Peer victimization and cortisol production in children and adolescents: A systematic review

Abstract

AbstractPurposeTo summarize the literature linking peer victimization to cortisol production in children and adolescents, with the goals of improving how these constructs are assessed and clarifying implications for health outcomes.MethodsA systematic search was conducted across four online databases. Searches included studies examining any association between peer victimization, or bullying, and cortisol among school‐age youth (ages 5–17 years).ResultsA thorough search of multiple online databases and careful consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines yielded 20 studies for detailed review. Peer victimization was consistently associated with blunted cortisol reactivity and diurnal cortisol slope, and least often associated with the cortisol awakening response.ConclusionsStudies that expand the range of biomarkers and the diversity of youth included in the samples; that use appropriate covariates, adequate quantities of biological samples, and reliable measures; and that test theoretically grounded pathways through which peer victimization is linked to biological stress responses will advance scholarship in this field.