Longitudinal Relationship of Early Postnatal Testosterone and Harsh Parenting at 1-3 Months of Age to Physical Aggression at 12 Months of Age in Boys and Girls.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It has been postulated that the early postnatal period, 1 to 3 months of age, is a critical period when early androgen exposure exerts long-lasting influences on aspects of behavioral development that show sex differences. The present study conducted the first test of the relationship between testosterone concentrations at 1 to 3 months of age and subsequent physical aggression. The present study is also the first to examine early postnatal testosterone and harsh parenting simultaneously as predictors of subsequent physical aggression.

Methods

The longitudinal sample included 217 boys and 208 girls and their parents. When children were 1 to 3 months old, 3 weekly saliva samples were collected from each child for testosterone assays, and a parent-reported measure w

SUBMITTER: Kung KTF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12523065 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature