Parental Proximity and Cognitive Scaffolding Bolster a Neurocognitive Measure of Child Emotion Regulation Flexibility

• In Event: 2-167 - Multi-dimensional Approaches in Assessing Emotion Regulation in Early Childhood

Integrative Statement

Emotion regulation (ER) is a key predictor of positive adjustment throughout the lifespan (e.g. Gross & John, 2003). Despite decades of research on discrete ER strategy use, ER may be more appropriately measured in terms of the breadth of emotional range, or the degree to which one can flexibly modulate emotional responses (Bonanno & Burton, 2013). Yet, little is known about ER flexibility in childhood, nor about how parent-child social context influences child ER flexibility. To address these gaps in the literature, this study employed a neurocognitive signature of ER flexibility that reflects breadth of emotional response: the late positive potential (LPP). The LPP is an event-related potential (ERP) that is modulated by reappraisal (Foti & Hajcak, 2008), a widely-studied ER strategy defined as interpreting a stimulus in a more positive light (e.g. Gross & John, 2003). Further, given parents’ substantial role in child ER efforts (Cole, Martin, & Dennis, 2004), ER assessments were conducted in systematically varied social contexts including conditions in which parents were present or supported child ER via scaffolding, a technique through which parents can increase their children’s emotional and cognitive functioning at a level exceeding what they could achieve alone (Wood, et al., 1976). We hypothesized that greater ER flexibility indexed via the LPP would be demonstrated when parents were present or scaffolded child ER, representing developmentally-appropriate and ecologically valid social contexts, versus when children attempted ER alone. Further, we predicted that greater ER flexibility captured by the LPP would be associated with adaptive behavioral ER. Eighty-six (44 female; Mage = 6.94, SD = 1.13) 5-to-8-year-olds completed a Directed Reappraisal Task (DRT) in which unpleasant pictures were paired with either reappraisal or negative interpretations while EEG was recorded. ER flexibility was assessed by calculating difference scores between mean LPP amplitudes to negative trials minus LPP amplitudes to reappraisal trials. Greater positive difference scores indicated a greater impact of reappraisal on the LPP, the targeted neurocognitive indicator of ER. Children were randomly assigned to either complete the task alone (n = 27), to complete it with parent present but not interacting (n = 29), or to complete it with parent scaffolding child ER (n = 30). As predicted, neurocognitive flexibility indexed by the LPP was bolstered among children in the parent present [t(27) = 3.85, p = .001] and ER scaffolding groups [t(27) = 3.94, p = .001] during the DRT [Condition X Group: F(2, 79) = 3.56, p = .033; Figure 1], but not when children completed the DRT alone. Further, individuals showing greater ER flexibility measured via the LPP demonstrated more adaptive behavioral ER strategies, namely social engagement with parent, to endure an emotionally frustrating waiting task [β = .243; t (78) = 2.138, p = .036; Figure 2]. Taken together, and in line with SRCD’s goal of advancing developmental science, results highlight the importance of emphasizing ecological validity and social context-sensitivity when evaluating biological processes underlying ER flexibility in childhood.

Authors

• Sarah Myruski, NYU Lagone Medical Center
  Presenting Author

• Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Hunter College, The City University of New York
  Non-Presenting Author