Poster #11 - Pre-COVID Neurobiology Moderates Associations Among COVID Stress Exposure and Externalizing Symptoms in Children

• In Event: Poster Session 18

Abstract

Families living below the poverty line face increased COVID stress exposures relative to those living above it (e.g., greater morbidity and mortality, a higher population of essential workers, and decreased participation of children in virtual learning environments; Chen et al., 2021; Jay et al., 2020). Stress exposure related to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mitigation strategies are associated with increases in children’s dysregulated mood and behavior (Loades et al, 2020), yet not all children are negatively impacted. Diathesis stress theory posits that biomarkers of self-regulation (e.g., respiratory sinus arrythmia [RSA] activity) contribute to differences in children’s emotional and behavioral well-being following stress exposure (Scheeringa et al., 2021). Therefore, the present study considered the role of pre-COVID RSA as a moderator of the effects of exposure to objective COVID-related stressors (e.g., death or serious illness of a loved one; significant departure from routine) and externalizing (i.e., conduct problems, hyperactivity) behaviors in a community-based sample of primarily Black-identified (76%) school-aged low-income and economically marginalized children. Assessments were conducted both prior to (Time 1) and during (Time 2) the COVID-19 pandemic (M years between visits=3.34, SD=.92). At Time 1, children’s RSA was collected during a neutral stimulus and in reaction to a parent-child interaction challenge. At Time 2, data on exposure to stress related to COVID-19 and children’s emotional, and behavioral problems were collected using the Epidemics and Pandemics Impacts Inventory (Grasso et al., 2021) and the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991). Results demonstrated that higher levels of pre-pandemic RSA withdrawal were associated with lower levels of externalizing symptoms for children with exposure to moderate or high levels of COVID stressors, while no associations were present for children exposed to low levels of COVID stressors. These conditional effects extend diathesis stress frameworks, adding to a growing body of evidence suggesting that lower levels of RSA withdrawal may increase risk for externalizing symptoms following stressor exposure.

Group Authors

Sarah A.O. Gray, Ph.D.

Author

• Hilary Skov, Tulane University
  Presenting Author