Cortisol levels in response to starting school in children at increased risk for social phobia

Stephanie J Russ, Joe Herbert, Peter Cooper, Megan R Gunnar, Ian Goodyer, Tim Croudace, Lynne Murray

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Research on depression has identified hyperactivity of the HPA axis as a potential contributory factor to the intergenerational transmission of affective symptoms. This has not yet been examined in the context of social phobia. The current study compared HPA axis activity in response to a universal social stressor (starting school) in children of 2 groups of women: one with social phobia and one with no history of anxiety (comparison group). To determine specificity of effects of maternal social phobia, a third group of children were also examined whose mothers had generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)462-74
Number of pages13
JournalPsychoneuroendocrinology
Volume37
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2012

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