Moderate cardiac vagal tone predicts more cooperation in highly sensitive individuals.

Cooperation, as a mutual collaboration, is a defining feature of human social life. Individual characteristics can influence cooperation. Recent studies have shown a quadratic relationship between cardiac vagal tone (CVT), an index of self-regulation, and prosocial behaviors. Individual differences in cooperation might also vary as a function of people's environmental sensitivity (ES), i.e., may be influenced by individual differences in the perception and processing of inner and external stimuli. We tested the direct and interactive effect of CVT and ES on cooperative behaviors in two independent samples. We measured heart rate and engagement in cooperative acts in 80 young adults (M = 23.61; SD = 1.60) who were also asked to self-report on ES. We found an inverted-U relationship between CVT and cooperative behaviors. ES, on the other hand, did not predict differences in cooperative behaviors but moderated the relationships between CVT and cooperation, although the magnitude of this result was small. Specifically, only among individuals with higher ES cooperative behaviors change as a function of CVT. Highly sensitive individuals with lower or higher CVT, were less cooperative than low sensitive ones. Subsequently, we replicated the same study design in a second sample of 88 undergraduate students (M = 23.69; SD = 4.91). Once again, we found evidence supporting the presence of an inverted-U relationship between CVT and cooperative behaviors, and we also found that ES moderated the relationships between the quadratic CVT term and cooperation.

Moderate cardiac vagal tone is associated with more cooperation in children.

Childhood is a crucial period for prosocial development, including cooperative behaviors. Recent studies have shown a quadratic relation (inverted U-shape curve) between cardiac vagal tone (CVT) and various prosocial emotions and behaviors in children, but data are lacking on cooperative behaviors. In a sample of 111 school-aged children (M = 7.77; SD = 1.24, range: 6-11), we tested the association between the root mean square of successive differences in interbeat intervals (RMSSD) at rest, and cooperative behavior in a task designed to be comparable to a stag hunt game. We found evidence for an association between RMSSD and cooperation that follows an inverted U-shape. In addition, older children were more likely to cooperate than younger children. Lastly, we found an interaction between RMSSD and age such that the association between RMSSD and cooperation behavior was present for younger but not older children. In addition, we proposed an extension of the Johnson-Neyman test to assess the significant region of interaction between age and the linear and quadratic RMSSD. These results add to a growing literature suggesting that moderate RMSSD is associated with greater prosocial behavior and provide novel evidence that this association extends to children's cooperation.

Behavioral outcomes and exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances among children aged 6-13 years: The TEDDY child study.

BACKGROUND: Although some studies report that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy and early life stages of a child could adversely impact neurodevelopment, literature shows mixed evidence. OBJECTIVES: Using an ecological framework for human development, we assessed the association of risk factors for environmental PFAS exposure and childhood PFAS concentrations with behavioral difficulties among school-age children exposed to PFAS from birth, while also controlling for the important influence of the parenting and familial environment. METHODS: The study participants included 331 school-age children (6-13 years) born in a PFAS-contaminated area in the Veneto Region (Italy). We study the associations between environmental risk factors of maternal PFAS exposure (residential time, consumption of tap water, residence in Red zone A or B), and breastfeeding duration with parent assessments of children's behavioral problems (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ]), adjusting for socio-demographic, parenting and familial variables. The direct relationships between serum blood PFAS concentrations and SDQ scores was evaluated in a subset of children (n = 79), both with single PFAS and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regressions. RESULTS: Poisson regression models reported positive associations between high consumption of tap water and externalizing SDQ scores (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.32) and total difficulty scores (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.26). Childhood perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were associated with higher internalizing SDQ scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06-2.25), externalizing scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFHxS IRR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.09-2.32), and total difficulty scores (4th vs. 1st quartile, PFOS IRR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.71; PFHxS IRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09-1.90). The WQS regressions confirmed the associations reported by single-PFAS analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We observed cross-sectional associations of tap water consumption and childhood PFOS, and PFHxS concentrations with greater behavioral difficulties.

Improvement in parasympathetic regulation is associated with engagement in classroom activity in primary school children experiencing poor classroom climate.

BACKGROUND: Self-regulation promotes engagement within the classroom. At a physiological level, a good indicator of the ability of the system to self-regulate is cardiac vagal tone (CVT). AIMS: The present study aims to assess children's change over time (1 year) in their parasympathetic regulation (by way of CVT) in response to a social and cognitive stressor. Moreover, it addresses whether, if present, this change over time in regulation influences students' engagement in classroom activities while also accounting for classroom climate. SAMPLE: Forty-nine second graders were assessed at two time points: November 2018 (T1) and 1 year later in 2019 (T2). METHODS: Children's CVT was registered at rest and while performing a stressful task during which they were asked to cognitively perform while being socially evaluated. Children were also interviewed on how much they feel engaged in classroom activities and their perceptions of classroom climate. RESULTS: A repeated measures analysis of variance including 2 Time Points ×2 Phases of CVT Registration (baseline and during the stressful task) revealed a significant decrease in cardiac vagal activity from baseline to the task at T1, indicating that initially most children were not able to self-regulate and gave way to a stress response when facing the stressful task. The pattern changed at T2 when an active regulation took place signalled by an increase in CVT from baseline to the stressful task. Data analysis also revealed that among children who perceived a poorer classroom climate, the display of greater parasympathetic regulation over time was linked with higher active engagement in classroom activities. CONCLUSIONS: Growth in physiological regulation in response to a challenging task is associated with better engagement in classroom activities. Interventions and educational practice promoting the development of self-regulation strategies are recommended.

Effects of Socioeconomic Status, Parental Stress, and Family Support on Children's Physical and Emotional Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the current study, we conduct an exploratory study on children's emotional and physical health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The direct and interactive effects of parental stress, family socioeconomic status (SES), and family support on child adjustment were investigated. A total of 116 children of varied socioeconomic and their parents were interviewed. Parents with low household income perceived greater distress related to uncertainty and health worries compared to those with higher household income. However, it was among high-SES families that parental distress was associated with child difficulties. At a multivariate level, children's health was associated with SES, family support, and parental COVID-19 stress. Among families with low household income, when parents perceived low/average COVID-19 stress, family support worked as a protective factor for children's adjustment. Understanding how COVID-19 relates with children's emotional and physical health within families with low and high household income may help to inform recommendations for best practices, for example through family support interventions.

Mothers living with contamination of perfluoroalkyl substances: an assessment of the perceived health risk and self-reported diseases.

Widespread contamination of the superficial, drinking, and groundwater by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was discovered in the Veneto Region (northeast of Italy) in 2013. Mothers from the contaminated area were concerned about the effects of PFAS on their own and their children's health. We determined the factors that influenced the perceived risk of PFAS and the presence of self-reported diseases by conducting a study with 384 mothers of children aged 1-13 years living in the contaminated area (Red Zone, Veneto, Italy). Information on demography, the sources of exposure, and the health condition of the mothers was collected through an online survey. The serum PFAS concentration was recorded for some of the participants. We determined the factors influencing the perceived risk, risk of health outcomes, and serum PFAS levels through regression analyses. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers increased with an increase in the trust in scientific institutions and social media, and when many friends were present, trust in politics and full-time employment had a protective effect. The PFAS perceived risk increased the occurrences of self-reported and autoimmune diseases. Longer residence (> 20 years) in the most exposed area (Red Zone A) increased the frequency of some health outcomes. Serum PFAS concentrations decreased with breastfeeding, but increased with tap water consumption, residence in Red Zone A, and residence time. The PFAS perceived risk of the mothers was associated with many factors that influenced reporting of health issues. The association between PFAS exposure and health outcomes needs further investigation.

Stress and Emotional Intelligence Shape Giving Behavior: Are There Different Effects of Social, Cognitive, and Emotional Stress?

Acute stress has been linked with prosocial behavior, yet it is entirely unexplored how different types of stressors may affect individuals' willingness to help: This is particularly relevant while people is experiencing multiple sources of stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we explore whether different types of stress influence peoples' giving behavior and the moderating role of emotional intelligence (EI). Undergraduate students were exposed to experimentally induced social, cognitive, or emotional stress and were asked to self-report on their willingness to help and donate to a charity raising funds for COVID-19 and flu patients. Results showed that when compared to a control condition, after being exposed to a social stress, participants were more willing to help a person in need. Our results also provide evidence that, after experiencing a social stress, participants with high (vs low) trait EI were more willing to help, and, as a result, donated more. Findings indicate that moderate levels of distress are associated with increased donations. Interestingly, when stress is not too threatening, high EI can regulate it and promote prosocial behaviors.

Psychophysiological Regulation and Classroom Climate Influence First and Second Graders' Well-Being: The Role of Body Mass Index.

This study examines the associations between physical and emotional well-being and classroom climate, cardiac vagal response, and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 6- to-8-year-olds. Specifically, we expected a direct link between classroom climate, vagal withdrawal, BMI and children's physical and emotional comfort. Furthermore, we explored whether these individual and environmental characteristics influenced well-being in an interactive fashion. Participants were 142 (63 boys, 44%) first and second graders living in the North of Italy who were interviewed on their emotional and physical comfort. Heart rate and a measure of vagal influence on the heart (cardiac vagal tone) were recorded at rest and during an oral academic test. Height and weight were collected. Classroom climate was positively linked with physical well-being, whereas emotional well-being was negatively related with BMI. In addition, an inverted U-shaped effect of cardiac vagal withdrawal (i.e., cardiac vagal tone during stress minus resting vagal tone) on emotional well-being was found. Two regression models highlighted the role played by BMI when interacting with vagal withdrawal in predicting children's physical and emotional well-being. The interplay between BMI and cardiac vagal withdrawal played an important role in primary school children's well-being. From a clinical perspective, preventive training to improve autonomic regulation in concert with interventions promoting healthy eating attitudes might be critical for supporting primary school children's emotional and physical health.

Association between Exposure to Particulate Matter during Pregnancy and Multidimensional Development in School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy.

Air pollutants can potentially affect the development of children. However, data on the effect of exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and developmental outcomes in school children are rare. We investigated the link between prenatal exposure to particulate matters smaller than 10 microns (PM10) and the development of school-age children in multiple domains. Cross-sectional data were collected in Italy between 2013 and 2014. Children aged between 5 and 8 years (n = 1187) were assessed on cognitive, communication, socio-emotional, adaptive, and motor developmental domains using the Developmental Profile 3 questionnaire. The monthly average concentration of PM10 during the entire fetal period was linked to the municipality of residence of the children. The increase in the prenatal PM10 was associated with a decrease in the cognitive score during the second (+13.2 µg/m3 PM10 increase: -0.30 points; 95%CI: -0.12--0.48) and third trimesters of pregnancy (-0.31 points; 95%CI: -0.11--0.50). The communicative domain was also negatively influenced by PM10 increases in the second trimester. The development of cognitive and communicative abilities of children was negatively associated with the exposure to PM10 during the period of fetal development, confirming that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can potentially hinder the development of the brain.

Physiological responses to a school task: The role of student-teacher relationships and students' emotional appraisal.

BACKGROUND: To be successful, students must learn to deal with socially and cognitively demanding tasks. Much remains unknown about the effects of previous classroom experiences and of students' emotional appraisal of a task on their physiological adaptive responses to it. AIMS: To investigate how children's physiological response to a social and cognitive task would be directly and interactively influenced by the perceived student-teacher relationship and by children's emotional appraisal of what reaction they expect to have while completing the task. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen second and third graders took part in the study. Children completed a cognitive and social stress task. Before the task, they were interviewed on their emotional appraisal of the task and on student-teacher relationships. Children's cardiac activity was registered at rest and during the task to measure physiological activation (heart rate) and self-regulation (heart rate variability). RESULTS: Heart rate variability during the task was positively correlated with the appraised emotional valence of the task and of being observed while doing it. Regression analyses showed that children's physiological self-regulation during the task was affected by the interaction between student-teacher relationships and appraised emotional valence of being observed. Only among children who had experienced negative student-teacher relationships, an active physiological self-regulation was observed in response to the task when they expected it to be positive compared to when they perceived it as negative. CONCLUSIONS: Children's emotional appraisal of tasks and the quality of student-teacher relationships are important to promote a functional physiological response of self-regulation that underlies academic functioning and well-being at school.