Salivary cortisol in maltreated children: Evidence of relations between neuroendocrine activity and social competence

Abstract

Salivary cortisol concentrations (10:30–11:30 a.m.) and social behavior (observations and teacher reports) were examined in 33 maltreated (26 boys) and 16 comparison (8 boys) children. The maltreated children were studied for 31 days while they attended a therapeutic preschool for abused and neglected children. Children in the comparison sample were studied while attending a preschool serving economically disadvantaged families. Each child's cortisol values over days were used to compute measures of basal activity (median cortisol) and reactivity (ratio of quartile ranges). Median cortisol was not significantly correlated with social behavior measures. Cortisol reactivity was positively correlated with social competence and negatively correlated with shy/internalizing behavior. Maltreated children exhibited less cortisol reactivity then did comparison children. Maltreated children also scored lower in social competence and higher in shy/internalizing and acting out/externalizing behaviors. In additional analyses, maltreated children failed to show elevations in cortisol on days of high versus low social conflict in the classroom. Social competence was also found to correlate positively with cortisol levels on high-conflict days. In all, the results suggest a reduction in cortisol reactivity in maltreated children related to the impairment in social competence frequently noted among these children.