Children's vagal regulatory capacity predicts attenuated sympathetic stress reactivity in a socially supportive context: evidence for a protective effect of the vagal system.

Development and Psychopathology
Brian C WolffIris B Mauss

Abstract

Social support and vagal regulatory capacity (VRC), an index of flexible vagal responses during various types of stress, are linked to attenuated stress responding and positive health outcomes. Guided by the polyvagal perspective, we tested whether children's VRC is associated with attenuated sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stress reactivity in socially supportive conditions. Sixty-one 4- to 5-year-old children living in poverty underwent two standardized laboratory stress induction procedures. Cardiac vagal reactivity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) to a first set of stressors (social, cognitive, physical, and emotional) indexed VRC. During a second set of stressors, participants were randomly assigned to a supportive or nonsupportive social context, and cardiac sympathetic reactivity (preejection period) was assessed. We hypothesized VRC would predict lower SNS stress reactivity, but only in the socially supportive context. Children with high VRC showed attenuated SNS stress reactivity in the socially supportive context compared to children with high VRC in the nonsupportive context and children with low VRC in either context. Individual differences in VRC predict attenuated SNS stress reactivity in socially supportive condit...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 6, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·John B WilliamsonStephen W Porges
Sep 15, 2016·Methods of Information in Medicine·Hau-Tieng WuStephen W Porges
May 8, 2013·Biological Psychology·Paulo Graziano, Karen Derefinko
Feb 28, 2017·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Megan JohnsonAbbey Alkon
Aug 4, 2021·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Rachael A MuscatelloBlythe A Corbett

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