Heart rate variability and suicidal behavior

Disrupted physiological reactivity among children with a history of suicidal ideation: Moderation by parental expressed emotion-criticism

“…The current results also support research suggesting that a history of suicidality is associated with deficits in the ability to regulate physiological responses to stress (Wilson et al, 2016). Finally, the findings are consistent with research suggesting that greater RSA suppression is associated with better emotion regulation in children (Gentzler, Santucci, Kovacs, & Fox, 2009) in that only the highest risk children (those with SI and a critical parent) failed to display RSA suppression during the task.…”

“…Although the current results are consistent with previous research suggesting a lack of RSA suppression in children with psychopathology (for reviews, see Graziano & Derefinko, 2013; Shahrestani et al, 2014) and those with suicidality (Wilson et al, 2016), though they contradict the findings of one previous study suggesting that adolescents with a history of SI or NSSI have greater decreases in RSA following a negative mood induction than adolescents without a history of either SI or NSSI (Crowell et al, 2005). Although the exact reason for the difference in findings is not clear, our results suggest that the relation between youth SI and RSA is moderated by family contextual variables, such as high levels of criticism, which were not included in the Crowell et al (2005) study.…”

“…Consistent with previous research (Woody, Feurer, Sosoo, Hastings, & Gibb, 2016), epochs with more than 10% artifacts (i.e., 10% of R-waves estimated within an epoch) were excluded, and tasks (i.e., rest, vacation-planning, or issues discussion tasks) with more than 50% epochs were counted as missing. Also consistent with previous research (e.g., Wilson et al, 2016), RSA was estimated using high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV; Berntson et al, 1997). To calculate HF-HRV, spectral power analyses were performed with a fast Fourier transformation.…”

“…Coryell & Schlesser, 2001; Jokinen & Nordström, 2009; Wilson et al, 2016). Indeed, there is growing evidence for the link between difficulties in emotion regulation and suicidality in adults and adolescents (Kudinova et al, 2015; Pisani et al, 2013; Rajappa, Gallagher, & Miranda, 2012; Rodriguez & Kendall, 2014).…”

“…For example, in terms of resting RSA, there is evidence that the presence of suicidal ideation in adults with major depression is associated with lower levels of resting RSA (Chang et al, 2012; Rottenberg, Wilhelm, Gross, & Gotlib, 2002). In terms of RSA reactivity, there is evidence that adults with a history of suicide attempt exhibit less RSA suppression in response to a stressor than non-suicidal controls (Wilson et al, 2016). In contrast, one study examining RSA reactivity in adolescents found that adolescents ages 14–18 with a history of either SI or non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) had greater RSA suppression following a negative mood induction than adolescents without a history of either SI or NSSI (Crowell et al, 2005).…”