Autonomic Psychophysiology of Preadolescent Anxiety

Within‐ and Cross‐System Interactions Between Measures of Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity to Social Stress

Bibliographic Data

ID9686006
AuthorsAlexander K Kaeppler (0000-0002-2297-2623, School of Human Development and Family Science University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA, corresponding author), Stephen A Erath (0000-0003-4821-0819, Department of Human Development and Family Science Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA)
Year2025
Volume67
Issue5
Pagese70081-e70081
Publication date2025-09-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychobiology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1630 • E-ISSN: 1098-2302
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/dev.70081
PMID40898744
OpenAlexW4413956674
LanguageEN
References cited48

The present study sought to build on prior research by examining within‐system (sympathetic nervous system [SNS] × SNS) and cross‐system (SNS × parasympathetic nervous system [PNS]) interactions between measures of autonomic reactivity to social stress as predictors of anxiety. The physiological responses (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA], skin conductance level [SCL], and pre‐ejection period [PEP]) of 123 preadolescents ( M age = 12.03 years) were measured continuously during a lab protocol designed to simulate common peer evaluation experiences. Preadolescents completed measures of global anxiety and real‐time, context‐specific anxiety during the social‐evaluative stress protocol. The within‐system interaction between PEP reactivity (PEPR) and SCL reactivity (SCLR) was associated with context‐specific anxiety, such that a significant positive association was observed between SCLR and context‐specific anxiety at higher levels of PEPR but not lower levels of PEPR. In addition, the cross‐system interaction between RSA reactivity (RSAR) and PEPR was a significant predictor of global anxiety, such that a significant negative association was observed between RSAR and global anxiety at higher levels of PEPR, but not lower levels of PEPR. An increase in SCL coupled with shortening of PEP may reflect SNS hyperreactivity to social‐evaluative stress and contribute to concurrent anxiety, whereas blunted RSAR to social stress combined with a shortening of PEP may reflect a nonreciprocal cardiac response and contribute to global anxiety

Anxiety · Association (psychology) · Autonomic nervous system · Blood pressure · Context (archaeology) · Developmental psychology · Heart rate · Psychiatry · Psychophysiology · Psychotherapist · Reactivity (psychology) · Social anxiety · Social stress · Vagal tone · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Clinical Psychology · Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Psychology · Stress Responses and Cortisol

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