This project is an investigation of gonadal hormone influences on human sexually-dimorphic cognitive and social behavior. It is a continuation of an earlier study, which demonstrated hormonal influences on childhood play behavior and activities, and represents the first longitudinal study of the behavioral consequences of elevated prenatal androgen exposure. The purpose of the proposed study is to elaborate the behavioral mechanisms through which gonadal hormones masculinize behavior, and the developmental relationships among the various hormonally influenced behaviors.
The aims are tow-fold: (1) to follow-up hormone-exposed and control children already tested on early play behavior (a) to see if these hormone-exposed girls also have enhanced spatial ability, and, if so, (b) to determine whether hormonal influences on spatial ability are the result of increased play with boys' toys; (2) to study in detail, using aggregate measures, other sex-typed behaviors (activity level, sex-role self- concept, nurturance) in these children (a) to determine whether these behaviors are also influenced by prenatal androgen, and, if so, (b) to assess if increased motor activity level accounts for participation in masculine activities. Subjects include 140 boys and girl aged 2-11: 70 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a genetic disease which results in increased prenatal levels of androgen, and 70 sex- and age-matched siblings or cousins who serve as controls. Subjects will be tested on two occasions on toy preference, rough-and-tumble play, activity level, nurturance, sex-role self-concept, and cognitive abilities. All behaviors will be assessed with multiple measures to obtain stable, reliable individual differences on the traits of interest. The main hypotheses are that: (a) hormonal influences on toy preferences are mediated by hormonal influences on activity level, i.e., elevated prenatal androgens produce increased motor activity, which leads to CAH girls playing with boys' toys, because these toys allow for active play; and (b) hormonal influences on early toy preference only partially mediate hormonal influences on later spatial ability, i.e., CAH girls' preference for boys' toys facilitates the development of later spatial ability, but this ability is also influenced directly by gonadal hormones. Results from this study will provide information about hormonal influences on the development of specific behaviors that are both socially and educationally relevant. They will also provide information that can be used in the medical management and counseling of patients with CAH.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01HD019644-06S1
Application #
3317066
Study Section
Behavioral Medicine Study Section (BEM)
Project Start
1985-04-01
Project End
1993-05-31
Budget Start
1992-08-01
Budget End
1993-05-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Rosalind Franklin University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
069501252
City
North Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60064
Berenbaum, Sheri A (2018) Beyond Pink and Blue: The Complexity of Early Androgen Effects on Gender Development. Child Dev Perspect 12:58-64
Berenbaum, Sheri A; Beltz, Adriene M (2016) How Early Hormones Shape Gender Development. Curr Opin Behav Sci 7:53-60
DiDonato, Matthew D; Berenbaum, Sheri A (2013) Predictors and consequences of gender typicality: the mediating role of communality. Arch Sex Behav 42:429-36
Berenbaum, Sheri A; Bryk, Kristina L Korman; Beltz, Adriene M (2012) Early androgen effects on spatial and mechanical abilities: evidence from congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Behav Neurosci 126:86-96
Beltz, Adriene M; Swanson, Jane L; Berenbaum, Sheri A (2011) Gendered occupational interests: prenatal androgen effects on psychological orientation to Things versus People. Horm Behav 60:313-7
DiDonato, Matthew D; Berenbaum, Sheri A (2011) The benefits and drawbacks of gender typing: how different dimensions are related to psychological adjustment. Arch Sex Behav 40:457-63
Berenbaum, Sheri A; Bryk, Kristina Korman; Duck, Stephen C (2010) Normal intelligence in female and male patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Int J Pediatr Endocrinol 2010:853103
Cohen-Bendahan, Celina C C; van de Beek, Cornelieke; Berenbaum, Sheri A (2005) Prenatal sex hormone effects on child and adult sex-typed behavior: methods and findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 29:353-84
Berenbaum, Sheri A; Korman Bryk, Kristina; Duck, Stephen C et al. (2004) Psychological adjustment in children and adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. J Pediatr 144:741-6
Berenbaum, Sheri A; Bailey, J Michael (2003) Effects on gender identity of prenatal androgens and genital appearance: evidence from girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88:1102-6

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