Relationship between levels of testosterone and cortisol in saliva and aggressive behaviors of adolescents / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the endocrinal factors which influence the aggressive behavior of adolescents.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The levels of cortisol (CORT), testosterone (T), prolactin (PRL), and growth hormone (GH) in saliva from 20 aggressive students and 20 non-aggressive control students were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The students were matched for their gender, age, grade, stage of pubertal development, and economic status of their families.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The salivary T levels were 22.20 +/- 14.50 pg/mL and 19.54 +/- 12.52 pg/mL in aggressive male and female students, 13.20 +/- 6.85 pg/mL and 5.24 +/- 3.03 pg/mL in non-aggressive male and female students (P < 0.05). The male aggressive students had a lower level of CORT in saliva than non-aggressive male students (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the salivary levels of PRL or GH between the aggressive and non-aggressive groups. Correlation analysis revealed a negative relationship in male students between the salivary CORT levels and the aggression factor scores of the child behavior checklist (CBCL). In addition, the data also showed a positive relationship between the salivary T levels and the aggression factor scores of CBCL in female students. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the salivary CORT level was an independent predictive factor for aggressive behaviors in adolescent boys. The higher the CORT level, the less aggressive the boys were.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CORT and T levels may play a certain role in adolescent aggressive behaviors.</p>

Study on self-consciousness of children with learning disabilities and related factors / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the self-consciousness of children with learning disabilities (LD) and to identify related factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Five hundred and sixty pupils graded from 1 to 6 in an elementary school were investigated. According to the pupil rating scale revised screening for learning disabilities (PRS), combined Raven's test (CRT) and achievement of main courses, 35 of 560 pupils were diagnosed as LD children. Thirty-five children were selected from the average children and 35 from advanced children in academic achievement equally matched in class, gender, and age with LD children as control groups. The three groups were tested by Piers-Harris children's self-concept scale. Basic information of each subject was collected by self-made questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the average and advanced children, LD children got significantly lower scores in self-concept scale. Based on logistic regression analysis, 3 factors were identified, including family income per month, single child and delivery model.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that self-consciousness of children with LD is lower than that of normal children.</p>