Cortisol Levels and Stress Responses in Adolescents with Conduct Disorder
Author Information
Author(s): Graeme Fairchild, Stephanie H.M. van Goozen, Sarah J. Stollery, Jamie Brown, Julian Gardiner, Joe Herbert, Ian M. Goodyer
Primary Institution: Developmental Psychiatry Section, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge University
Hypothesis
Adolescents with early-onset conduct disorder will show reduced basal cortisol levels and hyporeactivity during psychosocial stress compared to control subjects.
Conclusion
Adolescents with conduct disorder exhibit reduced cortisol and cardiovascular responses to stress, indicating a discrepancy between emotional and physiological reactions.
Supporting Evidence
- Both CD subgroups had higher evening cortisol levels compared to control subjects.
- Cortisol responses to psychosocial stress were reduced in both CD subgroups.
- All groups reported similar increases in negative mood states during stress.
Takeaway
Boys with conduct disorder don't react to stress like other kids do; their bodies don't release as much cortisol when they're stressed.
Methodology
Participants collected saliva samples to measure cortisol levels at various times throughout the day and during a stress-inducing task.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data and retrospective symptom reporting.
Limitations
The study relied on retrospective accounts for age of onset of symptoms and lacked strict compliance measures for saliva collection.
Participant Demographics
Male adolescents aged 14-18 years, including 42 with early-onset CD, 28 with adolescence-onset CD, and 95 control subjects.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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