Dissociation of sad facial expressions and autonomic nervous system responding in boys with disruptive behavior disorders

• Published in: Psychophysiology 2008-01, Vol.45 (1), p.100-110
• Main Authors: Marsh, Penny, Beauchaine, Theodore P., Williams, Bailey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - physiopathology; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - physiopathology; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - psychology; Autonomic Nervous System - physiopathology; Autonomic reactivity; Behavior disorders; Boys; Child; Conduct problems; Disruptive behavior; Electrocardiography; Emotions; Emotions - physiology; Empathy; Experimental psychology; Face; Facial Expression; Galvanic Skin Response - physiology; Heart - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Models, Psychological; Neurology; Sadness
• ISSN: 0048-5772; 1469-8986; 1540-5958
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00603.x

Although deficiencies in emotional responding have been linked to externalizing behaviors in children, little is known about how discrete response systems (e.g., expressive, physiological) are coordinated during emotional challenge among these youth. We examined time‐linked correspondence of sad facial expressions and autonomic reactivity during an empathy‐eliciting task among boys with disruptive behavior disorders (n=31) and controls (n=23). For controls, sad facial expressions were associated with reduced sympathetic (lower skin conductance level, lengthened cardiac preejection period [PEP]) and increased parasympathetic (higher respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) activity. In contrast, no correspondence between facial expressions and autonomic reactivity was observed among boys with conduct problems. Furthermore, low correspondence between facial expressions and PEP predicted externalizing symptom severity, whereas low correspondence between facial expressions and RSA predicted internalizing symptom severity.