Physiological reactions of preschoolers to fear-inducing film clips: effects of temperamental fearfulness and quality of the parent-child relationship.

Full Abstract

This study investigates young children's fright reactions induced by television. The central question concerns the degree to which the impact can be predicted by temperamental fearfulness and the quality of the parent-child relationship. Using a procedure for recording simultaneously skin conductance (SCL) and heart rate variability (RMSSD), 78 3- and 4-year-olds were shown two brief TV film episodes (one fear-inducing and one emotionally neutral). The children responded to fear-inducing film stimuli with an increase in SCL-reactivity and a decrease in RMSSD-reactivity. Furthermore, temperamentally more fearful children showed most electrodermal reactivity when their relationship with the parent was less harmonious. More fearful children were more susceptible to the quality of the relationship with their parent, which provides support for the differential susceptibility hypothesis.(c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Author information

Author/s: Gilissen, Renske (R); Koolstra, Cees M (CM); van Ijzendoorn, Marinus H (MH); Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J (MJ); van der Veer, René (R);

Affiliation: Centre for Child & Family Studies Leiden University, The Netherlands.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Developmental psychobiology (Dev Psychobiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 49 (issue 2) : pp 187-95

Dates: Created 2007/02/27; Completed 2007/05/18; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 17299791, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Affect
Child, Preschool
Fear
Female
Galvanic Skin Response - physiology
Heart Rate - physiology

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