Poster #21 - Heart Rate Reactivity Moderates the Relation Between Peer Victimization and Internalizing Problems in Adolescent Girls

• In Event: 1-005 - Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Section - Biological Processes: Psychophysiology

Integrative Statement

The theory of biological sensitivity to context (BSC) suggests that heightened stress reactivity may reflect the potential for some children to develop negative mental health outcomes under adverse environmental conditions and resilience against negative mental health outcomes under supportive environments. This study investigated the interactive effects of heart rate (HR) reactivity on an understudied form of adverse environmental conditions in BSC models, peer victimization, on internalizing problems among adolescents. HR reactivity as a potential moderator on the relationship of peer victimization and internalizing problems is of interest due to its relationship to emotional dysregulation during times of psychological stress (El-Sheikh and Erath, 2011; El-Sheikh et al., 2009). Difficulties in physiological and emotional regulation are thought to be a mechanism underlying the development of internalizing pathology in adolescence (Gardener, et al., 2013; Mennin, et al., 2007). Participants were 82 adolescents (M age = 12.08 years, SD = .83) from an ethnically diverse sample (44% White, 26% Hispanic or Latino, 17% African American, 13% Mixed). Participants were nominated by peers for internalizing problems and peer victimization. HR reactivity was assessed in response to a laboratory interpersonal stressor. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was run to examine the hypothesized interactive influences of peer victimization and HR reactivity on internalizing problems. On the first step, sex was entered. On the second step, peer victimization and HR reactivity were entered. On the third step, the interaction of peer victimization x HR reactivity was tested. On the fourth step, the interaction of sex x peer victimization and sex x HR reactivity were entered. On the fifth step, the three-way interaction of sex x peer victimization x HR reactivity was tested. The three-way interaction was significant on the fifth step (β = -.23, p = .047). The two-way interaction of peer victimization x HR reactivity was then evaluated separately for each sex and was significant for girls (β = .28, p = .011), but not for boys. As shown in Figure 1, Aiken and West (1991) follow up analyses indicate that peer victimization is positively associated with internalizing difficulties especially for children with high (+1 SD) HR reactivity (β = .45, p = .036). These results suggest that HR reactivity serves as a marker of sensitivity to environmental influence, moderating the relationship between peer victimization and internalizing behaviors for adolescent girls. In accord with a BSC framework, highly reactive girls are most apt to thrive when supported by peers, but also most likely to struggle when victimized by peers. For boys, the moderating influence of HR reactivity was not present. These data suggest that boys may not be differentially sensitive to environmental influences in the same way as girls. Future research may consider investigating when sex differences in ANS reactivity to stress may emerge.

Authors

• Christopher D Aults, King's College
  Presenting Author

• Karin Machluf, Penn State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• P. Douglas Sellers, Penn State University
  Non-Presenting Author