A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between parenting and child autonomic nervous system activity. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alen, Nicholas V.; Shields, Grant S.; Nemer, Adele; D'Souza, Indira A.; Ohlgart, Marcela J.; Hostinar, Camelia E.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 139(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Parenting -- Attachment -- Autonomic nervous system -- Parasympathetic -- Sympathetic; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104734
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Abstract: Parental socialization may influence the development of children's autonomic nervous system (ANS), a key stress-response system. However, to date no quantitative synthesis of the literature linking parenting and child ANS physiology has been conducted. To address this gap, we conducted a pre-registered meta-analysis. A systematic review of the literature identified 103 studies ( n = 13, 044 participants) with available effect sizes describing the association between parenting and either parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) or sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in children. The overall analysis revealed non-significant associations between parenting and child ANS physiology on average. However, moderation analyses revealed a positive association between more positive parenting and higher resting PNS activity that was stronger when a study was experimental rather than correlational, and when the sample included children with a clinical condition. In conclusion, well-controlled experimental studies show that positive parenting is associated with the development of higher resting PNS activity, an effect that may be stronger among children who are at elevated developmental risk. Highlights: Systematic search conducted for studies on parenting and child ANS physiology. A total of M = 103 studies ( N = 13, 044 participants) identified for inclusion. Results revealed nonsignificant overall correlations between parenting and child ANS. Positive parenting linked to higher resting PNS activity among intervention studies. Positive parenting linked to higher resting PNS activity among clinical samples.