Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations

The assessment of salivary cortisol in community settings has gained popularity in biobehavioral research due to its noninvasive sampling, ease of handling and storage, and suitability for repeated sampling in short intervals. Ensuring consistent methodological practices for salivary cortisol is ess...

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Main Authors: Fanghong Dong, Justine S. Sefcik, Elizabeth Euiler, Nancy A. Hodgson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462400214X
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author Fanghong Dong
Justine S. Sefcik
Elizabeth Euiler
Nancy A. Hodgson
author_facet Fanghong Dong
Justine S. Sefcik
Elizabeth Euiler
Nancy A. Hodgson
author_sort Fanghong Dong
collection DOAJ
description The assessment of salivary cortisol in community settings has gained popularity in biobehavioral research due to its noninvasive sampling, ease of handling and storage, and suitability for repeated sampling in short intervals. Ensuring consistent methodological practices for salivary cortisol is essential. This systematic review critically examines salivary cortisol collection procedures, data cleaning, and analysis to better understand its role in biobehavioral research within community populations. Fifty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated significant variability in study designs and cortisol measurement procedures, particularly regarding the biobehavioral role of cortisol, sampling periods, covariate considerations, cortisol analysis parameters, and data analysis plans. The review highlights commonly used and promising study designs while identifying methodological issues in cortisol measurement and analysis that should be addressed to improve comparability in future research.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2666-3546
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publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
spelling doaj-art-d8a424ad2ec9441e98b2c0ab6edfa68b2025-01-26T05:05:04ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-02-0143100936Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerationsFanghong Dong0Justine S. Sefcik1Elizabeth Euiler2Nancy A. Hodgson3School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USACollege of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USACollege of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USASchool of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Corresponding author.The assessment of salivary cortisol in community settings has gained popularity in biobehavioral research due to its noninvasive sampling, ease of handling and storage, and suitability for repeated sampling in short intervals. Ensuring consistent methodological practices for salivary cortisol is essential. This systematic review critically examines salivary cortisol collection procedures, data cleaning, and analysis to better understand its role in biobehavioral research within community populations. Fifty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated significant variability in study designs and cortisol measurement procedures, particularly regarding the biobehavioral role of cortisol, sampling periods, covariate considerations, cortisol analysis parameters, and data analysis plans. The review highlights commonly used and promising study designs while identifying methodological issues in cortisol measurement and analysis that should be addressed to improve comparability in future research.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462400214XSalivary cortisolBiobehavioral researchCommunity setting
spellingShingle Fanghong Dong
Justine S. Sefcik
Elizabeth Euiler
Nancy A. Hodgson
Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
Salivary cortisol
Biobehavioral research
Community setting
title Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
title_full Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
title_fullStr Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
title_full_unstemmed Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
title_short Measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research: A systematic review and methodological considerations
title_sort measuring salivary cortisol in biobehavioral research a systematic review and methodological considerations
topic Salivary cortisol
Biobehavioral research
Community setting
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462400214X
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AT elizabetheuiler measuringsalivarycortisolinbiobehavioralresearchasystematicreviewandmethodologicalconsiderations
AT nancyahodgson measuringsalivarycortisolinbiobehavioralresearchasystematicreviewandmethodologicalconsiderations