Reliability of diurnal salivary cortisol metrics: A meta-analysis and investigation in two independent samples

ABSTRACT: Stress-induced dysregulation of diurnal cortisol is a cornerstone of stress-disease theories; however, observed associations between cortisol, stress, and health have been inconsistent. The reliability of diurnal cortisol features may contribute to these equivocal findings. Our meta-analysis (5 diurnal features from 11 studies; total participant n = 3307) and investigation (15 diurnal cortisol features) in 2 independent studies (St. Louis Personality and Aging Network [SPAN] Study, n = 147, ages 61–73; Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation [MLSRA] Study, n = 90, age 37) revealed large variability in the day-to-day test-retest reliability of diurnal features derived from salivary cortisol data (i.e., ICC = 0.00–0.75). Collectively, these data indicate that some commonly used d

SUBMITTER: Norton S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10458689 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature