference scores modeled diurnal cortisol and alpha-amylase; four models tested interactions on behavior.

Main Results:

  • A significant interaction was found between morning cortisol and alpha-amylase levels.
  • Low morning cortisol was associated with reduced externalizing behavior only when morning alpha-amylase was high.
  • This interaction effect suggests a complex interplay between HPA axis and ANS functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Examining multiple physiological systems, not just one, is essential for understanding infant behavior.
  • The interplay between cortisol and alpha-amylase offers insights into the physiological underpinnings of externalizing behaviors in at-risk infants.
  • These findings contribute to a more nuanced view of stress physiology and behavioral outcomes in early development.

Keywords:
alpha-amylasecortisolearly adversityexternalizing behaviorinfancy

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