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Patterns of Heart Rate Variability Predictive of Internalizing Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Youth Sample

Brownlow, Briana Nicole
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1518179804584445

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
The development of depression and depressive symptoms in adolescence is a divergence from normal development and exacerbates depressive symptoms across the lifespan. In adolescence, once someone experiences depression, s/he is likely to remain on this pathway, given biological vulnerabilities, coupled with propensities to alienate and withdraw from social supports that minimize risk (Hankin, 2015). As a result, identifying factors that predispose adolescents to depression or serve as markers of vulnerability is critical. Doing so could inform prevention and intervention efforts that target these identifiers and, thus, alleviate depressive symptoms and prevent its maintenance into adulthood. Atypical patterns of parasympathetic nervous system functioning have been proposed as one such factor, lower resting high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) is observed in depression and psychopathology in general (Beauchaine & Thayer, 2015). This is especially the case in adulthood (Rottenberg at al., 2007). However, there is mixed evidence regarding links between tonic and phasic aspects of HF-HRV and internalizing disorders, like depression, especially in adolescent samples (Yaroslavsky et al., 2014). Thus, the goal of the current study was to determine if there are patterns of tonic HF-HRV and HF-HRV reactivity that are predictive of depressive symptoms in a youth sample. Previous research identified atypical patterns of HF-HRV predictive of depression (low resting HF-HRV + withdrawal/attenuation during emotional challenge or high resting HF-HRV + augmentation during emotional challenge). However, other studies have found different patterns. Thus, this study aimed to test if those patterns were predictive of depressive symptoms, as well as anxiety symptoms in a non-clinical adolescent and youth population. It was hypothesized that (1) lower levels of resting HF-HRV would be associated with greater depressive symptoms and anxiety/worry symptoms; (2) An attenuation or withdrawal response during emotional challenge would be associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, especially at lower levels of resting HF-HRV; and (3) At higher levels of resting HF-HRV, an augmentation response to emotional challenge would be predictive of higher depressive and anxiety symptoms. Findings indicated an opposite pattern, such that at lower levels of resting HF-HRV, increases in phasic HF-HRV during an emotional challenge were associated with higher levels of both depressive and anxiety symptoms. At higher levels of resting HF-HRV phasic changes in HF-HRV (increases or decreases) did not predict higher or lower reports of depressive or anxiety symptoms. Additionally, age moderated the observed effect in predicting anxiety symptoms. Specifically, for younger adolescents (13 years old), phasic decreases in HF-HRV predicted higher anxiety, but only at lower levels of resting HF-HRV. For older youth, the opposite effect occurred, such that phasic increases in HF-HRV were associated with higher anxiety at lower levels of resting HF-HRV. Thus, this study adds to the mixed literature on the patterns of changes in HF-HRV predictive of internalizing psychopathology in an adolescent and youth population, as our results are opposite to expectation. Future research is needed to account for these mixed findings.
Michael Vasey, Dr. (Advisor)
Julian Thayer, Dr. (Advisor)
Theodore Beauchaine, Dr. (Committee Member)
81 p.
Developmental Psychology; Psychobiology; Psychology

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Citations

  • Brownlow, B. N. (2018). Patterns of Heart Rate Variability Predictive of Internalizing Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Youth Sample [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1518179804584445

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Brownlow, Briana. Patterns of Heart Rate Variability Predictive of Internalizing Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Youth Sample . 2018. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1518179804584445.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Brownlow, Briana. "Patterns of Heart Rate Variability Predictive of Internalizing Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Youth Sample ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1518179804584445

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1518179804584445
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.