1-135 - Understanding Heterogeneity in Physiological Indices of Emotion Regulation in Children with ADHD

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Although emotion dysregulation is argued to play a central role in the etiology and symptom expression of ADHD (Barkley, 2010), examination of physiological indicators has been limited. One critical physiological system is the autonomic nervous system (ANS), comprised of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS, involved in “fight or flight” response, and PNS, involved in “rest and digest” functions, together play a critical role in self-regulation by generating and modulating physiological arousal in order to meet environmental demands. Researchers have discussed the important role that the PNS plays in facilitating adaptive emotion regulation during challenge (Porges, 2001) and the role that the SNS plays in understanding children’s emotional reactivity and environmental sensitivity (Beauchaine, 2001). Although these physiological measures may hold promise as biological markers of emotion dysregulation in youth with ADHD, work in this area is quite limited and available evidence has produced mixed findings. Variability across studies may result from the influence of co-morbidity (Beauchaine et al., 2001), the presence of other cognitive or emotion regulation deficits (Ward et al., 2015), or differences in the tasks used to elicit ANS changes (Rash & Aguirre-Camacho, 2015). Consequently, the goal of this symposium is to address questions of heterogeneity in the physiological profile of children with ADHD by considering the influence of co-morbidity, task demands, and emotional and cognitive impairment. Implications for targeted interventions and for understanding emotion dysregulation as an etiological factor for ADHD and as a transdiagnostic risk factor will be discussed.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Psychopathology

Chair

• Julia Daisey McQuade, Amherst College

Discussant

• Michelle Martel, Psychology Department, University of Kentucky

Individual Presentations

• Unlocking Heterogeneity in Childhood ADHD: Are Context-Specific Manifestations of Dysregulation the Key? - Presenting Author: Erica D Musser, Florida International University; Anthony Ward, ABC-ERICA Lab, Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University; Rachel Tenenbaum, ABC-ERICA Lab, Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University; Katrina Walczak-Reuter, ABC-ERICA Lab, Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University; Jessica Martinez, ABC-ERICA Lab, Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University

• Physiological emotion dysregulation among children with ADHD is predicted by comorbid internalizing disorders - Presenting Author: Paul J. Rosen, University of Louisville; Kirsten Leaberry, University of Louisville; Danielle Walerius, University of Louisville, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences; Nicholas Fogleman, University of Louisville, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences; Kelly Slaughter, University of Louisville, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

• Are Elevations in ADHD Symptoms Associated with Physiological Reactivity and Emotion Dysregulation in Children? - Presenting Author: Julia Daisey McQuade, Amherst College; Rosanna Breaux, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences