A Systematic Review of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Romantic Relationships

Silence between words: Is solitude important for relatedness?

Chronic loneliness is a risk factor for physical and health problems, in part due to dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system. In contrast, temporary moments of positive solitude (passing good times alone and not feeling lonely) appear to have positive effects on mental health, social life, and creativity, and seems to be a buffer against loneliness. Herein, three ways of how solitude may have positive effects on health and relatedness are discussed, namely effects on enhancement of mind-wandering, interoceptive awareness, and spirituality. Solitude may facilitate (1) activation of the default mode network (DMN) underlying mind-wandering including daydreaming about other people; (2) activation of brain areas supporting interoceptive awareness; (3) deactivation of prefrontal cortex, or deactivation and decreased connectivity of the DMN, giving raise to susceptibility to spiritual experiences. The capacity to handle and enjoy solitude is a developmental process that may be difficult for many persons. Craving for social connections and external stimulation with digital technologies (e.g., internet, smartphones, social media) might be interfering with the development of the capacity for solitude and thereby increasing loneliness; this might be partly due to impaired interoceptive awareness and impaired functional mind-wandering (common in solitude). Congruently, overuse of digital technologies was associated with reduced activity, and reduced gray matter volume and density, in brain areas supporting interoceptive awareness, as well as with decreased connectivity of the DMN supporting creative insights. Solitude has been a relatively dismissed topic in neuroscience and health sciences, but a growing number of studies is highlighting its importance for well-being.

The predictive significance of attachment script assessment hyperactivation and deactivation: evidence of associations with romantic relationship functioning

This study examined the significance of a novel coding system for evaluating hyperactivation, deactivation, and anomalous content in the Attachment Script Assessment for romantic relationship functioning. In a sample of 208 couples (69% White, Mage 28.7 years), we tested whether ASA hyperactivation and deactivation were associated with theoretically relevant correlates, including observed behavior, parasympathetic reactivity, self-reported affective reactivity to conflict, and relationship satisfaction. Exploratory analyses examined associations of secure base script knowledge (SBSK) and anomalous content with these outcomes. ASA hyperactivation and deactivation were associated with behavioral, physiological, and self-reported functioning in theory-consistent ways. Anomalous content was not associated with romantic functioning. SBSK was associated with satisfaction, but this was not robust to covariates. Findings support the predictive validity of the hyperactivation and deactivation dimensions and suggest that these scales complement SBSK, enabling researchers to assess a wider range of behavioral and physiological indicators associated with distinctive forms of attachment insecurity.

Increased cardiac vagal tone in childhood-only, adolescent-only, and persistently antisocial teenagers: the mediating role of low heart rate

BACKGROUND

Cardiac vagal tone is an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, and there is increasing interest in its relation to antisocial behavior. It is unclear however whether antisocial individuals are characterized by increased or decreased vagal tone, and whether increased vagal tone is the source of the low heart rate frequently reported in antisocial populations.

METHODS

Participants consisted of four groups of community-dwelling adolescent boys aged 15.7 years: (1) controls, (2) childhood-only antisocial, (3) adolescent-only antisocial, and (4) persistently antisocial. Heart rate and vagal tone were assessed in three different conditions: rest, cognitive stressor, and social stressor.

RESULTS

All three antisocial groups had both lower resting heart rates and increased vagal tone compared to the low antisocial controls across all three conditions. Low heart rate partially mediated the relationship between vagal tone and antisocial behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that increased vagal tone and reduced heart rate are relatively broad risk factors for different developmental forms of antisocial behavior. Findings are the first to implicate vagal tone as an explanatory factor in understanding heart rate - antisocial behavior relationships. Future experimental work using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation or heart rate variability biofeedback is needed to more systematically evaluate this conclusion.

Self-Regulation Predicts Mental Health and Well-Being During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Study

Introduction: As evidence of the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic emerge, examining the role of self-regulation may yield key insights. This prospective study tested whether pre-pandemic self-regulation was associated with mental health, well-being, and substance use during the initial COVID-19 surge. Methods: Participants (N = 236; Mage = 30.3; 64% female) were assessed 1–3 years prior to the pandemic and again in April of 2020. Markers of self-regulation (vagal tone, attachment insecurity, stress-reactive rumination, and attentional control) were assessed at Time 1, as were depressive symptoms, sleep problems, relationship satisfaction, perceived stress, and substance use. These outcomes were assessed again during the pandemic, along with anxiety symptoms and peri-traumatic distress. Results: Poor pre-pandemic self-regulation was associated with higher peri-pandemic depressive and anxiety symptoms, peri-traumatic distress, and cannabis use. Self-regulation was not associated with sleep, relationship satisfaction, alcohol use, or drug use and did not moderate changes over time. Discussion: Prospective analyses indicated simultaneous, independent associations of cognitive and emotional self-regulation with mental health and well-being during the initial COVID-19 pandemic surge, yet pre-pandemic self-regulation did not account for trajectories of change over time. Findings emphasize the importance of prospective data for understanding biopsychosocial resilience during the pandemic and beyond.