1. Influence of Baseline Physiology of Behaviorally Inhibited Preschool Children Involved in Early Intervention Samantha Hamburger, Matthew Barstead, Kelly Smith, Nicholas Wagner, Christina Danko, Andrea Chronis-Tuscano & Kenneth H. Rubin University of Maryland, College Park
The Laboratory for the Study of Child and Family Relationships
Introduction
Behavioral inhibition (BI) is a temperamental trait observed through fearful and withdrawn disposition in novel situations (Kagan et al., 1984)
Without intervention, shy toddlers may become socially reticent preschoolers who are at risk for peer rejection, victimization, loneliness, and social anxiety (Rubin, Coplan, & Bowker, 2009; Tarullo , Mliner & Gunnar, 2011)
“The Turtle Program” is an intervention program designed to increase adaptive parenting and provide high BI children with regulation strategies during peer interaction (Chronis-­Tuscano et al., 2015)
Children participate in the Social Skills Facilitated Play program (Coplan et al., 2010)
Results
Group Play Unconditional Growth Model: Fixed Effects
Estimate
Std. Error
z-value
p-value
Intercept
0.2718
0.4248
0.640
0.5222
Week (Linear)
0.4864
0.0972
5.002
5.66e-0.7***
Week (Quadratic)
0.0069
-3.015 **
RSA (mean centered at 0)
0.5112
-0.167
0.8676
Week (Linear) X RSA
0.2183
0.1189
1.836
0.0663
Week (Quadratic) X RSA
0.0084
-2.983 **
Note: *p <  .10; **p < .05; ***p <  .01
Reticent Unconditional Growth Model: Fixed Effects
Estimate
Std. Error
z-value
p-value
Intercept
2.294
0.2102
10.914
<2e^-16***
Week (Linear)
0.0494
-0.630
0.5285
Week (Quadratic)
0.0059
-.441
0.6590
RSA (mean centered at 0)
-0.636
0.2332
-2.603
0.009
Week (Linear) X RSA
0.1129
0.0527
2.145
Week (Quadratic) X RSA
-2.497
0.0125
Note: *p <  .10; **p < .05; ***p <  .01
Multilevel Growth Models for Changes in Group Play
Poisson-linked Group Play Models
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Time
0.202***
.277***
0.381***
0.466***
(0.010)
(0.061)
(0.079)
(0.097)
Quadratic Time -
-0.013**
-0.021***
(0.006)
(0.007)
Centered RSA
-0.065
(0.511)
Time X RSA
0.218*
(0.119)
Quadratic Time X RSA
-0.025***
(0.008)
Constant
1.179***
0.660**
0.527
0.272
(0.166)
(0.344)
(0.362)
(0.425)
Log Likelihood
-1,
Akaike Inf. Crit. 2, 2, 2, 1,
Bayesian Inf. Crit. 2, 2, 2, 1,
Note: *p <  .10; **p < .05; ***p <  .01
Multilevel Growth Models for Changes in Reticence
Poisson-linked Reticence Models
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Time
-0.059***
-0.048***
-0.024
-0.031
(0.008)
(0.026)
(0.038)
(0.049)
Quadratic Time -
-0.004
-0.003
(0.004)
(0.006)
Centered RSA
-0.636***
(0.244)
Time X RSA
0.113**
(0.053)
Quadratic Time X RSA
-0.015**
Constant
2.548***
2.496***
2.474***
2.294***
(0.178)
(0.199)
(0.201)
(0.210)
Log Likelihood
-1,
Akaike Inf. Crit. 2, 1, 1, 1,
Bayesian Inf. Crit. 2, 2, 2, 1,
Note: *p <  .10; **p < .05; ***p <  .01
Research Questions
Will study participants increase in the frequency of social behaviors over time during the intervention free play sessions?
Does parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) functioning predict individual rates of change in social behaviors over time?
Does PNS functioning alter the association between child BI and changes in social behaviors over time?
Analysis Plan
We developed a pair of growth models to examine change in reticent and group play behavior as a function of treatment efficacy over time, moderated by individual RSA
Poisson distribution was used to regress frequency of behavior
Intercepts were centered at week 1 of treatment
A series of linear prediction models in which behavioral changes over the 8 week intervention were regressed on baseline RSA
Participants and Measures
Participants were a part of  a larger NIMH-funded (R01) study examining early intervention programs for BI preschool-age children and their parents.
22 physiological recordings at baseline
Child age: 45 to 64 months
39.3% males, Mage = 4.53 years
Inclusion criteria: BIQ score of ≥ 132
Reticent Behavior: Coded using the Play Observation Scale (POS) during 10 min. free play sessions (Rubin et al., 1997)
Non-play behavior such that a child shows absence of intent when unoccupied and/or watching the activities of another child or group of children but not entering into activity
Group Play Behavior: Coded using POS during 10 min. free play sessions
Social play behavior such that a child shares a common goal or purpose to the group's activity
Baseline RSA: Was collected when children were watching a neutral video at initial assessment
Index of Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Conclusion and Discussion
On average the number of child social interactions increased at an increasing rate from week-to-week
Children with higher RSA at baseline increased in number of social behaviors at a faster rate compared to individuals with lower baseline levels of RSA
Children with higher levels of BI at baseline experienced a reduced rate of change in social behavior over time
Children with lower baseline RSA experienced less increase in social behavior over of the intervention
Findings suggest that the extent to which the Turtle Program facilitates positive change in the social behaviors of BI children may depend on individual variability in basal parasympathetic regulation
Changes in reticent and unoccupied behavior over the 8-week intervention period (time-centered at week 1) as a function of baseline RSA.
Changes in group play over the 8-week intervention period (time-centered at week 1) as a function of baseline RSA.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the NIMH and the MCUR for funding, and to the Principal Investigators of the Multi-Component Early Intervention for Inhibited Preschool-Aged Children Study, Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano and Dr. Kenneth H. Rubin
Contact: Samantha Hamburger |