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Maternal Cortisol and Parenting in Infants' First 6 Months: The Moderating Role of Family Stress

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Title: Maternal Cortisol and Parenting in Infants' First 6 Months: The Moderating Role of Family Stress
Language: English
Authors: Liu Bai, Ekjyot K. Saini, Douglas M. Teti (ORCID 0000-0002-1574-6257)
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2026 62(5):932-947.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R01HD052809
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Mothers, Physiology, Child Rearing, Infants, Stress Variables, Family Environment, Predictor Variables
Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001955
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: The present study examined the joint effect of maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and family contextual stress on maternal bedtime parenting (i.e., emotional availability; EA) during the first 6 months postpartum. On each occasion, maternal HPA axis activity was indexed using total diurnal cortisol output (i.e., area under the curve with respect to ground) and diurnal cortisol change from afternoon to bedtime. The composite score of family contextual stress was calculated by averaging the standardized score of paternal and maternal educational level (reversed), family income-to-needs ratio (reversed), household chaos, and maternal negative life events. The multilevel models showed that greater contextual stress was associated with lower bedtime parenting quality in mothers. In addition, maternal diurnal cortisol interacted with contextual stress to predict parenting over time. At the between-person level, only among mothers with higher contextual stress, mothers with flatter cortisol declines, showed greater decreases in parenting quality from 1 to 6 months, compared to those with steeper cortisol declines. At the within-person level, for a given mother who experienced high contextual stress, parenting quality decreased on the occasion when her total cortisol output increased. The effects of cortisol indicators on parenting were not significant among mothers from families with low contextual stress.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503372
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Maternal Cortisol and Parenting in Infants' First 6 Months: The Moderating Role of Family Stress
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu+Bai%22">Liu Bai</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ekjyot+K%2E+Saini%22">Ekjyot K. Saini</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Douglas+M%2E+Teti%22">Douglas M. Teti</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1574-6257">0000-0002-1574-6257</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 62(5):932-947.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physiology%22">Physiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Rearing%22">Child Rearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Environment%22">Family Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink>
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  Data: 0012-1649<br />1939-0599
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  Data: The present study examined the joint effect of maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and family contextual stress on maternal bedtime parenting (i.e., emotional availability; EA) during the first 6 months postpartum. On each occasion, maternal HPA axis activity was indexed using total diurnal cortisol output (i.e., area under the curve with respect to ground) and diurnal cortisol change from afternoon to bedtime. The composite score of family contextual stress was calculated by averaging the standardized score of paternal and maternal educational level (reversed), family income-to-needs ratio (reversed), household chaos, and maternal negative life events. The multilevel models showed that greater contextual stress was associated with lower bedtime parenting quality in mothers. In addition, maternal diurnal cortisol interacted with contextual stress to predict parenting over time. At the between-person level, only among mothers with higher contextual stress, mothers with flatter cortisol declines, showed greater decreases in parenting quality from 1 to 6 months, compared to those with steeper cortisol declines. At the within-person level, for a given mother who experienced high contextual stress, parenting quality decreased on the occasion when her total cortisol output increased. The effects of cortisol indicators on parenting were not significant among mothers from families with low contextual stress.
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        Value: 10.1037/dev0001955
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 932
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Rearing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Family Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Maternal Cortisol and Parenting in Infants' First 6 Months: The Moderating Role of Family Stress
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            NameFull: Liu Bai
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            NameFull: Ekjyot K. Saini
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            NameFull: Douglas M. Teti
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              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0012-1649
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              Value: 1939-0599
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              Value: 62
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              Value: 5
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            – TitleFull: Developmental Psychology
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