1	Stress and Early Child Care Megan R. Gunnar Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota
2	What is Stress? Stress results when an outcome is important and we fear we can’t achieve it. A little stress is good for development learn about ourselves and develop new skills But development suffers when children feel helpless to achieve goals or must be constantly vigilant to avoid threat.
3	Stress Biology SAM system Adrenaline and noradrenaline Fight/flight system Fast acting Supports vigilance, attention, fast energy HPA system Cortisol; steroid hormone Sustained reactions Slow acting Turns genes on and off in the brain Affects brain development—shapes a more fearful, anxious, vigilant brain
4	Nature’s Wisdom Young children must encounter many mildly stressful situations because there is a lot they don’t know and need to learn. Don’t want the brain to become a fearful anxious brain while children are learning to manage mild stressors What to do??
5	Provide Stress Buffers
6	Buffer System and Stress Across mammalian species, when the buffer system is working effectively, the young can encounter stress, get upset, struggle, learn, turn on their SAM systems to support increased vigilance and energy, but NOT turn on their HPA systems….so they don’t risk shaping a fearful, anxious brain while they are learning to cope with stress.
7	Animal Studies: Disturbing the Buffer System What does a disturbed stress buffer system look like? Less sensitive and responsive Less supportive More intrusive Disturbed buffer system increases risk of anxious behavior, drug and alcohol use
8	Studies of Child Care
9	Child Care Involves Many Mild Stressors Separation from parents Many new children to play with who, like you, are just learning how to play with others. One or more teachers to get to know Variety of cognitive challenges What happens to cortisol levels at child care?
10	Center-Base Childcare Data on 3- to 5-Year-old Children
11	Increases in Cortisol Over the Day in Family Child Care: 3-5 yr olds
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13	Family Based Care: Higher Quality Buffers Stress Even for More Vulnerable Children
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15	Conclusions Quality of Child Care Matters: In addition to all the other reasons, high quality child care helps buffer children from stress hormone increases Does it matter that emotionally vulnerable children experience cortisol increases in lower quality child care? Don’t know yet. We are just finishing a 5 year research project that should tell us.
16	Students, Colleagues and Collaborators Andrea Dettling; Postdoctoral Fellow Sarah Watamura; then honors student now Asst Prof, U Denver Anne Sebanc; then Ph.D. student now Assoc Prof, Whittier College Kathy Tout; then Ph.D. student now Senior Researcher, Child Trends Michelle de Haan; then Ph.D. student now Lecturer U College London Jordan Hart; then Ph.D. student now practicing clinician Erin Kryzer; Project Coordinator Bonny Donzella; Senior Lab Staff