Poster #22 - Developmental Differences in Caregiver-Infant Cardiovascular Attunement Across the Second Year of Life

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Biological Processes: Psychophysiology

Integrative Statement

Introduction/Aim: During infancy, the substrates of affect regulation are organized or disrupted through interactions with one’s caregiver. Caregiver-infant attunement is a relational process that involves bidirectional, contingent responding between a caregiver and infant as the dyad work towards a regulated state (Atkinson et al., 2016; Ostlund et al., 2016). Exposure to adaptive attunement early in development ultimately shapes and fosters optimal self-regulatory abilities in children. However, uncertainty remains about the developmental trajectory of attunement during infancy. The current investigation explores patterns of covariation between caregivers and their infants in a stress context (i.e., routine vaccination) across the second year of life at 12-, 18- and 24-months of age.

Methods: The data is part of an ongoing longitudinal study that follows caregiver-infant dyads through the second year of life at 12-month (n = 65), 18-month (n = 37), and 24-month (n = 26) routine vaccination appointments. Caregiver and infant physiological responses (Heart Rate Variability; HRV) were analyzed over a four-minute period pre- and post-vaccination. Data for four 30-second epochs were analyzed: baseline (30 seconds immediately before the needle), immediate post-needle (30 seconds immediately after the needle), 1-minute post-needle (30-second epoch at 1-minute post needle), and 2-minutes post-needle (30-second epoch at 2-minutes post-needle).

Results: During 12-month vaccinations, caregiver and infant RSA were not significantly associated. At 18-months, significant relationships were found between caregiver baseline RSA and infant RSA at all pre- and post-vaccination epochs (r=.43-.46, ps < .01). In addition, caregiver RSA immediately after the needle and at 2-minutes post-needle were associated with infant RSA at 2-minutes post-needle (r = .41, p < .05 and r = .38, p < .05, respectively). At 24-months, caregiver RSA at all pre- and post-vaccination epochs were associated with infant RSA at 3-minutes post needle (r = .44 - .52, ps < .01).

Discussion: For the first time in the literature, patterns of physiological covariation across the second year of life are provided to demonstrate developmental differences in the relational process of caregiver-infant physiological attunement during vaccination appointments. Our preliminary results suggest caregiver physiological response patterns are associated with infant physiological regulation of pain-related distress at 18- and 24-months of age. Null findings at the 12-month vaccination suggest that attunement between caregivers’ physiological responses and infant physiological reactivity and regulation in the vaccination context may not reliably manifest until after 12 months of age.

Authors

• Miranda Gabrielle DiLorenzo, York University
  Presenting Author

• Jordana A. Waxman, York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rebecca Pillai Riddell, York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hartley Garfield, University of Toronto
  Non-Presenting Author