Is autonomic functioning distinctly associated with anxiety and unsociability in preschoolers?

There are many benefits of peer interactions for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, and isolation from peers may have negative consequences for children. Although biological processes may underlie social withdrawal broadly, distinct patterns may be associated with withdrawal behaviors depending on their underlying motivation (e.g., shy versus disinterested). This study investigated the role of autonomic nervous system activity, as assessed via skin conductance level (SCL) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in predicting changes in unsociability (e.g., lack of interest in peers) and anxious-fearfulness (e.g., discomfort among peers). Data were collected using a community sample of 92 US preschool children (45.7% female; Mage = 45.51 months, SDage = 3.81 months) at two time points one year apart. Gender differences were also explored. Baseline physiology was assessed while viewing a neutral video clip, and reactivity was assessed while viewing social exclusion and post-aggression discussion videos. For all children, coinhibition (i.e., SCL inhibition accompanied by RSA inhibition) to the post-aggression discussion video and blunted SCL activation to the exclusion video were prospectively associated with higher levels of anxious-fearfulness one year later. For boys only, baseline reciprocal sympathetic activation (i.e., SCL activation and RSA inhibition) was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. For girls only, RSA inhibition in response to the post-aggression discussion video was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. Findings contribute to a growing literature on autonomic reactivity in preschoolers' adjustment and suggest possible differences in the physiological processes underlying unsociability and anxious-fearfulness.

The COVID-19 pandemic and measurement of preschoolers' executive functions

Given the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to investigate how executive function (EF) assessments were impacted by changes in measurement protocols, context, and timing due to the pandemic. The present study used data from two projects. The first project occurred prior to the pandemic (N = 244, 44.67% female; Mage = 44.27 months) with teacher ratings and objective EF measures collected in the spring of preschool, fall of prekindergarten (pre-K), and spring of pre-K. The second study was comprised of two cohorts, a transition cohort (i.e., Fall 2019 to Fall/Winter 2020) and a post-COVID lockdown cohort (i.e., Fall 2020 to Fall/Winter 2021). For both cohorts, data were collected in the fall of pre-K, spring of pre-K, and fall/winter of kindergarten (N = 130, 46.2% female, Mage = 44.84 months). Aims included: (1) evaluating the measurement characteristics of a virtual assessment of EF, (2) examining cohort differences in teacher and objective EF measures, (3) testing longitudinal mean-level change in EF, and (4) evaluating associations between COVID impact and change in EF. Teachers reported a marginal decrease in EF for the transition cohort and no change in the post-COVID cohort, whereas objective measurements demonstrated the expected increase in EF. Child and family COVID-19 impact emerged as risk factors for reduced EF for the transition cohort but not the post-COVID cohort. Overall, this study provides novel evidence that the timing and type of EF assessment differentially impacted estimates of children's EF. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Autonomic nervous system reactivity to emotion and childhood trajectories of relational and physical aggression

This study investigated the role of autonomic nervous system (ANS) coordination in response to emotion in girls' and boys' development of relational (e.g., ignoring, excluding) and physical (e.g., hitting, kicking) aggression. Caregivers reported on children's relational and physical aggression at ages 6, 7, 8, and 10 years (N = 232, 50.4% girls, 46.6% Latinx). Sympathetic nervous system (assessed via pre-ejection period) and parasympathetic nervous system (assessed via respiratory sinus arrhythmia) reactivity were measured in response to video clips depicting fear, happiness, and sadness at age 7. Growth curve models indicated that ANS reactivity to sadness, but not to fear or happiness, was related to trajectories of relational aggression. In contrast, ANS reactivity to all three emotions was associated with trajectories of physical aggression. Effects differed across genders, indicating that distinct patterns of ANS reactivity to emotion may be involved in girls' and boys' development of aggression. Overall, these findings contribute to a growing literature documenting the role of ANS reactivity to emotion in aggressive behavior. Moreover, this study considers ANS reactivity to specific emotions, as related to both relational and physical aggression, and as differentially expressed among girls versus boys.

Autonomic nervous system reactivity and preschoolers' social dominance

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of skin conductance level reactivity (SCLR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity (RSAR) in preschoolers' social dominance, as well as potential gender differences in these associations. Reactivity was assessed in response to viewing videos of social exclusion and a post-aggression discussion. In a community sample of 94 preschool children followed over one calendar year, reactivity to the post-aggression discussion, but not exclusion, video was related to social dominance. Specifically, increased RSAR to the post-aggression discussion video was positively associated with concurrent social dominance for both boys and girls. Longitudinally, for boys only, coactivation (i.e., increases in SCLR accompanied by increases in RSAR) to the post-aggression discussion video, which may reflect dysregulated, emotionally labile reactions to stress, was associated with relatively low levels of social dominance across the course of the year. Overall, findings contribute to a growing literature documenting the role of autonomic reactivity in preschoolers' social adjustment and extend this work to their capacity to achieve and maintain socially dominant positions with peers.

Negative parenting and functions of relational aggression: The moderating roles of gender and physiological reactivity

Dimensions of negative parenting, including permissive, authoritarian, and psychologically controlling parenting behaviors, are associated with children's engagement in relational aggression. However, some youth may be more strongly influenced by negative parenting than others, and effects may depend on whether aggression is proactive or reactive in function. In a community sample of 236 preadolescent children followed over 1 year, we examined whether children's skin conductance level reactivity (an index of "fight or flight" response) and gender moderated links between parents' self-reported negative parenting behaviors and increases in children's teacher-reported proactive and reactive relational aggression. Findings indicated that negative parenting predicted increases in proactive and reactive relational aggression, and, consistent with differential susceptibility theory, effects often emerged among highly reactive youth. Associations between negative parenting and proactive relational aggression emerged for boys but not girls. Results tentatively suggest that associations between parenting and aggression vary by the function of aggression, children's physiological reactivity to stress, and gender, although results should be interpreted with caution due to high levels of missing data. Implications for theory and intervention are discussed.

Relational victimization and depressive symptoms: The interactive role of physiological reactivity and narrative processing

Although previous studies have documented that relational victimization serves as a risk factor for depressive symptoms across developmental periods, heterogeneity in effects highlights the possibility that some individuals may be especially vulnerable. This study examined two factors that may influence the link between relational victimization and depressive symptoms: physiological reactivity and narrative processing during the recounting of a past victimization experience. In a sample of 200 college students, we examined narrative processing (i.e., use of disengagement coping strategies, positive resolution, and primary control coping strategies) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity, assessed during a standard laboratory interview, as moderators of the link between self-reported relational victimization and depressive symptoms. Although relational victimization was associated with increased rates of depressive symptoms, a combination of RSA activation and high disengagement coping appeared protective for individuals high in relational victimization. Similarly, a combination of RSA activation and high levels of positive resolution appeared protective against depressive symptoms among individuals high in relational victimization. The findings shed critical light on the interaction of physiological and cognitive processes in coping with relational victimization.