Poster #77 - Exploring the Moderating Role of RSA on Trauma Exposure and Depressive Symptoms Among African American Parents

• In Event: Poster Session 17

Abstract

Trauma, an experience or event that results in physical, psychological or emotional harm, can have long-term impacts and consequences on one’s health (Briere & Scott, 2006). African Americans in particular are at an increased risk for trauma exposure; 69% percent of all African Americans will experience trauma during their lifetime (Breslau et al., 1998). Trauma exposure among African Americans has been linked to higher rates of depression (Alim et al., 2006 ) and subsequent strain on their familial relationships (Lincoln et al., 2005). Among African American parents in particular, parental depression is associated with their children’s depression, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and behavior problems in infancy to adolescence (Daundasekara et al., 2021, Goodman et al., 2011, Lee & Gotlib 1989, Weinberg & Tronick 1998). As such, it is important to identify factors that may disrupt the impact of trauma exposure on African American parents’ depressive symptoms. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a physiological indicator of regulation, has been identified as an indicator of one’s capacity to regulate strong emotional arousal – a capacity that is likely useful in disrupting the negative psychological impact of trauma on depression. For instance, higher RSA baseline has been shown to relate to better cognitive control of emotions necessary for processing adverse effects.
The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of baseline RSA on the association between trauma exposure and depressive symptoms among African American parents and whether these associations differ by gender. Data was collected among 102 African American mothers and fathers of toddler children as a part of a larger study of resilience among high-risk, low-income families. Mothers and fathers completed the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS; Foa et al., 1997) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D; Radloff, 1977) scale. RSA data were collected from mothers and fathers from electrocardiogram readers using MindWare 3000A Wireless System and analyzed using BioLab software.
Regression analyses on study variables in SPSS were conducted separately for mothers and fathers. Results indicated that although trauma exposure was a significant predictor of depression among mothers (B = 1.06, SE = .49, p = .036) and fathers (B = 1.03, SE = .45, p = .028), there was no main effect of baseline RSA on depressive symptoms (Bs = .31 - .62, SEs = .47 - .50, ps = .227 - .509) and no interaction effect for trauma exposure and baseline RSA (Bs = -.36 - .08, SEs = .45-.56, ps = .423-.884). Our findings indicate that RSA did not moderate the association between trauma exposure and depressive symptoms. Our findings may have been limited due to the assessment baseline RSA instead of the assessment of RSA reactivity, a potentially better reflection of the regulatory capacity needed in the face of stressful or traumatic events. However, given previous research that demonstrates the role of baseline RSA in moderating the association of PTSD symptoms and parenting behaviors (____ et al. 2021), additional research on the role of baseline RSA among African American parent and child functioning is needed.

Authors

• Adjoa Fiankobia Odame-Adams, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Presenting Author

• Fantasy T. Lozada, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Deon Brown, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Summer Bryant

• Erika London Bocknek, Wayne State University