Effects of an attachment-based intervention on the cortisol production of infants and toddlers in foster care
Effects of an attachment-based intervention on the cortisol production of infants and toddlers in foster care
复制标题
DOI：
10.1017/s0954579408000400
复制
发表时间：
2008-06-01
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Levine, Seymour
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Dozier, Mary;Peloso, Elizabeth;Levine, Seymour
对非人类灵长类动物和啮齿类动物以及人类儿童的研究表明，与照顾者的早期分离通常与下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴功能的变化有关。在这些研究结果的基础上，我们设计了一个关系干预，旨在正常化HPA功能的儿童寄养。本文介绍了一项随机临床试验的结果，该试验评估了关系干预（依恋和生物行为追赶[ABC]）对HPA功能的有效性。ABC干预旨在提高儿童调节生理和行为的能力。对照干预（家庭发展教育）旨在提高儿童的认知技能。一组从未被寄养过的儿童也被包括在内。在到达实验室后，以及在陌生情境后15分钟和30分钟，对儿童的皮质醇产生进行了评估。进行随机效应方差分析，以评估初始值的差异和两个干预组儿童之间的变化。ABC干预组和对照组儿童的皮质醇初始值低于治疗对照组儿童，将到达实验室视为初始值（p <0.05）。各组随时间变化无显著差异。这些结果表明，ABC干预在帮助儿童调节生物学方面是有效的，其方式更具有没有经历过早期逆境的儿童的特征。
Studies with nonhuman primates and rodents, as well as with human children, have suggested that early separations from caregivers are often associated with changes in the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. On the basis of these findings, we designed a relational intervention that was intended to normalize HPA functioning among children in foster care. This paper presents findings from a randomized clinical trial that assessed the effectiveness of a relational intervention (Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up [ABC]) with regard to HPA functioning. The ABC intervention was intended to enhance children's ability to regulate physiology and behavior. The control intervention (Developmental Education for Families) was intended to enhance children's cognitive skills. A comparison group of children who had never been in foster care was also included. Children's cortisol production was assessed upon arrival at the lab, and 15 and 30 min following the Strange Situation. Random effects analyses of variance were performed to assess differences in initial values and change between children in the two intervention groups. Children in the ABC intervention and comparison group children showed lower initial values of cortisol than children in the treatment control group, considering arrival at lab as initial values (p < .05). Groups did not differ significantly in change overtime. These results suggest that the ABC intervention is effective in helping children regulate biology in ways more characteristic of children who have not experienced early adversity.