Poster #10 - RSA and Psychopathology Among Youth: The Moderating Role of Sex and RSA Reactivity

• In Event: Poster Session 13

Abstract

Internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in adolescence are associated with concurrent distress and impairment, and are predictive of mental health outcomes later in life. Research shows that internalizing and externalizing problems are associated with the development of depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem and self-efficacy, conduct problems, oppositional behavior problems, poor academic performance, and increased risk for substance use and death by suicide (Papachristou & Flouri, 2020; Reef et al., 2010).
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity and is implicated in the development of internalizing and externalizing problems. It is widely accepted as a biological index of emotion regulatory capacity and reactivity (Beauchaine, 2001, 2015a). Higher baseline RSA is an indicator of increased capacity and lower baseline RSA is an indicator of reduced capacity (Beauchaine, 2001, 2015a; Koenig et al., 2016). RSA can also be used as an index of the response of the parasympathetic nervous system as a person engages with their environment. Little is known about the relationships between these two systems in adolescents and whether sex differences are implicated.
We aimed to better understand these relationships by examining the effects of RSA reactivity and biological sex on the relationship between baseline RSA and internalizing and externalizing problems in a community sample of adolescents, and to understand how these relationships change over one year of development. We hypothesized that baseline RSA would predict internalizing and externalizing problems both cross-sectionally and prospectively, with lower baseline RSA associated with more problems and higher baseline RSA with fewer problems. Additionally, we hypothesized that these relationships would be consistent across one year. Additionally, we hypothesized that at very high and very low levels of RSA reactivity, individuals would have more internalizing and externalizing problems. Lastly, we hypothesized that there would be sex differences across variables with females being more negatively impacted.
Participants were 291 young adolescents (Mage = 12.96, SDage = .88, 52.9% Female). Participants completed a laboratory-based stressor task and physiological responses were recorded at rest and throughout the stressor task. Caregivers also completed measures of internalizing and externalizing problems.
Results indicated that youth’s baseline regulatory capacity predicted externalizing problems cross sectionally (β = 1.04, p = 0.0009). Over a one-year period significant decreases were found in both internalizing (β = -0.79, p = <0.001) and externalizing (β = -0.74, p = <0.001) problems. RSA reactivity was predictive of future externalizing problems (β = -0.48, p = 0.05) and moderated the relationship between baseline RSA and externalizing problems both cross sectionally (B = -9.59, p = .0002 CI [-14.52 -4.67]) and prospectively (β = -0.37, p = 0.05). These relationships were not quadratic in nature and no sex differences were found. These results indicate that interventions aimed at regulating RSA reactivity may help reduce externalizing problems in youth. Developing and integrating such interventions for youth at risk of externalizing problems may help increase overall functioning and reduce the negative individual and social consequences of externalizing problems.

Authors

• China R Bolden, Seattle Pacific University
  Presenting Author

• Amy Mezulis

• Mary Charleson, Seattle Pacific University