Preschool-Aged Children's Hair Cortisol and Observed Parent-Child Interactions

Parental factors, including parenting behavior, are linked to children’s stress. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a biomarker for chronic stress. In a sample of preschoolers, children’s HCC was associated with maternal hostility, support, and parent-child relationship quality measured via structured laboratory observation. Children’s HCC was also associated with children’s age.