Abstract
Characteristics and effect sizes of reviewed studies Values used to compute the average effect size for setting; Values used to compute the average effect size for setting and time of day
interactions; t tests were converted into the effect size d
statistic according to formula 2. — = unable to obtain information to calculate
effect sizes
Author
Age of participants(months)
Setting
Participants (n)
Participants' sex
(n)
Time of day of cortisol measurement
(approximate)
Effect sizes
95%CI
Boys
Girls
Gunnarand others (32)
8.6 to 10.7
Daycare
38
16
22
8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
—
Lundberg and others (20)
36 to 47
Daycare and home
60
30
30
9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
—
Gunnarand others (21)
38 to 62
Daycare and home
46
14
32
10:30 AM (morning classes), 2:30 PM (afternoon classes)
−0.51
a
de Hann and others (22)
27 to 33
Daycare and home
24
14
10
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Week 1
−0.17
a
−0.76 to 0.43
Week 6 to 9
0.00
a
−0.63 to 0.63
Return week 1
0.48
a
−0.17 to 1.10
Tout and others (23)
32 to 70
Daycare
75
38
37
10:30 AM and 3:00 PM
0.83
0.50 to 1.16
Dettling and others (14)
39 to 106
Daycare and home
70
37
33
10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
39 to 59
1.17
b
0.51 to 1.78
60 to 81
0.62
b
−0.14 to 1.35
84 to 106
0.09
b
−0.51 to 0.68
Dettling and others (15)
35 to 69
Daycare and home
61
26
35
10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
Low quality
21
1.15
b
0.45 to 1.80
High quality
21
0.10
b
−0.53 to 0.73
Watamura and others (24)
32 to 69
Daycare and home
35
17
18
10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
1.91
b
1.33 to 2.45
Watamura and others (16)
3 to 38
Daycare and home
55
23
32
10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
3 to 16
20
0.11
b
−0.60 to 0.80
16 to 38
35
0.71
b
0.14 to 1.26
Ahnert and others (25)
11 to 20
Daycare and home
70
34
36
Upon the infant's arrived at daycare, 30 and 60 minutes
later
—
Legendre (26)
18 to 40
Daycare and home
113
62
51
7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, and 10:30 AM
0.59b,c
Group size (⩾ 15 children)
0.60
c
Age difference (⩾ 6 months)
0.41
c
Area available (< 5 m2)
0.45
c
Number of adults (>4)
0.60
c