Towards an understanding of neurophysiological self-regulation in early childhood: A heuristic and a new approach

A Case Report on How BOAM Offers a Brief Family-Based Treatment by Integrating Psychoeducation and Self-Diagnostics

BOAM is a family-based method in which children and parents together create an explanatory, personal and systemic diagnosis. Based on ten playful and visual models, the therapist provides universal psychoeducation to gain insight into the personal, relational and contextual causes of the child's problems for a shared understanding of how to approach them. This case report describes a seven-session BOAM trajectory in a family with a 6-year-old child with emotional and behavioural dysregulation, such as frequent temper tantrums, hitting her infant sister, and threatening with knives. In this case report, the course of the sessions is described, including the way the family applied the BOAM models within their (cultural) family values. The mother completed questionnaires on child psychopathology (Child Behaviour Checklist), executive functioning (Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function), parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index) and partner relationship (Family Functioning Questionnaire) at baseline, pretest, post-test, and 3- and 5-month follow-up, and the father completed questionnaires on child psychopathology and parenting stress at baseline and 5-month follow-up. Parents reported clinically significant improvements, as calculated with reliable change indexes, in child externalising psychopathology, self-regulation, and parenting stress (post-test and 3- and 5-month follow-up). BOAM is a short and accessible method for psychoeducation, diagnostics and treatment. BOAM seems to be an effective intervention for this family; however, more research is necessary to demonstrate its effectiveness. This case report painted a vivid picture of how family conversations can be structured and targeted using the models.

Maternal Sensitivity as a Predictor of Change in Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Activity From Infancy to Toddlerhood

This study examined whether parental sensitivity during distressing and non-distressing mother-infant interactions predicts changes in young children's respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) activity. Baseline RSA levels were collected from 83 children (49% female, 51% male) when children were 7 and 18 months old. Children's RSA reactivity and RSA recovery during the Still-Face paradigm were collected when children were 7 months and during the Strange Situation procedure at 18 months. Controlling for stability of RSA activity over time, maternal sensitivity during distressing interactions at 7 months predicted changes in children's baseline RSA levels (β = -.30) and children's RSA recovery (β = .25). Young children who experienced higher levels of sensitivity at 7 months had lower resting RSA levels and exhibited greater RSA recovery at 18 months. These results suggest that changes in young children's RSA activity are meaningfully related to their early caregiving experiences.

Adrenocortical and autonomic cross-system regulation in youth: A meta-analysis

Childhood and adolescence are salient periods for the development of adrenocortical and autonomic arms of the stress response system (SRS), setting the stage for subsequent health and adaptive functioning. Although adrenocortical and autonomic systems theoretically function in highly coordinated ways, the strength of the relationship between these systems remains unclear. We leveraged a multivariate mixed effects meta-analytic approach to assess associations between adrenocortical, sympathetic, and parasympathetic functioning at rest and reactivity during stress-inducing tasks across 52 studies (N = 7,671; 5-20 years old). Results suggested a modest positive relation between adrenocortical and sympathetic systems as well as between adrenocortical and parasympathetic systems. Moderation analyses indicated the strength of associations varied as a function of several methodological and sociodemographic characteristics. Environmental effects on cross-system regulation were less clear, perhaps due to underrepresentation of adverse-exposed youth in the included studies. Collectively, our findings call for greater methodological attention to the dynamical, non-linear nature of cross-system functioning, as well as the role of experience in their organization across development.

Neighborhood influences on the development of self-regulation among children of color living in historically disinvested neighborhoods: Moderators and mediating mechanisms

We present a conceptual model of the ways in which built and social environments shape the development of self-regulation in early childhood. Importantly, in centering children of color growing up in historically disinvested neighborhoods, we first describe how systemic structures of racism and social stratification have shaped neighborhood built and social environment features. We then present evidence linking these neighborhood features to children's development of self-regulation. Furthermore, we take a multilevel approach to examining three potential pathways linking neighborhood contexts to self-regulation: school environment and resources, home environment and resources, and child health behaviors. Finally, we consider how racial-ethnic-cultural strengths and multilevel interventions have the potential to buffer children's development of self-regulation in disinvested neighborhood contexts. Advancing multilevel approaches to understand the development of self-regulation among children of color living in historically disinvested neighborhoods is an important step in efforts to promote equity in health and education.

Autonomic tone in children and adults: Pupillary, electrodermal and cardiac activity at rest

Considering the suspected involvement of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in several neurodevelopmental disorders, a description of its tonus in typical populations and of its maturation between childhood and adulthood is necessary. We aimed to arrive at a better understanding of the maturation of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) tonus by comparing children and adults at rest, via recordings of multiple ANS indices. We recorded simultaneously pupil diameter, electrodermal activity (EDA) and cardiac activity (RR interval and HRV: heart rate variability) in 29 children (6-12 years old) and 30 adults (20-42 years old) during a 5-min rest period. Children exhibited lower RR intervals, higher LF peak frequencies, and lower LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency) ratios compared to adults. Children also produced more spontaneous EDA peaks, reflected in a larger EDA AUC (area under the curve), in comparison with adults. Finally, children displayed a larger median pupil diameter and a higher pupillary hippus frequency than adults. Our results converged towards higher SNS and PNS tones in children compared to adults. Childhood would thus be characterized by a high autonomic tone, possibly reflecting a physiological state compatible with developmental acquisitions.

Psychometric Properties of the Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist: English Version

Background

Sensory processing supports children's development and abilities to participate in activities across contexts. Self-regulation skills may influence how children process various sensory experiences in daily life activities. The Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist (SPSRC) is a 130-item caregiver-reported checklist, covering children's essential sensory processing and self-regulation performance in daily activities.

Objectives

This study examines the psychometric properties of the SPSRC (English version) in measuring the sensory processing and self-regulation abilities of children.

Methods

A preliminary field testing of the SPSRC-English was conducted in a sample of n = 194 children (164 without disability and 30 with a disability) to evaluate its reliability and validity properties.

Results

The SPSRC-English was shown to have high internal consistency and test-retest reliability; and good discriminant, structural, and criterion validity in the sensory processing and self-regulation abilities of children with and without disability ages 4-12 years.

Conclusion

The current study provides initial evidence on the reliability and validity of SPSRC-English in measuring the sensory processing and self-regulation abilities in children with and without a disability. The SPSRC-English may provide salient information supporting the understanding of sensory processing difficulties among children.