Psychophysiology of proactive and reactive relational aggression

Murray‐Close, Dianna; Holterman, Leigh Ann; Breslend, Nicole Lafko; Sullivan, Alexandra D.W.

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.10.005

Cited by 48 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…These results are consistent with considerable evidence that low autonomic arousal is a risk factor for externalizing problems [Murray, Close, 2013]. However, lower EDA-R was not associated with more problems when accompanied by higher RSA-R, suggesting a potential protective process wherein a "freeing" of the SNS may have allowed for appropriate psychophysiological mobilization and task engagement [Graziano & Derefinko, 2013;Murray-Close et al, 2017;Porges, 2007].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…In the context of lower EDA-R, some studies of children without ASD suggest that higher RSA-R further increases vulnerability to externalizing problems [Beauchaine et al, 2007;El-Sheikh et al, 2009]. Conversely, blunted RSA-R may also be problematic in the context of low SNS activation [Beauchaine et al, 2007;Boyce et al, 2001;Murray-Close, Holterman, Breslend, & Sullivan, 2017], as RSA-R in response to challenge can be adaptive in promoting increased cognitive and emotional engagement to meet environmental demands [Graziano & Derefinko, 2013;Porges, 1997]. Given that ASD, as a disorder, is largely typified by difficulties with social engagement, it is possible that lower levels of RSA-R may compound risk associated with lower EDA-R, reflecting extreme disengagement with the task or related social contingencies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

et al. 2019

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Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significant difficulties with emotion regulation and reactivity, which may be linked to underlying psychophysiology. The present study examined associations between autonomic nervous system activity and individual differences in externalizing behavior problems in children with ASD. A multisystem approach was adopted to consider the interplay between markers of sympathetic (electrodermal reactivity—EDA‐R) and parasympathetic reactivity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity—RSA‐R) in relation to behavioral challenges. Fifty‐two children with ASD ages 6–10 years contributed complete psychophysiological data. Measures of EDA‐R and RSA‐R (RSA withdrawal) were obtained in response to a laboratory challenge task and parents reported on child externalizing behavior problems using a standardized questionnaire and a structured clinical interview. An equifinality model was supported, with two distinct psychophysiological pathways linked to heightened externalizing behavior problems. Greater RSA‐R was associated with more externalizing problems in the context of higher levels of EDA‐R, and lower EDA‐R was associated with increased externalizing problems at lower levels of RSA‐R. Findings underscore the importance of considering the role of psychophysiology in the unfolding of comorbid externalizing problems in children with ASD. Potential implications for tailoring coregulatory supports are discussed. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1805–1816. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit elevated rates of challenging behavior. This study identified specific psychophysiological profiles (low sympathetic‐low parasympathetic reactivity, and high sympathetic‐high parasympathetic reactivity) that may place these children at greater risk for behavior problems. Findings have implications for better understanding behavioral challenges in children with ASD, and for tailoring supports to address underlying psychophysiology.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

et al. 2019

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“…These findings emerge for physiology both at rest (Keller & El‐Sheikh, ) and in response to stress (El‐Sheikh et al, ; Nederhof et al, ). This pattern (i.e., reciprocal parasympathetic activation) relates to aggression by decreasing arousal (Murray‐Close, Holterman, Bresland, & Sullivan, ), consistent with sensation‐seeking and fearlessness theories of aggression.…”

Section: Physiological Indicators Of Childhood Aggressionsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…In support of this theory, heightened SCR to peer stress positively predicts reactive but not proactive aggression among children (Hubbard et al, ) and young adults (Murray‐Close et al, ; Wagner & Abaied, ). In terms of PNS functioning, low resting RSA positively predicts reactive but not proactive aggression in children (Xu et al, ).…”

Section: Psychophysiology Of Reactive and Proactive Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…However, reciprocal sympathetic activation may also increase risk for aggression because it increases arousal (Murray‐Close et al, ) through reductions in PNS and increases in SNS activity. In other words, prolonged suppression of RSA concomitant with heightened SNS activity may accompany anger and aggression, an idea in keeping with frustration‐aggression theory.…”

Section: Physiological Indicators Of Childhood Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The simultaneous assessment of and relations between children's sympathetic and parasympathetic psychophysiology and their reactive and proactive aggression

Moore

Hubbard

Morrow

et al. 2018

Aggressive Behavior

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The goal of the current study was to examine the link between children's psychophysiology and aggression when both constructs were assessed simultaneously in scenarios designed to provide the opportunity to aggress for either a reactive reason or a proactive reason. Both sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (skin conductance) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia or RSA), as well as their interaction, were included as physiological measures. Participants were 35 5th-grade children who were placed in two virtual-peer scenarios; one scenario provided the opportunity to aggress in response to peer provocation (i.e., reactive aggression) and the other scenario provided the opportunity to aggress for instrumental gain (i.e., proactive aggression). Both skin conductance and RSA were assessed at the time that children were given the opportunity to aggress; this simultaneous assessment of psychophysiology and aggression allowed for an examination of in-the-moment relations between the two constructs. For the reactive scenario, RSA moderated the in-the-moment relation between skin conductance and aggression such that the association was positive at low RSA but negative at high RSA. For the proactive scenario, skin conductance negatively predicted aggression in-the-moment, and RSA positively predicted aggression in-the-moment, but their interaction was not a significant predictor of aggression. Theoretical implications for reactive and proactive aggression and underlying physiological processes are discussed.

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Weakened sympathetic response and lower parasympathetic activity in intimate partner violence perpetrators when empathizing: Influence of autonomous activation in affective approach and prosocial behavior

Comes‐Fayos,

Moreno,

Lila

et al. 2024

Aggressive Behavior

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The autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning has been proposed as a relevant method to characterize the therapeutic needs of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators. Nevertheless, research has neglected the influence of the ANS on socio‐affective functions in this population. The aim of the present study was to analyze the psychophysiological activity of IPV perpetrators (n = 52) compared to controls (n = 46) following an empathic induction task, performed through negative emotion‐eliciting videos. We employed two general ANS markers (heart rate [HR] and respiratory rate [RR]), two sympathetic‐related indexes (pre‐ejection period [PEP] and skin conductance level [SCL]) and a parasympathetic biomarker (respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]). Additionally, we explored the impact of psychophysiological activity on prosocial behavior using Hare's donation procedure. Compared to controls, IPV perpetrators reported lower HR and SCL following the task, as well as longer PEP, suggesting an attenuated sympathetic response to others' distress. No differences in the RSA response pattern were found, however, IPV perpetrators displayed lower overall RSA levels throughout the protocol, indicative of reduced parasympathetic activity. Besides, while no differences in prosocial performance were observed, greater sympathetic responses and overall parasympathetic activity predicted increased donations across the sample. Thus, a high sympathetic and parasympathetic activity might influence the occurrence of prosocial behavior. The present study provides further evidence supporting that IPV perpetrators cope differently with others' negative emotions. In line with this biopsychosocial perspective, insights are gained on the emotional processing of IPV perpetrators which, in turn, could contribute to improve IPV psychotherapeutic programs.

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Psychophysiology of proactive and reactive relational aggression

Cited by 48 publications

References 41 publications

Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The simultaneous assessment of and relations between children's sympathetic and parasympathetic psychophysiology and their reactive and proactive aggression

Weakened sympathetic response and lower parasympathetic activity in intimate partner violence perpetrators when empathizing: Influence of autonomous activation in affective approach and prosocial behavior

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