Relation between diurnal cortisol rhythm and school adjustment in children
Objective: To investigate the relation between children’s diurnal cortisol rhythm in school and their school adjustment. Methods: Sixty-six grade 4 students from Beijing participated in the study. Children’s aggression-disruption, shyness-sensitivity were rated by peers through peer nomination at school. Teachers completed a questionnaire to rate children’s learning problems and aggression-disruption. Children’s saliva cortisol samples were collected 6 times a day during school time, with an interval of roughly 45 minutes. ELISA was used to assay saliva cortisol. Results: Girls got higher scores in peer acceptance [(0.31 ± 0.81) vs. (-0.51 ± 0.94), P < 0.001], lower scores in learning problem and aggression-disruption [(-0.13 ± 0.95) vs. (0.42 ± 1.08), (-0.28 ± 0.71) vs. (0.46 ± 1.10), Ps < 0.05] than boys. The peak value of diurnal Cortisol in school was positively correlated to children's shyness-sensitivity (r = 0.28, P < 0. 05), and negatively correlated to peer acceptance (r = - 0.30, P < 0.05). The slope of cortisol change in school was positively correlated to children's aggression-disruption (r = 0.26, P < 0.05), and shyness-sensitivity (r = 0. 34, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated to their peer acceptance (r = 0. 33, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The change of cortisol fluctuation in school may be a good indicator for school adjustment of children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) Citation: Geng Y, Wang L, He S-C, Chen X-Y, Zhang L-L, & Xie X-F. 2010. Relation between diurnal cortisol rhythm and school adjustment in children. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 24, 455-458.