Using hair biomarkers to examine social-emotional resilience in adolescence: A feasibility study

Background

The SKY Schools Program combines breath-based techniques and a social-emotional learning curriculum. We examined its effects on objective physiological biomarkers, including hair cortisol (HCC, chronic stress measure) and hair oxytocin (HOC, social affiliation measure), as well as behavioral (youth risk behaviors) and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression).

Methods

The SKY Schools program was adapted for post-pandemic restrictions (i.e., staff shortages, no lessons requiring writing, limited weekly follow-ups) and implemented among 7th grade students (daily in-person 40-min sessions for three weeks during physical education classes). Longitudinal assessments were obtained at baseline (T1, February 2022, N = 21), post-intervention (T2, June 2022, N = 20), and follow-up (T3, December 2022, N = 18).

Results

Most of our sample was male (67 %), Hispanic (62 %), and lived in low-income (<$100K) households (75 %). Students reported fewer poor mental health days at follow-up (Friedman test p < 0.01). Log-normal (Ln)-HCC (p < 0.01) were higher post-intervention vs. baseline (median 1.81 (IQR 1.63–2.46) vs. 1.60 (0.91–1.85)) and lower at follow-up (1.23; IQR: 0.64–1.50), with HCC in more students moving into the adaptive range (25th-75th percentile). Ln-HOC (p = 0.04) were higher post-intervention vs. baseline (1.78 (1.54–2.26) vs. 1.50 (0.81–1.70)).

Conclusions

This study uniquely evaluated the impact of the SKY intervention on hair cortisol (HCC) and hair oxytocin concentrations (HOC), which are objective, physiological measures of chronic stress and social affiliation. Results suggest that SKY may improve social affiliation and possibly HPA-axis regulation.