%0 Journal Article
%T 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
%J Developmental psychobiology
%D 2008
%A Alink, Lenneke R. A.
%A van Ijzendoorn, Marinus H.
%A Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Marian J.
%A Mesman, Judi
%A Juffer, Femmie
%A Koot, Hans M.
%V 50
%N 5
%P 427-450
%X 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 />
%G 
%I John Wiley and Sons
%@ 0012-1630
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dev.20300