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Acute Salivary Steroid Hormone Responses in Juvenile Boys and Girls to Non-physical Team Competition

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Abstract

Objectives

Little psychoneuroendocrine research has focused on steroid hormone responses to non-physical competition in middle childhood. 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).

Results

Testosterone and estradiol levels were generally low and unmeasurable. Nearly every competitor experienced decreases in cortisol and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio. Pre- and post-match DHEA and androstenedione did not significantly change. Exploratory analyses revealed a positive correlation between DHEA change and team performance among non-active participants (i.e. did not attempt to answer a question). ANCOVAs revealed differences in percentage change in androstenedione between active (n = 20) and non-active participants (n = 25) and among winners (n = 7) and losers (n = 38), and positive associations with age. Percentage change in cortisol was significantly lower among losers compared to winners. Performance measures were positively correlated with DHEA change and percentage change in androstenedione.

Conclusions

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.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the students, parents, and school administrators for their participation. In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to Fiona So, Wesley Lui, Billy Lee, and Ka-yan Cheuk for making the implementation of our study design possible. Special thanks to Timothy Lo and Tommy Liu for their help in data collection, Tony Tong for help in translating the forms, David Kimball for running the hormone assays at ZRT Laboratory and to Sherri Zava, Genevieve Neyland, and Wendy Norris for their continued support. Thank you, Wenner-Gren Foundation, for supplying the funding to facilitate this project.

Funding

This work was supported by a Wenner-Gren dissertation fieldwork grant (#9239).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 455003, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-5003, USA

    Timothy S. McHale & Peter B. Gray

  2. Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong

    Ka-chun Chan

  3. ZRT Laboratory, Beaverton, OR, USA

    David T. Zava

  4. Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

    Wai-chi Chee

Authors
  1. Timothy S. McHale
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  2. Peter B. Gray
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  4. David T. Zava
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  5. Wai-chi Chee
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Contributions

Statistical analysis and crafted the manuscript: McHale.

Study design and implementation: McHale, Gray, Chee.

Data Collection: McHale, Chee, Chan.

Logistical Support: Gray, Zava, Chee, Chan.

Edited the manuscript, provided intellectual content, and critical feedback: McHale, Gray, Zava, Chan, Chee.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timothy S. McHale.

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The authors declare they have no conflict of interest with the contents of this manuscript.

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McHale, T.S., Gray, P.B., Chan, Kc. et al. Acute Salivary Steroid Hormone Responses in Juvenile Boys and Girls to Non-physical Team Competition. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology 4, 223–247 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-018-0089-0

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