What is it about?
This study sought to observe testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, and cortisol responses in children during a mixed-sex, team, academic competition. Methods Salivary steroid hormones were collected, along with measures of performance, Body Mass Index, and pubertal development in ethnically Chinese boys (n = 18) and girls (n = 27), aged 9–10 years, during a math competition (N = 45).
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Despite girls having higher pre-match androstenedione, both sexes exhibited similar patterned hormone responses. Only cortisol and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio decreased during the competition. However, DHEA, androstenedione, and cortisol match changes were partially related to psychosocial variables (e.g., performance, outcome, participation). These findings provide new insight into factors which may underpin steroid hormone responses during middle childhood non-athletic competition.
Perspectives
Results are relevant to life history approaches for investigating the proximate and ultimate processes that likely influence steroid hormone activity during middle childhood social development, a time when primary sex steroids secretion is low.
Wai-chi Chee
Hong Kong Baptist University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Acute Salivary Steroid Hormone Responses in Juvenile Boys and Girls to Non-physical Team Competition, Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, March 2018, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s40750-018-0089-0.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
