Deconstructing Parent-Child RSA Synchrony: The Effects of Child and Parent Factors on the Dynamic Reactivity of Mothers and Fathers at Risk

• In Event: Parent Contributions to the Coordination of Emotions, Behaviors, and Physiology Among Parent-Child Dyads

Abstract

Parent-child synchrony of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) has emerged as an important developmental process in early childhood, related to child self-regulation (Lunkenheimer et al., 2018). Prior research has shown mother-child positive RSA synchrony (related change in the same direction) in community samples, but negative RSA synchrony (related change in opposite directions) when risk factors are present (e.g., physical abuse, child behavior problems). It is also related to individual regulatory capacities in parent and child (Skoranski et al., 2017). Our aim was to examine whether child state RSA (i.e., reactivity) dynamically predicted parent state RSA during a challenging task with mother-child and father-child dyads, and whether these synchrony patterns were moderated by parent and child factors expected to influence parent physiological reactivity, namely a parental history of childhood maltreatment (CM) (Oosterman et al., 2019) and individual differences in child regulatory capacity indexed by average RSA (Beauchaine, 2019). Additionally, we examined whether RSA synchrony was curvilinear in nature such that stronger RSA responses in the child prompted stronger responses in the parent and vice versa. We hypothesized that parent-child dyads would show positive RSA synchrony overall, but that parental history of CM would be associated with negative synchrony. We also hypothesized that higher child average RSA would buffer parents with higher CM from greater stress during the task.

We examined 83 mother-preschooler and 61 father-preschooler dyads who were part of a larger study on parent-child coregulation and familial risk. Families were oversampled for low-income status, CPS involvement, or higher life stress. Children (53% male) were on average 3.03 years (SD=0.1). Race/ethnicity was 65% White, 22% Latinx, 2% Black, 2% Native American, 8% Multi-racial and 1% Other. During the 10-minute Parent-Child Challenge Task (Lunkenheimer et al., 2017), RSA was collected, and parent and child affect were observed (Dyadic Interaction Coding System; Lunkenheimer, 2009). CM was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003).

We applied intradyad dynamics modeling to examine within-dyad, between-dyad, and nonlinear effects. Results showed that relations between parent and child state RSA were curvilinear. Higher child average RSA was related to increases in maternal RSA, and lower child average RSA to decreases in maternal RSA when children showed RSA reactivity in either direction, suggesting individual differences in child regulatory capacity influenced maternal reactivity. When maternal CM and child average RSA were both higher, mothers showed RSA increases regardless of whether child RSA increased or decreased (Figure 1). Father-child synchrony was not moderated by child average RSA, but fathers with higher CM showed RSA decreases in response to both increases and decreases in children’s RSA (Figure 2).

Findings suggest that greater RSA responses in one partner prompt greater responses in the other, making synchrony more observable. CM and higher child regulatory capacity was associated with dynamic RSA increases in mothers, suggesting children’s abilities may have buffered maternal stress physiology. In contrast, CM was associated with RSA decreases in fathers, suggesting greater challenge. Further investigation is warranted into the adaptiveness of these patterns and mother-father differences in RSA synchrony.

Authors

• Anna Fuchs, The Pennsylvania State University
  Presenting Author

• Erika S. Lunkenheimer, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kayla Melissa Brown, Advocates for Human Potential
  Non-Presenting Author