Poster #19 - HRV Reactivity and Impulse Control Difficulties in Adolescence: Observed and Self-Reported Negative Emotion as Moderators

• In Event: 3-053 - Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Section - Biological Processes: Psychophysiology

Integrative Statement

Impulse control difficulties are implicated in health risk behaviors (substance use; e.g., Verdejo-García, Bechara, Recknor, & Pérez-García, 2007). Heart rate variability (HRV) may be one predictor of impulse control difficulties. In a study by Williams and colleagues (2015), higher resting HRV was associated with reduced impulse control difficulties. No study to date, however, has examined the relation between HRV reactivity to a challenge and impulse control difficulties. Several studies have linked reduced HRV reactivity during a challenge state to lower levels of externalizing behaviors and better emotion regulation in adults and adolescents (e.g., Beauchaine, Gatzke-Kopp, & Mead, 2007). However, a select number of studies have found that increased HRV reactivity during a challenge state is related to better emotional functioning in adults and adolescents (Hastings et al. 2008). It is possible that emotional arousal may moderate the relation between HRV reactivity and outcomes, including impulse control difficulties. Reduced HRV during a challenge may be adaptive in situations of high arousal because greater parasympathetic withdrawal is needed to incentivize action (Cui et al., 2015). Increased HRV during a challenge may be adaptive in situations of low arousal where it is important to maintain autonomic resources (Cui et al., 2015). It may be that HRV reactivity is most related to impulse control difficulties when it is incongruent with the demands of a task. The present study examined this. We hypothesized that: (1) adolescent HRV reactivity to a challenging task would predict changes in impulse control difficulties over 1 year, and (2) emotional arousal during the challenging task would moderate the relation between HRV reactivity and impulse control difficulties. Method: In this study, 248 11-14 year olds (M = 12.61, SD = .64; 51% boys; 71% White) completed a challenging interaction task at baseline and completed self-report questionnaires on their impulse control difficulties at baseline and at 1 year follow-up. For the challenge task, adolescents and their mothers engaged in an interaction task where they discussed a topic of conflict for 10 minutes. HRV was measured during a resting state prior to the interaction task and then during the interaction task. Adolescents also reported on their experience of negative emotion before the task and after/during the task. Finally, the interaction was also coded for adolescent negative emotional expression. Results: HRV reactivity (HRV during task minus HRV at resting state) significantly predicted changes in impulse control difficulties one year later (b = .0005, p < .05). Moderation analyses revealed that observed (b = .001, p < 0.05) and self-reported (b = .0003, p < 0.05) negative emotion during the task both moderated the relation between HRV reactivity and changes in impulse control difficulties from baseline to 1 year follow-up. Specifically, HRV reactivity predicted increases in impulse control difficulties at low levels of observed negative emotion and high levels of self-reported negative emotion (Figures 1 and 2). These results provide partial support for our hypotheses and highlight the importance of considering emotional arousal when considering HRV reactivity and impulse control difficulties.

Authors

• Stefanie F. Gonçalves, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Robin Semelsberger, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claire Niehaus, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tara Chaplin, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author