A systematic review of parent–child synchrony: It is more than skin deep

Abstract

This manuscript provides a critical review of the literature on parent-child physiological synchrony-the matching of biological states between parents and children. All eligible studies found some evidence of physiological synchrony, though the magnitude and direction of synchrony varied according to methodological factors, including the physiological system examined (i.e., parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system activity, adrenocortical functioning) and the statistical approach used (e.g., multilevel modeling, correlation). The review underscores the need to consider the context in which physiological synchrony occurs (e.g., family risk) to best understand its significance. Furthermore, the review delineates vital avenues for future research, including the need to assess synchrony across multiple physiological systems and the importance of documenting continuity/change in physiological synchrony across developmental periods. Such research is crucial for understanding how the parent-child relationship unfolds at a physiological level and, in turn, how this relationship can facilitate or hinder parent, child, and family adjustment.

When you go low, I go high: Negative coordination of physiological synchrony among parents and children

“…Although parental socialization of children's emotional development is understood to occur across the course of development, research often focuses on early childhood, when children are first developing the ability to regulate their own emotions (Morris, Silk, Steinberg, Myers, & Robinson, 2007). Indeed, the majority of studies that have examined physiological synchrony in parent-child dyads has focused on infants and young children (see Davis et al, 2018;Palumbo et al, 2017). The current study extends the literature on parent-child dynamics in late childhood/early adolescence; a developmental inflection point in emotionality and vulnerability for the emergence of psychopathology (Silk, Steinberg, & Morris, 2003).…”

“…An extensive body of literature has examined the importance of coordination of behavioral exchanges between parents and children during an interaction, commonly referred to as synchrony, in promoting children's socioemotional development (Leclère et al, ). Recently, explorations of the concept of dyadic synchrony have been extended to the physiological level of analysis (Davis, West, Bilms, Morelen, & Suveg, ). However, it remains unclear whether patterns of synchrony observed to be adaptive in measures of dyadic behavior are similarly adaptive in measures of dyadic physiology.…”

“…Recently, explorations of the concept of dyadic synchrony have been extended to the physiological level of analysis (Davis, West, Bilms, Morelen, & Suveg, 2018). However, it remains unclear whether patterns of synchrony observed to be adaptive in measures of dyadic behavior are similarly adaptive in measures of dyadic physiology.…”

Socioeconomic risk moderates the association between caregiver cortisol levels and infant cortisol reactivity to emotion induction at 24 months

“…Extensive research shows that the caregiver plays a regulating role both as a mediator and a moderator of this association-for better or for worse-transmitting stress to the child or buffering the child from stress (Blair et al, 2008;Tang, Reeb-Sutherland, Romeo, & McEwen, 2014). Most studies related to the maternal regulation of infant stress response have focused on the effects of proximal behavioral and psychosocial factors, such as parental sensitivity, depression, anxiety, parenting stress, intimate partner violence (IPV), and marital conflict (e.g., Gunnar & Donzella, 2002;Davis, West, Bilms, Morelen, & Suveg, 2018;Levendosky et al, 2016;Lawler et al, 2018;Sturge-Apple, Davies, Cicchetti, & Manning, 2012). Most studies related to the maternal regulation of infant stress response have focused on the effects of proximal behavioral and psychosocial factors, such as parental sensitivity, depression, anxiety, parenting stress, intimate partner violence (IPV), and marital conflict (e.g., Gunnar & Donzella, 2002;Davis, West, Bilms, Morelen, & Suveg, 2018;Levendosky et al, 2016;Lawler et al, 2018;Sturge-Apple, Davies, Cicchetti, & Manning, 2012).…”

Mother–child adrenocortical synchrony: Roles of maternal overcontrol and child developmental phase

“…Similarly, when cortisol is assessed from diurnal or baseline samples (see Davis, West, Bilms, Morelen, & Suveg, 2018, for a review; Ouellette et al, 2015), most studies of parent-child dyads report a link between higher mother-child cortisol synchrony and poorer parent-child relationship and parenting quality. In dyads with preschoolers, greater cortisol synchrony is present when mothers have a history of depression (Merwin, Smith, Kushner, Lemay, & Dougherty, 2017), show more negative affect (Papp et al, 2009), or have lower parenting sensitivity (Saxbe et al, 2017), as well as in dyads with children who have more negative emotionality (Merwin et al, 2017).…”