질적으로 우수한 어린이집 재원아의 코티솔 패턴

Cortisol Patterns of Preschoolers Attending Very High Quality Child Care Centers

This study examined cortisol levels in 74 preschoolers(47 boys, 27 girls: aged 4 to 5 years old) attending two very high quality child care centers in Seoul. Saliva samples for the assay of cortisol were collected twice a day at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. Saliva samples were collected again within a week after the first collection. For one child care center, additional saliva samples were collected at home in the evening(8:00 pm) twice for two weeks. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analysis. In very high quality child care centers, morning cortisol levels was higher than the afternoon levels which showed a declining pattern. In addition, the preschoolers’ cortisol levels were lower in the evening at home than in the afternoon at child care center. Results suggested that differences in quality of child care centers as well as size and environment of child care centers had influences on preschoolers’ cortisol patterns throughout the day. Time preschoolers spent at childcare centers nor stability of child caretakers were not related to cortisol patterns of the preschoolers. Results of the study suggested that time preschoolers spent at the centers could be mediated by high quality of child care centers.