Salivary cortisol levels and challenging behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder

Age-related differences in the association between stereotypic behaviour and salivary cortisol in young males with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Although stereotypy has been identified as a key aspect of AB from the previous studies mentioned above, a range of AB was investigated to allow for the presence of hitherto unidentified AB correlates of cortisol. In addition, Lydon et al's (2015) sample included a range of intellectual abilities, including some participants with severe intellectual disabilities.…”

“…As also noted by Lydon et al (2015), collection of salivary cortisol from the Cortisol Awakening response (CAR) is a necessary aspect of studies seeking to describe the circadian rhythms of their samples as differing to those in children without an ASD but that was not the aim of their study or ours, which instead focussed upon the association between AB and cortisol within an ASD sample. Further, the CAR has been shown to be inconsistent among samples of children with an ASD, with some studies reporting it to be absent (Brosnan, Turner-Cobb, Munro-Naan, & Jessop, 2009), some finding it to be similar to that in non-ASD children (Corbett & Schupp, 2014;Zinke, Fries, Kliegel, Kirschbaum, & Dettenborn, 2010) and others reporting it to be present but with significant between-subject variability (Corbett, Mendoza, Abdullah, Wegelin, & Levine, 2006).…”

“…Some previous studies have described the prevalence of aberrant behaviour (AB) in children with an ASD at 82% (Murphy, Healy, & Leader, 2009) and 94% (Jang, Dixon, Tarbox, & Granpeesheh, 2011), including selfinjurious behaviour, aggression and stereotypy. These behaviours have been associated with unfortunate outcomes for the person exhibiting them, including reduced opportunities for social and community interactions (Lydon et al, 2015), as well as posing major challenges for the caregivers of these children, often producing parental stress, anxiety and depression (Bitsika & Sharpley, 2004).…”

“…Thus, it may be that high levels of chronic stress (perhaps instigated by difficulties in social communication) may have been significantly linked with chronic exaggerated Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis activity that eventually decreased the sensitivity of the glucocorticoid receptor over time (Fries, Hesse, Hellhammer, & Hellhammer, 2005;Raison & Miller, 2003). Both Lydon et al (2015) and Gabriels et al (2013) called for further investigation of the relationship between AB and cortisol, particularly in regard to the association between cortisol and stereotypy. Lydon et al (2015) also commented that the limited sample sizes in…”

“…Both Lydon et al (2015) and Gabriels et al (2013) called for further investigation of the relationship between AB and cortisol, particularly in regard to the association between cortisol and stereotypy. Lydon et al (2015) also commented that the limited sample sizes in…”