Childhood adversity and vagal regulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Wesarg, Christiane; Akker, Alithe L. van den; Oei, Nicole Y.L.; Wiers, Reínout W.; Staaks, Janneke; Thayer, Julian F.; Williams, DeWayne P.; Hoeve, Machteld

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104920

Cited by 15 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 268 publications

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“…Thus, it is possible that the association between resting HRV and rumination is more robust in individuals who have impaired parasympathetic control due to long-term stress exposure or who suffer from stress-related mental disorders. As a systematic review suggests, individuals who reported childhood adversity (retrospect of the past, a ruminative thought) have no significant overall association with resting HRV, whereas the clinical sample, as significant moderators, may have small significant association under specific circumstances (Wesarg et al, 2022). These might provide an explanation for the absent association between trait rumination and resting HRV in the current large sample of healthy individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Resting HRV as a trait marker of rumination in healthy individuals? A large cross-sectional analysis

Pulopulos

Allaert

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The tendency to ruminate (i.e., repetitive, self-referential, negative thoughts) is a maladaptive form of emotional regulation and represents a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for stress-related psychopathology. Vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV), reflecting parasympathetic nervous system activity, is commonly used as a physiological marker of stress regulation. Past research has suggested a link between trait rumination and resting HRV at baseline; however, inconsistent results exist in healthy individuals. In this study, we investigated the association between the tendency to ruminate and resting HRV measured at baseline in a healthy population using a large cross-sectional dataset (N = 1189, 88% women; mean age = 21.55, ranging from 17 to 48 years old), which was obtained by combining samples of healthy individuals from different studies from our laboratory. The results showed no cross-sectional correlation between resting baseline HRV and trait rumination (confirmed by Bayesian analyses), even after controlling for important confounders such as gender, age, and depressive symptoms. Also, a nonlinear relationship was rejected. In summary, based on our results in a large sample of healthy individuals, baseline resting HRV is not a trait marker of the tendency to ruminate.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Resting HRV as a trait marker of rumination in healthy individuals? A large cross-sectional analysis

Pulopulos

Allaert

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…( C ) A significant association was found between dose and parent/caregiver anxiety, with longer interventions being associated with higher reduction of anxiety (β=-.001, p=.03). No significant associations were identified for the secondary outcomes of parenting stress (β=-6.27 - 5 , p=.64) or depression (β=-1.26 - 5 , p=.94).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…( A ) No significant associations were identified in the primary outcomes of bonding 0-4mo (β=.003, p=.41), sensitivity 0-4mo (β=6.2 - 5 , p=.86), sensitivity 5-12mo (β=-6.47 - 5 , p=.74), dyadic interactions 0-4mo (β=-9.30 - 5 , p=.66), or dyadic interactions 5-12mo (β=1.84 - 5 , p=.90). ( B ) No significant associations were identified in the primary outcomes of secure attachment 12- 18mo (β=8.46 - 5 , p=.70), insecure attachment 12-18mo (β=-.001, p=.11), or disorganized attachment 12-18mo (β=-1.84 - 5 , p=.93). ( C ) A significant association was found between dose and parent/caregiver anxiety, with longer interventions being associated with higher reduction of anxiety (β=-.001, p=.03).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is incontestable evidence that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including maltreatment and abuse, poverty, racism, and household dysfunction, conveys risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes across the life-course. 2, 3 ACE-associated adverse outcomes range from biological changes, like altered immune and inflammatory responses, or altered vagal regulation, 4, 5 to lifelong impacts like decreased executive functioning and cognitive skills, 6–9 mental illness, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, 10, 11 and lower income. 12 In North America, the total annual cost associated with ACEs is estimated at $748 billion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dyadic Parent/Caregiver-Infant Interventions Initiated in the First 6 Months of Life to Support Early Relational Health: A Meta-Analysis

Lavallée¹,

Pang²,

Warmingham³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Importance: In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement seeking to create a paradigm shift away from a focus on childhood toxic stress and toward the emphasis on early relational health (ERH) as a buffer for childhood adversity and promoter of life-course resilience. A comprehensive appraisal of the efficacy of contemporary parent/caregiver-child interventions in — primarily — improving ERH, and — secondarily — enhancing child wellbeing and neurodevelopment is needed to guide widespread implementation and policy. Objective: Determine the effectiveness of contemporary early dyadic parent/caregiver-infant interventions on ERH, child socio-emotional functioning and development, and parent/caregiver mental health. Data Sources: PubMed, Medline, Cinhal, ERIC, and PsycInfo were searched on April 28, 2022. Additional sources: clinical trial registries (clinicaltrials.gov, ISRCTN Registry, EU Clinical Trials Register, Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry), contacting authors of unpublished/ongoing studies, backward/forward reference-searching. Study Selection: Studies targeting parent/caregiver-infant dyads and evaluating effectiveness of a dyadic intervention were eligible. Study selection was performed in duplicate, using Covidence. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Cochrane methodological guidance presented per PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were completed in duplicate with consensuses by first author. Data were pooled using inverse-variance random effects models. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome domain was ERH. Secondary outcome domains were child socio-emotional functioning and development, and parent/caregiver mental health, and were only considered in studies where at least one ERH outcome was also measured. The association between dose of intervention and effect estimates was explored. Results: 93 studies (14,993 parent/caregiver-infant dyads) met inclusion criteria. Based on very low to moderate quality of evidence, we found significant non-dose-dependent intervention effects on several measures of ERH, including bonding, parent/caregiver sensitivity, attachment, and dyadic interactions, and a significant effect on parent/caregiver anxiety, but no significant effects on other child outcomes. Conclusion: Current evidence does not support the notion that promoting ERH through early dyadic interventions ensures optimal child development, despite effectively promoting ERH outcomes. Given the lack of an association with dose of intervention, the field is ripe for novel, innovative, cost-effective, potent ERH intervention strategies that effectively and equitably improve meaningful long-term child outcomes.

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“…It is likely that studies of clinical populations would yield larger effects of childhood maltreatment on the examined dependent variables. For example, a recent meta-analysis has suggested that the association between childhood adversity and vagal regulation becomes statistically significant for individuals with a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder (Wesarg et al, 2022 ). The small sample employed, together with a majority of females in the sample, reduces the generalizability of the results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The long-term impact of early adverse experience on adaptive functioning: a pilot study integrating measures of mental status, nonverbal communication, and heart rate variability

Bussone

Pesca

Casetti

et al. 2023

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Childhood adversity and vagal regulation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cited by 15 publications

References 268 publications

Resting HRV as a trait marker of rumination in healthy individuals? A large cross-sectional analysis

Resting HRV as a trait marker of rumination in healthy individuals? A large cross-sectional analysis

Dyadic Parent/Caregiver-Infant Interventions Initiated in the First 6 Months of Life to Support Early Relational Health: A Meta-Analysis

The long-term impact of early adverse experience on adaptive functioning: a pilot study integrating measures of mental status, nonverbal communication, and heart rate variability

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