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BMC Psychiatry

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Open Access 01-12-2020 | Research article

Effects of parenting interventions on child and caregiver cortisol levels: systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors: Rafaela Costa Martins, Cauane Blumenberg, Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues, Andrea Gonzalez, Joseph Murray

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

Nurturing care, in which children are raised in engaging and safe environments, may reduce child stress and shape hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Hence, parent-training programs may impact child cortisol levels, as well as behavioral, social and health outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the impact of parent-training interventions on children’s and caregivers’ cortisol levels, and meta-analyzed the results.

Methods

In January 2020, searches in PubMed, LILACS, ERIC, Web of Science, Scielo, Scopus, PsycNET and POPLINE databases were conducted, and two independent researchers screened the results for eligible studies – randomized trials that assessed the impact of parent-training interventions on child or caregiver cortisol levels. Random effects were used to pool the estimates, separately for children and caregivers, and for children’s morning and evening cortisol levels, as well as change across the day.

Results

A total of 27 eligible studies were found. Data from 19 studies were extracted and included in the meta-analyses, with 18 estimates of child cortisol levels and 5 estimates for caregiver cortisol levels. The pooled effect size (standardized mean difference) for the effects of parent training programs on morning child cortisol was 0.01 (95%CI: − 0.14 to 0.16; I²: 47.5%), and for caregivers it was 0.04 (95%CI: − 0.22 to 0.30; I²: 0.0%). Similar null results were observed for child evening cortisol and for the slope between morning and evening child cortisol. No evidence of publication bias was found.

Conclusion

Existing evidence shows no effect of parent-training interventions on child or caregiver post-intervention cortisol. Researchers are encouraged to adopt standardized protocols to improve evaluation standards, to test for intervention effects on psychosocial outcomes that are theorized to mediate the effects on biomarkers, and to use additional biomarkers for chronic stress.

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Title: Effects of parenting interventions on child and caregiver cortisol levels: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rafaela Costa Martins
Cauane Blumenberg
Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
Andrea Gonzalez
Joseph Murray
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02777-9

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Effects of parenting interventions on child and caregiver cortisol levels: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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