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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Aug:139:104734.
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104734. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between parenting and child autonomic nervous system activity

Nicholas V Alen  1 , Grant S Shields  2 , Adele Nemer  3 , Indira A D'Souza  3 , Marcela J Ohlgart  3 , Camelia E Hostinar  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between parenting and child autonomic nervous system activity

Nicholas V Alen et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022 Aug.

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.

Keywords: Attachment; Autonomic nervous system; Parasympathetic; Parenting; Sympathetic.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA flow chart.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Contour enhanced funnel plots for visual inspection of publication bias in the included studies on parenting and (A) resting parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, (B) PNS reactivity, (C) resting sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, and (D) SNS reactivity. White region represents 95% CI. The dashed vertical line represents the average effect size.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Effect sizes (Fisher’s Z) for relation between parenting and resting PNS activity in parenting intervention studies. HF-HRV = high frequency heart rate variability. Size of squares reflect relative weight of effect. Error bars represent 95% CI. Diamond and dashed line represent weighted mean effect size.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Effect sizes (Fisher’s Z) for relation between parenting and resting PNS activity in clinical sample studies. HF-HRV = high frequency heart rate variability. Size of squares reflect relative weight of effect. Error bars represent 95% CI. Diamond and dashed line represent weighted mean effect size. * Effect sizes from negative valenced measures were reverse scored.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Moderating effect of experimental study design on the relation between parenting and resting parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Diamonds represent weighted mean effect size in each subgroup. Size of data points represent relative weight used in calculating mean effect size. Error bars represent 95% CI.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Moderating effect of clinical sample on the relation between parenting and resting parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Diamonds represent weighted mean effect size in each subgroup. Size of data points represent relative weight used in calculating mean effect size. Error bars represent 95% CI.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Moderating effect of sample mean age on relation between parenting and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity. Negative effect sizes reflect negative relation between positive parenting and increases in SNS (i.e., reactivity). Size of data points reflects relative weight given to each effect size in analysis. Shaded area represents 95% CI.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Moderating effect of relationship measure on relation between parenting and resting parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Diamonds represent weighted mean effect size in each subgroup. Size of data points represent relative weight used in calculating mean effect size. Error bars represent 95% CI.
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References

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