Brain development in early self-regulation

• In Event: 2-177 - The Unfolding of Brain and Behavior Within Affective and Social Development

Integrative Statement

Optimal development of self-regulated emotion and behavior is promoted not only by frontal lobe development, but also by co-occurring socialization experiences within the family (Bell & Deater-Deckard, 2007; Calkins & Fox, 2002; Sameroff, 2010). Although we know that from infancy into middle childhood nearly all children show dramatic improvements in their self-regulation (Blair, 2002; Blair & Raver, 2015), the etiology of individual differences in this developmental progression is poorly understood. We focused on indicators of frontal lobe development (EEG power), biological self-regulation (frontal EEG asymmetry, RSA), and early temperament in the statistical prediction of dyadic interactions and child self-regulation during early childhood.
Fifty biological mother-child dyads were a subsample of a larger longitudinal study on cognition-emotion integration in early development. At 5 months, EEG and ECG were recorded during baseline. Higher EEG power values (6-9 Hz) indicate brain maturation within age and across development (Marshall et al., 2002). Frontal EEG asymmetry (FA) was calculated (F4-F3). Negative asymmetry scores reflect greater right frontal activation associated with withdrawal; positive asymmetry scores reflect greater left frontal activation linked with approach (Coan & Allen, 2007; Fox, 1994). The frequency band for quantification of RSA was 0.24-1.04 Hz (Bar-Haim et al., 2000). RSA is linked to social engagement (Porges, 1995), with higher RSA linked to more positive social functioning. Mothers completed the IBQ-r prior to the lab visit.
At 36 months, children and mothers were given 5 minutes to complete easy then difficult puzzles while baseline and task-related dyadic EEG and ECG were recorded. EEG power and frontal asymmetry were calculated (8-13 Hz for mothers), as was RSA (0.12-0.40 Hz for mothers). PARCHISY (Parent-Child Interaction System; Deater-Deckard, 2000; Deater-Deckard, Pylas, & Petrill, 1997) was used to code maternal and child behaviors. Our focus was on dyadic emotional reciprocity and dyadic conflict.
Increases in baseline frontal EEG power from 5 to 36 months at both F3 and F4 were positively associated with dyadic emotional reciprocity during the puzzles task (both p’s<.04). At 5 months, FA was positively correlated with IBQ-r Surgency/Extraversion (p=.02) and negatively correlated with Orienting/Regulation (p=.01), mapping on the approach/withdrawal framework. FA was correlated between 5 and 36 months (r=.39, p=.02). At 36 months, maternal FA (beta=.34) and RSA (beta=.42) predicted dyadic emotional reciprocity (Rsqr=.31). Maternal FA (beta= -.52) and child FA (beta= -.35) predicted dyadic conflict during puzzles (Rsqr =.36). Longitudinally, FA at 5 months predicted the EEG physiological linkage (PL) between children and mothers during times when children were exhibiting compliant behaviors during puzzles. The PL variable was child FA interacting with maternal FA while mothers were engaged in encouraging behaviors (beta=.34, p=.07).
From a biopsychosocial perspective, these preliminary findings suggest that frontal lobe development and functioning is critical for early self-regulatory processes, especially those in the context of social interactions. The value of linking neurophysiological and behavioral measures in the study of self-regulation will be discussed.

Authors

• Martha Ann Bell, Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author

• Kirby Deater-Deckard, University Massachusetts
  Non-Presenting Author

• Richard A. Ashley, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yu Zhou, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author