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Peoples SG, Davis EL, Brooker RJ. Variation in coupling across neural and cardiac systems of regulation is linked to markers of anxiety risk in preschool. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38487916 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Both cortical and parasympathetic systems are believed to regulate emotional arousal in the service of healthy development. Systemic coordination, or coupling, between putative regulatory functions begins in early childhood. Yet the degree of coupling between cortical and parasympathetic systems in young children remains unclear, particularly in relation to the development of typical or atypical emotion function. We tested whether cortical (ERN) and parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) markers of regulation were coupled during cognitive challenge in preschoolers (N = 121). We found no main effect of RSA predicting ERN. We then tested children's typical and atypical emotion behavior (context-appropriate/context-inappropriate fear, anxiety symptoms, neuroendocrine reactivity) as moderators of early coupling in an effort to link patterns of coupling to adaptive emotional development. Negative coupling (i.e., smaller ERN, more RSA suppression or larger ERN, less RSA suppression) at age 3 was associated with greater atypical and less typical emotion behaviors, indicative of greater risk. Negative age 3 coupling was also visible for children who had greater Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms and blunted cortisol reactivity at age 5. Results suggest that negative coupling may reflect a maladaptive pattern across regulatory systems that is identifiable during the preschool years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Peoples
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca J Brooker
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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2
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Osofsky JD, Fields-Olivieri MA, Frazer AL, Graham RA, McCurdy BH, Weems CF. What to Look for in Relationships: Development, inter-rater reliability, and initial validity estimates for a young child-caregiver relationship assessment. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1157665. [PMID: 37057146 PMCID: PMC10086182 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1157665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionObservational assessments are important for understanding a range of behaviors and emotions in the young child-caregiver relationship. This paper provides initial data on a multidimensional assessment for professionals who work with young children and their caregivers, the What to Look for in Relationships (WLR). The WLR was designed to assist providers in evaluating strengths and areas for improvement in five areas of young child-caregiver relationship dimensions. This paper reports on the development, interrater reliability, initial convergent and discriminant validity, and incremental utility of the scales.MethodsData were collected from caregiver-child dyads, who participated in a semi-structured observational caregiver-child interaction session as part of a clinic evaluation for relationship-based therapeutic services for young children in child protection. Recorded interactions were coded using the WLR scales with 146 interactions coded by at least two independent observers for interrater reliability analyses.ResultsThe scales showed adequate internal consistency, good inter-rater reliability, strong convergent associations with a single dimension measure (i.e., the Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale; PIR-GAS) and discriminated those in the clinical range from those with adaptive functioning on the PIR-GAS.DiscussionThis study provides initial support for the usefulness of the WLR scales for assessing dimensions of caregiver-child relationships during early childhood that may be useful targets of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy D. Osofsky
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Joy D. Osofsky,
| | | | - Andrew L. Frazer
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Rebecca A. Graham
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Bethany H. McCurdy
- Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Carl F. Weems
- Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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Sabu P, Stuldreher IV, Kaneko D, Brouwer AM. A Review on the Role of Affective Stimuli in Event-Related Frontal Alpha Asymmetry. FRONTIERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcomp.2022.869123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontal alpha asymmetry refers to the difference between the right and left alpha activity over the frontal brain region. Increased activity in the left hemisphere has been linked to approach motivation and increased activity in the right hemisphere has been linked to avoidance or withdrawal. However, research on alpha asymmetry is diverse and has shown mixed results, which may partly be explained by the potency of the used stimuli to emotionally and motivationally engage participants. This review gives an overview of the types of affective stimuli utilized with the aim to identify which stimuli elicit a strong approach-avoidance effect in an affective context. We hope this contributes to better understanding of what is reflected by alpha asymmetry, and in what circumstances it may be an informative marker of emotional state. We systematically searched the literature for studies exploring event-related frontal alpha asymmetry in affective contexts. The search resulted in 61 papers, which were categorized in five stimulus categories that were expected to differ in their potency to engage participants: images & sounds, videos, real cues, games and other tasks. Studies were viewed with respect to the potency of the stimuli to evoke significant approach-avoidance effects on their own and in interaction with participant characteristics or condition. As expected, passively perceived stimuli that are multimodal or realistic, seem more potent to elicit alpha asymmetry than unimodal stimuli. Games, and other stimuli with a strong task-based component were expected to be relatively engaging but approach-avoidance effects did not seem to be much clearer than the studies using perception of videos and real cues. While multiple factors besides stimulus characteristics determine alpha asymmetry, and we did not identify a type of affective stimulus that induces alpha asymmetry highly consistently, our results indicate that strongly engaging, salient and/or personally relevant stimuli are important to induce an approach-avoidance effect.
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Kujawa A, Brooker RJ. Methods and metrics for EEG/ERP assessment of emotion and cognition in young children. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22284. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.22284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychological Sciences Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee USA
| | - Rebecca J. Brooker
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
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5
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Juvrud J, Haas SA, Fox NA, Gredebäck G. Infants' Selective Visual Attention Is Dependent on Maternal Affect and Emotional Context. Front Psychol 2021; 12:700272. [PMID: 34603127 PMCID: PMC8481686 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of selective attention during the first year of life is critical to cognitive and socio-emotional skills. It is also a period that the average child’s interactions with their mother dominate their social environment. This study examined how maternal negative affect and an emotion face prime (mother/stranger) jointly effect selective visual attention. Results from linear mixed-effects modeling showed that 9-month olds (N=70) were faster to find a visual search target after viewing a fearful face (regardless of familiarity) or their mother’s angry face. For mothers with high negative affect, infants’ attention was further impacted by fearful faces, resulting in faster search times. Face emotion interacted with mother’s negative affect, demonstrating a capacity to influence what infants attend in their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Juvrud
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sara A Haas
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Gustaf Gredebäck
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Vaccaro SM, Tofighi D, Moss N, Rieger R, Lowe JR, Phillips J, Erickson SJ. The association of infant temperament and maternal sensitivity in preterm and full-term infants. Infant Ment Health J 2021; 42:374-385. [PMID: 33836096 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Infants who experience sensitive caregiving are at lower risk for numerous adverse outcomes. This is especially true for infants born preterm, leading them to be more susceptible to risks associated with poorer quality caregiving. Some research suggests that preterm and full-term infants differ on temperament, which may contribute to these findings. This study aimed to investigate associations between infant temperament (negative emotionality, positive affectivity/surgency, and orienting/regulatory capacity) and maternal sensitivity among infants born preterm (M = 30.2 weeks) and full term. It was hypothesized that mothers of infants born preterm and mothers of infants with more difficult temperaments would display lower sensitivity, indicated by lower responsiveness to nondistress, lower positive regard, and higher intrusiveness. Videotaped play interactions and a measure of temperament (Infant Behavior Questionnaire) were coded for 18 preterm and 44 full-term infants at 9 months (corrected) age. Results suggest that mothers of preterm and full-term infants differed significantly in responding to their infants, but these results cannot be explained by infant temperament. Preterm status and sociodemographic risk emerged as correlates of maternal behavior, such that mothers of infants born preterm and mothers with greater sociodemographic risk displayed lower levels of maternal sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M Vaccaro
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Davood Tofighi
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Natalia Moss
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Rebecca Rieger
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jean R Lowe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - John Phillips
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106, USA
| | - Sarah J Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Kiel EJ, Phelps RA, Brooker RJ. Maternal dynamic respiratory sinus arrhythmia during toddlers' interactions with novelty. INFANCY 2021; 26:388-408. [PMID: 33590694 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Maternal psychophysiological responses to toddlers' distress to novelty may have important implications for parenting during early childhood that are relevant to children's eventual development of social withdrawal and anxiety. Likely, these responses depend on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors. The current study investigated the time course of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) across two laboratory novelty episodes, one low threat and one moderate threat, in 120 mothers of 2-year-old toddlers. Growth models tested context differences in and correlates of dynamic patterns of RSA. Dynamic patterns differed between tasks and according to mothers' perceptions of and distress about toddler shyness. Thus, changes in mothers' RSA across toddlers' interactions with novelty seem to depend on the context as well as how mothers perceive and respond to their toddlers' shyness.
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8
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Buhler-Wassmann AC, Hibel LC, Fondren K, Valentino K. Child diurnal cortisol differs based on profiles of maternal emotion socialization in high risk, low income, and racially diverse families. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:538-555. [PMID: 33073357 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Young children's physiological and emotional regulation depend on supportive caregiving, especially in the context of stress and adversity. Experiences of child maltreatment become biologically embedded by shaping stress physiology. Maternal emotion socialization may have an important influence on children's limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) functioning. Grounded in theories of caregiver emotion socialization, a person-centered latent profile analysis was utilized to identify profiles of maternal emotion socialization among a high risk, low income, and racially diverse group of 248 mothers and their young children (Mage = 4.39 years, SD = 1.10). The majority of the mothers (n = 165) had a history of involvement with the Department of Child Services for substantiated cases of child maltreatment. A latent profile analysis was conducted revealing three emotion socialization profiles: disengaged, engaged, and engaged + supportive. Emotion socialization profile differences in children's diurnal cortisol levels and slope (using area under the curve with respect to ground and increase, respectively) were examined. Children's diurnal cortisol levels were higher, and slopes were flatter, when mothers used more disengaged emotion socialization strategies. Mothers who neglected their children were more likely to fit the disengaged profile than the engaged profile. Implications for the socialization of regulation in children exposed to adversity are discussed.
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9
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Davis EL, Brooker RJ, Kahle S. Considering context in the developmental psychobiology of self‐regulation. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:423-435. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. Davis
- Department of Psychology University of California, Riverside Riverside CA USA
| | | | - Sarah Kahle
- University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
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10
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Alperin BR, Smith CJ, Gustafsson HC, Figuracion MT, Karalunas SL. The relationship between alpha asymmetry and ADHD depends on negative affect level and parenting practices. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 116:138-146. [PMID: 31233897 PMCID: PMC6625668 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Atypical frontal alpha asymmetry is associated with the approach/withdrawal and affective processes implicated in many psychiatric disorders. Rightward alpha asymmetry, associated with high approach, is a putative endophenotype for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, findings are inconsistent, likely because of a failure to consider emotional heterogeneity within the ADHD population. In addition, how this putative risk marker interacts with environmental factors known to increase symptom severity, such as parenting practices, has not been examined. The current study examined patterns of alpha asymmetry in a large sample of adolescents with and without ADHD, including the moderating role of negative affect and inconsistent discipline. Resting-state EEG was recorded from 169 well-characterized adolescents (nADHD = 79). Semi-structured clinical interviews and well-validated rating scales were used to create composites for negative affect and inconsistent discipline. The relationship between alpha asymmetry and ADHD diagnosis was moderated by negative affect. Right asymmetry was present only for those with ADHD and low levels of negative affect. In addition, greater right alpha asymmetry predicted severity of ADHD symptoms for those with the disorder, but only in the context of inconsistent parenting practices. Results confirm right alpha asymmetry is a possible endophenotype in ADHD but highlight the need to consider emotional heterogeneity and how biological risk interacts with child environment in order to fully characterize its relationship to disorder liability and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany R. Alperin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Christiana J. Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Hanna C. Gustafsson
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - McKenzie T. Figuracion
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Sarah L. Karalunas
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. Portland, OR 97239, USA
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11
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Schmidt NL, Brooker RJ, Carroll IC, Gagne JR, Luo Z, Planalp EM, Sarkisian KL, Schmidt CK, Van Hulle CA, Lemery-Chalfant K, Goldsmith HH. Longitudinal Research at the Interface of Affective Neuroscience, Developmental Psychopathology, Health and Behavioral Genetics: Findings from the Wisconsin Twin Project. Twin Res Hum Genet 2019; 22:233-239. [PMID: 31498059 PMCID: PMC6750215 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2019.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The Wisconsin Twin Project comprises multiple longitudinal studies that span infancy to early adulthood. We summarize recent papers that show how twin designs with deep phenotyping, including biological measures, can inform questions about phenotypic structure, etiology, comorbidity, heterogeneity, and gene-environment interplay of temperamental constructs and mental and physical health conditions of children and adolescents. The general framework for investigations begins with rich characterization of early temperament and follows with study of experiences and exposures across childhood and adolescence. Many studies incorporate neuroimaging and hormone assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Schmidt
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Rebecca J Brooker
- Texas A&M University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Ian C Carroll
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Gagne
- Texas A&M University, Educational Psychology, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Zhan Luo
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Katherine L Sarkisian
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Cory K Schmidt
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | | | - H H Goldsmith
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
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12
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Lawler JM, Bocknek EL, McGinnis EW, Martinez-Torteya C, Rosenblum KL, Muzik M. Maternal Postpartum Depression Increases Vulnerability for Toddler Behavior Problems through Infant Cortisol Reactivity. INFANCY 2019; 24:249-274. [PMID: 32677203 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined the role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity (a physiological indicator of stress) in early infancy as a mediator of the relationship between maternal postpartum depression and toddler behavior problems. Participants were 137 at-risk mothers and their children participating in a longitudinal study of intergenerational transmission of risk. Mothers' depression was measured five times during the infants' first 18 months. Infant cortisol was collected during a social stressor (the still-face paradigm) when infants were 6 months old, and mothers reported on toddlers' internalizing and externalizing symptoms at 18 months. Among this sample of high-risk mother-infant dyads, early postpartum depression predicted atypical infant cortisol reactivity at 6 months, which mediated the effect of maternal depression on increased toddler behavior problems. Clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Muzik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
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13
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Van Hulle CA, Moore MN, Lemery-Chalfant K, Goldsmith HH, Brooker RJ. Infant stranger fear trajectories predict anxious behaviors and diurnal cortisol rhythm during childhood. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 29:1119-1130. [PMID: 28318454 PMCID: PMC5509479 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417000311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Although a robust literature has linked stable, high levels of fear across childhood to increased risk for anxiety problems, less is known about alternative pathways to anxiety. We tested two putatively normative developmental pathways of early fearfulness for their distinct associations with behavioral (anxiety-related behaviors and symptoms) and biological (diurnal cortisol) markers of anxiety risk in middle childhood in a community-based sample (n = 107). Steeper increases in fear from 6 to 36 months predicted more parent-reported anxiety symptoms at age 8 years. In addition, children who exhibited steep increases in fear during infancy were overrepresented among children with diagnoses of separation anxiety disorder at age 8 years. Finally, we showed that steeper increases in fearfulness in infancy predicted flatter slopes of diurnal cortisol at age 8 years for girls. Thus, differences in stranger fear across infancy may indicate varying degrees of risk for anxious behaviors in later childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A. Van Hulle
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Mollie N. Moore
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | | | - H. Hill Goldsmith
- University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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