Socially Anxious and Peer-Victimized Preadolescents: “Doubly Primed” for Distress?

Abstract

We examined independent and interactive associations linking preadolescents' socially anxious feelings and peer victimization experiences with their social behaviors (rated by parents and teachers) and psychophysiological arousal during lab simulations of salient peer stress situations in preadolescence (peer evaluation and peer rebuff). Sixty-three preadolescents and one parent per preadolescent participated. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), skin conductance level (SCL), and heart rate (HR) were assessed during peer stress situations. Preadolescents provided reports of social anxiety; preadolescents and parents reported on peer victimization; and parents and teachers rated prosocial and aggressive behaviors. Peer victimization moderated associations between social anxiety and both physiological arousal and social-behavior problems. As hypothesized, social anxiety was more strongly associated with lower RSA, higher HR, and higher aggressive behavior among preadolescents who experienced higher levels of peer victimization, compared to preadolescents who experienced lower levels of peer victimization.

Emotional Reactivity, Behavior Problems, and Social Adjustment at School Entry in a High-risk Sample

“…They are also consistent with prior research linking RSA withdrawal (Beauchaine et al, 2001; Boyce et al, 2001) and HR reactivity (Erath et al, 2012; Waschbusch et al, 2002; Williams et al, 2003) with internalizing and externalizing problems, particularly in high-risk samples (Graziano & Derefinko, 2013). A unique feature of this study was the focus on young children growing up in a very high-risk urban context and the collection of physiological measures at school, making it possible to represent a group of children that is generally overlooked in laboratory-based studies (see also Fortunato et al, 2013; Gatzke-Kopp et al, 2014; Gatzke-Kopp, in press).…”

“…Similarly, in another study, responding to conflict with greater RSA withdrawal was associated with increased internalizing symptoms two years later (Hinnant & El-Sheikh, 2009). Focused on peer-rejected adolescents, Erath, Tu, and El-Sheikh (2012) found that both HR increases and RSA withdrawal in reaction to a social stress challenge were linked with internalizing symptoms of social anxiety. This pattern of HR increase and RSA withdrawal in emotionally-challenging situations has also been observed among children with co-morbid externalizing and internalizing problems (Calkins, Graziano, & Keane, 2007).…”

Physiological reactivity moderates the association between parental directing and young adolescent friendship adjustment.

“…Physiological data from the pre-task/baseline and peer evaluation periods were used in the present study. Support for the simulated peer stress protocol as a moderately stressful task has been established, and several published studies have linked cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses during the peer-evaluative stress protocol with social, academic, or psychological adjustment (Erath, Bub, & Tu, in press; Erath & Tu, 2013; Erath, Tu, & El-Sheikh, 2012). …”

Cardiac vagal control and children's adaptive functioning: A meta-analysis

“…Indeed, a fair number of studies have found that children with externalizing behavior problems display a more blunted vagal response to challenge (Beauchaine, 2001; Boyce et al, 2001; Calkins & Dedmon, 2000; Musser et al, 2011). On the other hand, some studies have failed to find a link between RSA withdrawal and externalizing problems (Beauchaine, Gatzke-Kopp, & Mead, 2007; Eisenberg et al, 2012; Erath, Tu, & El-Sheikh, 2011) with such a link further attenuated by the presence of co-occurring internalizing problems (Calkins, Graziano, & Keane, 2007) or only occurring in the presence of a moderating environmental factor such as attachment status (Willemen, Schuengel, & Koot, 2009). …”