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. 2022 Sep 22;13(2):2116826.
doi: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2116826. eCollection 2022.

Theory of mind and hair cortisol in healthy young adults: the moderating effects of childhood trauma

Suonaa Lee  1   2 , Jung Tak Park  3   4 , Minji Bang  5 , Suk Kyoon An  1   2 , Kee Namkoong  1   2 , Hye Yoon Park  2   6 , Eun Lee  1   2
Affiliations

Theory of mind and hair cortisol in healthy young adults: the moderating effects of childhood trauma

Suonaa Lee et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Chinese

Background: Experiences of negative social interactions and childhood trauma (CT) can lead to aberrant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal functions. Poor theory of mind (ToM) ability is related to increased social stress levels; however, studies on the relationship between ToM and cortisol remain scarce. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between ToM and the hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in healthy young adults considering the moderating role of CT. Method: A total of 206 healthy young adults were divided into two groups based on an experience of moderate-to-severe childhood trauma (CT+ and CT-). To determine whether CT moderated the relationship between ToM and HCC, moderation analysis was conducted controlling for age, sex, years of education, and scores of perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. Results: CT+ individuals reported higher subjective stress perception and depressive symptoms than CT- individuals, whereas anxiety-related symptoms, ToM, and HCC were not different between the groups. The experience of CT significantly moderated the relationship between ToM and HCC. The association between poorer ToM ability and higher HCC was significant only in CT+ group. Conclusion: CT is a moderator of the association between ToM and HCC, indicating the importance of CT in social cognition and the stress response.

Antecedentes: Las experiencias de interacciones sociales negativas y el trauma infantil (CT por sus siglas en inglés) pueden conducir a funciones hipotalámicas-pituitarias-adrenales aberrantes. La pobre capacidad de teoría de la mente (ToM por sus siglas en inglés) está relacionada con mayores niveles de estrés social; sin embargo, los estudios sobre la relación entre ToM y cortisol siguen siendo escasos.Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la relación entre ToM y concentración de cortisol en el cabello (HCC por sus siglas en inglés) en adultos jóvenes sanos considerando el papel moderador del CT.Método: Un total de 206 adultos jóvenes sanos se dividieron en dos grupos en función de una experiencia de trauma infantil de moderada a severa (CT+ y CT–). Para determinar si el CT moderaba la relación entre ToM y HCC, se realizó un análisis de moderación controlando la edad, sexo, años de educación y las puntuaciones de estrés percibido, depresión y ansiedad.Resultados: Individuos CT+ informaron una mayor percepción subjetiva de estrés y síntomas depresivos que los individuos CT–, mientras que los síntomas relacionados con ansiedad, ToM y HCC no fueron diferentes entre los grupos. La experiencia de CT moderó significativamente la relación entre ToM y HCC. La asociación entre una capacidad de ToM más pobre y un HCC más alto fue significativa solo en el grupo CT+.Conclusión: CT es un moderador de la asociación entre ToM y HCC, lo que indica la importancia del CT en la cognición social y la respuesta al estrés.

背景：负性社交互动经历和童年创伤 (CT)可导致下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺功能异常。心智理论（ToM）能力差与社交应激水平增加有关；然而，关于 ToM 和皮质醇之间关系的研究仍然很少。目的：本研究旨在考虑 CT 的调节作用，评估健康年轻人中 ToM 与头发皮质醇浓度 (HCC) 之间的关系。方法：根据中度至重度童年创伤经历，将总共206名健康青年分为两组（CT+和CT–）。为了确定 CT 是否调节了 ToM 和 HCC 之间的关系，进行了调节分析，控制了年龄、性别、教育年限以及感知应激、抑郁和焦虑得分。结果：CT+ 个体报告的主观应激感知和抑郁症状高于 CT– 个体，而焦虑相关症状、ToM 和 HCC 无组间差异。 CT 经历显著调节了 ToM 和 HCC 之间的关系。较差的 ToM 能力与较高的 HCC 之间的关联仅在 CT+ 组中显著。结论：CT是ToM与HCC关联的调节因素，表明CT在社交认知和应激反应中的重要性。.

Keywords: Theory of mind; childhood trauma; hair cortisol concentration; social cognition; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual (A) and statistical (B) model of the association between ToM and HCC moderated by the presence of childhood trauma. The regression coefficients in (B) are calculated in a moderation analysis model including age, sex, education, perceived stress (PSS), depression (BDI) and anxiety (SAI) as covariates.
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