Abstract
A review of the research on infant vagal tone suggests that vagal activity is associated with both infant growth and infant socioemotional development. Vagal activity has been noted to increase following the stimulation of pressure receptors as in massage therapy. Vagal activity, in turn, stimulates gastric motility which mediates weight gain in infants. Vagal activity has also been notably elevated during synchronous mother-infant interactions and positive affect, providing confirmatory data for the Porges "social engagement system" model. In contrast, low vagal activity has been noted in prenatally depressed mothers (and prenatally angry and anxious mothers) and their infants, as well as in children with autism. These studies highlight the relations between vagal activity and the social behaviors of attentiveness, facial expressions and vocalizations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 361-373 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Infant Behavior and Development |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2008 |
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Keywords
- Emotional development
- Vagal activity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
Vagal activity, early growth and emotional development. / Field, Tiffany M; Diego, Miguel A.
In: Infant Behavior and Development, Vol. 31, No. 3, 01.09.2008, p. 361-373.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Vagal activity, early growth and emotional development
AU - Field, Tiffany M
AU - Diego, Miguel A
PY - 2008/9/1
Y1 - 2008/9/1
N2 - A review of the research on infant vagal tone suggests that vagal activity is associated with both infant growth and infant socioemotional development. Vagal activity has been noted to increase following the stimulation of pressure receptors as in massage therapy. Vagal activity, in turn, stimulates gastric motility which mediates weight gain in infants. Vagal activity has also been notably elevated during synchronous mother-infant interactions and positive affect, providing confirmatory data for the Porges "social engagement system" model. In contrast, low vagal activity has been noted in prenatally depressed mothers (and prenatally angry and anxious mothers) and their infants, as well as in children with autism. These studies highlight the relations between vagal activity and the social behaviors of attentiveness, facial expressions and vocalizations.
AB - A review of the research on infant vagal tone suggests that vagal activity is associated with both infant growth and infant socioemotional development. Vagal activity has been noted to increase following the stimulation of pressure receptors as in massage therapy. Vagal activity, in turn, stimulates gastric motility which mediates weight gain in infants. Vagal activity has also been notably elevated during synchronous mother-infant interactions and positive affect, providing confirmatory data for the Porges "social engagement system" model. In contrast, low vagal activity has been noted in prenatally depressed mothers (and prenatally angry and anxious mothers) and their infants, as well as in children with autism. These studies highlight the relations between vagal activity and the social behaviors of attentiveness, facial expressions and vocalizations.
KW - Emotional development
KW - Vagal activity
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=47849087677&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.12.008
DO - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.12.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 18295898
AN - SCOPUS:47849087677
VL - 31
SP - 361
EP - 373
JO - Infant Behavior and Development
JF - Infant Behavior and Development
SN - 0163-6383
IS - 3
ER -