title: Relation between aggression exposure in adolescence and adult posttraumatic stress symptoms: Moderating role of the parasympathetic nervous system.
abstract: The present study examines the impact of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), on the link between family aggression experienced during adolescence and posttraumatic stress symptoms during young adulthood. Participants completed retrospective self-report measures of interparental aggression and harsh parenting exposure during adolescence and measures of current posttraumatic stress symptoms. RSA indexed PNS activity. Among females, the three-way interaction between harsh parenting, interparental aggression, and resting RSA was significant in accounting for young adulthood PTSD symptoms. At higher values of resting RSA and higher levels of interparental aggression exposure, harsh parenting experienced during adolescence was positively associated with adulthood PTSD symptoms. Among males, adolescent aggression exposure and resting RSA did not significantly account for variation in adulthood PTSD symptoms. Thus, this study suggests that resting PNS activity may play an important role in the relationship between stressors during adolescence and later PTSD in females.
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: sabarry@albany.edu.
authors.forename: Samantha A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: arabkin@chmca.org.
authors.forename: Ari N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Rabkin
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: colezeski@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Olezeski
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: arivers@albany.edu.
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rivers
authors.affiliation: University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: egordis@albany.edu.
authors.forename: Elana B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Gordis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Family violence; Parasympathetic nervous system; Posttraumatic stress