Maternal Emotion Regulation and Parenting: A Physiological Perspective

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Main Authors: Frances H. Li, Nicole M. Froidevaux, Margaret L. Kerr, Patricia A. Smiley, Paul D. Hastings, Jessica L. Borelli
Format: Artículo Open Access
Published: Wiley 2025
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author Frances H. Li
Nicole M. Froidevaux
Margaret L. Kerr
Patricia A. Smiley
Paul D. Hastings
Jessica L. Borelli
author_facet Frances H. Li
Nicole M. Froidevaux
Margaret L. Kerr
Patricia A. Smiley
Paul D. Hastings
Jessica L. Borelli
Frances H. Li
Nicole M. Froidevaux
Margaret L. Kerr
Patricia A. Smiley
Paul D. Hastings
Jessica L. Borelli
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Maternal Emotion Regulation and Parenting: A Physiological Perspective Frances H. Li Nicole M. Froidevaux Margaret L. Kerr Patricia A. Smiley Paul D. Hastings Jessica L. Borelli Developmental Psychobiology ABSTRACTThe psychological capacity for emotion regulation (ER) facilitates sensitive caregiving and fosters positive child outcomes. Parasympathetic regulation, indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), is an important physiological component of ER. While growing evidence supports the link between parents’ physiological ER and parenting behaviors, few studies distinguish parents’ global ER capacity from ER in parenting‐specific contexts, which can provide important insights for intervention. The current study examines the links between parenting behaviors, global ER (operationalized as resting RSA, measured during a baseline task), and parenting‐specific ER (operationalized as phasic RSA change, measured during responses to the child‐related questions for the Adult Attachment Interview [AAI]). Mothers (N = 169) and their toddlers participated in this study. Parenting behaviors were assessed through a standardized parent–child interaction task, yielding scores for overall parenting behaviors, overall parenting contingency, and specific parenting behaviors. Regression models suggested that resting RSA was positively associated with overall parenting behaviors and contingency, sensitivity to cues, and cognitive growth‐fostering. Positive phasic RSA change (i.e., RSA augmentation) was significantly associated with overall parenting behaviors and social–emotional growth‐fostering over and above resting RSA. Both global ER and parenting‐specific ER may be promising targets for interventions to improve parenting behaviors. 10.1002/dev.70044 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
doi_str_mv 10.1002/dev.70044
format Artículo Open Access
id wiley_oa_10_1002_dev_70044
institution Wiley Open Access
license_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
publishDate 2025
publisher Wiley
record_format wiley_oa
spellingShingle Maternal Emotion Regulation and Parenting: A Physiological Perspective
Frances H. Li
Nicole M. Froidevaux
Margaret L. Kerr
Patricia A. Smiley
Paul D. Hastings
Jessica L. Borelli
Developmental Psychobiology
Maternal Emotion Regulation and Parenting: A Physiological Perspective Frances H. Li Nicole M. Froidevaux Margaret L. Kerr Patricia A. Smiley Paul D. Hastings Jessica L. Borelli Developmental Psychobiology ABSTRACTThe psychological capacity for emotion regulation (ER) facilitates sensitive caregiving and fosters positive child outcomes. Parasympathetic regulation, indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), is an important physiological component of ER. While growing evidence supports the link between parents’ physiological ER and parenting behaviors, few studies distinguish parents’ global ER capacity from ER in parenting‐specific contexts, which can provide important insights for intervention. The current study examines the links between parenting behaviors, global ER (operationalized as resting RSA, measured during a baseline task), and parenting‐specific ER (operationalized as phasic RSA change, measured during responses to the child‐related questions for the Adult Attachment Interview [AAI]). Mothers (N = 169) and their toddlers participated in this study. Parenting behaviors were assessed through a standardized parent–child interaction task, yielding scores for overall parenting behaviors, overall parenting contingency, and specific parenting behaviors. Regression models suggested that resting RSA was positively associated with overall parenting behaviors and contingency, sensitivity to cues, and cognitive growth‐fostering. Positive phasic RSA change (i.e., RSA augmentation) was significantly associated with overall parenting behaviors and social–emotional growth‐fostering over and above resting RSA. Both global ER and parenting‐specific ER may be promising targets for interventions to improve parenting behaviors. 10.1002/dev.70044 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
title Maternal Emotion Regulation and Parenting: A Physiological Perspective
topic Developmental Psychobiology
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dev.70044