Citation

Catherine NLA, Schonert-Reichl KA, Hertzman C, Oberlander TF. Sch. Ment. Health 2012; 4(3): 181-192.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12310-012-9076-y

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In response to a general paucity of research exploring biological markers of behavior in children in elementary school classrooms, this study investigated associations among cortisol, aggression, and prosocial (sharing and helping) behaviors, and peer and teacher supportive relationships in school-aged children. Salivary cortisol was obtained from children (N = 89, Mean age = 10.4 years, SD =.62) in classrooms three times a day (9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm) across four consecutive days. Multiple informants (i.e., peers and teachers) completed questionnaires on children's social behavior, peer acceptance (peers only), and student-teacher closeness (teachers only). The results indicated a unique mediating influence of peer acceptance and teacher closeness on the association of afternoon cortisol with prosocial and specific subtypes of aggressive behavior (proactive, reactive, social).

FINDINGS highlight the importance of peer and teacher relationships in studies of biobehavioral development and demonstrate the utility of integrating neurobiological processes in classroom-based research.

Language: en