The Brain-Behavior Relationship of Child Emotion Regulation: Relations Between Lab Observation and Medial Prefrontal Hemodynamics

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Emotion regulation (ER) refers to the internal and external processes that facilitate appropriate emotional reactions aligned with an individual’s goals (Thompson, 1994). In children, ER difficulties relate to maladaptive psychological and socioemotional outcomes (McLaughlin et al., 2011; Zeman et al., 2006), making ER a critical intervention target (Martinsen et al., 2014). Neuroimaging and observational ER assessments complement traditional parent-report methods. Child ER involves neurobiological processes, particularly in the medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC] (Perlman et al., 2014). As such, children’s mPFC hemodynamics (i.e., their oxygenated hemoglobin [HbO] concentration change in the mPFC) during stress may provide a measure of child ER and correspond to lab-observed ER measures. In the current study, we will determine the extent to which two assessments of child ER— mPFC hemodynamics and lab observation—are interrelated. Moreover, we will assess lateralization differences in the mPFC.

All data have been collected. Data cleaning and analyses were paused due to Covid-19; however, we are actively cleaning data and will complete data analysis by December 2020. Participants were 41 children (39% girls; ages 6-7, 90.2% White) and their mothers who came into the lab. Twenty children underwent the Cold Pressor Task (CPT), a procedure in which children placed their hand in a cold-water bowl. This task induces acute stress/pain and has been modified for safe use with children (Von Baeyer et al., 2005). The other children participated in a sham-CPT condition with warm water. For all children, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured their mPFC hemodynamics during the CPT. A continuous-wave NIRScout/Star system recorded light intensity signals (7.8 Hz) in the prefrontal cortex area, subsequently converted into relative HbO concentration change. We will use AMI data correction to isolate oxygen supply-related hemodynamics, as well as transformation to improve normality of data as necessary.

Children also completed an adapted version of the Disappointing Gift Task (Carlson & Wang, 2007; Cole et al., 1994) to provide a lab-observation measure of ER. Specifically, children’s expressions, verbalizations, and behaviors were video-recorded as they reacted to a disappointing gift in front of an experimenter and alone. Behaviors were categorized as positive (e.g., positive comments), negative (e.g., knit brows), social monitoring (e.g., mumbled “thank you”), or tension (e.g., lips pursing) behaviors according to Saarni’s (1984) and Davis’s (1995) coding schemes and summed within each category.

We will run eight moderation models to determine if HbO concentration change (in the left or right mPFC) relates to the four lab-observed ER categories, depending on CPT condition (experimental or control). We expect that for children in the experimental condition only, more positive mPFC HbO concentration change will relate to more positive and social monitoring behaviors and fewer negative and tension behaviors. We expect stronger effects to emerge in the left mPFC (McRae et al., 2012; Perlman et al., 2014). Results will determine the relevance of children’s fNIRS-assessed mPFC hemodynamics to their observable ER, thereby clarifying the applicability of early neurobiologically-based risk assessments for child ER problems. Further implications concerning lateralization and advances in ER-focused theory and interventions will be discussed.

Authors

• Lauren Kramer, University of Toledo
  Presenting Author

• Natalee Price, Miami University - Ohio
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katherine Knauft, Miami University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth J Kiel, Miami University - Ohio
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karthik Vishwanath, Miami University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Vrinda Kalia, Miami University
  Non-Presenting Author