@article{ref1,
title="Cortisol and externalizing behavior in children and adolescents: Mixed meta‐analytic evidence for the inverse relation of basal cortisol and cortisol reactivity with externalizing behavior",
journal="Developmental psychobiology",
year="2008",
author="Alink, Lenneke R. A. and van Ijzendoorn, Marinus H. and Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Marian J. and Mesman, Judi and Juffer, Femmie and Koot, Hans M.",
volume="50",
number="5",
pages="427-450",
abstract="An inverse relation between cortisol (re)activity and externalizing behavior has been hypothesized, but research findings seem equivocal. We tested this hypo(re)activity hypothesis in two meta-analyses, one for basal cortisol (k = 72 studies, N = 5,480) and one for cortisol reactivity to a stressor (k = 29 studies, N = 2,601). No association was found between cortisol reactivity and externalizing behaviors (r = −.04, 95% CI = −.11, .02). However, the relation between basal cortisol and externalizing behavior was significant but small (r = −.05, 95% CI = −.10, −.002). The age of the children significantly moderated this relation: Externalizing behavior was associated with higher basal cortisol (hyperactivity) in preschoolers (r = .09, 95% CI = .002, .17), and with lower basal cortisol (hypoactivity) in elementary school-aged children (r = −.14, 95% CI = −.19, −.08). There was no significant relation between cortisol and externalizing behavior in adolescents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 427–450, 2008.<p />",
language="",
issn="0012-1630",
doi="10.1002/dev.20300",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dev.20300"
}