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Cortisol and antisocial behavior in early adolescence: The role of gender in an economically disadvantaged sample

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2009

Roger Kobak ,
Kristyn Zajac  and
Seymour Levine
Roger Kobak*
Affiliation:
University of Delaware
Kristyn Zajac
Affiliation:
University of Delaware
Seymour Levine
Affiliation:
University of California–Davis
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Roger Kobak, Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; E-mail: rkobak@udel.edu.
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Abstract

This study examines the relation between adolescents' antisocial behaviors and adrenocortical activity during a laboratory visit in a sample of economically disadvantaged families (N = 116, ages 12–14, 51% female). Pretask cortisol levels indexed adolescents' prechallenge response to the lab visit, whereas adolescents' response to a conflict discussion with their caregivers was indexed with residualized change in pre- to postconflict cortisol levels. A trait measure of antisocial behavior (derived from parent, teacher, and self-reports) was associated with lower pretask cortisol levels but greater cortisol response to the conflict discussion. Gender moderated antisocial adolescents' cortisol response to the conflict discussion with girls who reported more covert risky problem behaviors showing an increased cortisol response. The findings suggest that, although antisocial adolescents had lower pretask cortisol levels, conflict discussions with caregivers present a unique challenge to antisocial girls compared with antisocial boys.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , May 2009 , pp. 579 - 591
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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