Cited by 149Child Abuse and TraumaStress Responses and CortisolChild Welfare and Adoption

Child Maltreatment and Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity: Identifying Dysregulated Stress Reactivity Patterns by Using the Biopsychosocial Model of Challenge and Threat

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McLaughlin, Katie A., Sheridan, Margaret A., Alves, Sonia, Mendes, Wendy Berry·2014·Psychosomatic Medicine

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Disruptions in stress response system development have been posited as mechanisms linking child maltreatment (CM) to psychopathology. Existing theories predict elevated sympathetic nervous system reactivity after CM, but evidence for this is inconsistent. We present a novel framework for conceptualizing stress reactivity after CM that uses the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat. We predicted that in the context of a social-evaluative stressor, maltreated adolescents would exhibit a threat pattern of reactivity, involving sympathetic nervous system activation paired with elevated vascular resistance and blunted cardiac output (CO) reactivity. METHODS: A sample of 168 adolescents (mean age =14.9 years) participated. Recruitment targeted maltreated adolescents; 38.2% were maltreated. Electrocardiogram, impedance cardiography, and blood pressure were acquired at rest and during an evaluated social stressor (Trier Social Stress Test). Pre-ejection period (PEP), CO, and total peripheral resistance reactivity were computed during task preparation, speech delivery, and verbal mental arithmetic. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms were assessed. RESULTS: Maltreatment was unrelated to PEP reactivity during preparation or speech, but maltreated adolescents had reduced PEP reactivity during math. Maltreatment exposure (F(1,145) = 3.8-9.4, p = .053-<.001) and severity (β = -0.10-0.12, p = .030-.007) were associated with significantly reduced CO reactivity during all components of the stress task and marginally associated with elevated total peripheral resistance reactivity (F(1,145) = 3.8-9.4; p = .053-<.001 [β = 0.07-0.11] and p = .11-.009, respectively). Threat reactivity was positively associated with externalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: CM is associated with a dysregulated pattern of physiological reactivity consistent with theoretical conceptualizations of threat but not previously examined in relation to maltreatment, suggesting a more nuanced pattern of stress reactivity than predicted by current theoretical models.

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  • ELA is robustly linked to stronger emotional reactivity across several measurement methods.

    “research has demonstrated a robust link between ELA and heightened emotional reactivity.62 This association has been found across multiple measurement methods—from self-reported emotional reactivity91 to cardiovascular responses92,93 and amygdala reactivity.90”

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Authors
McLaughlin, K. A., Sheridan, M. A., Alves, S., & Mendes, W. B.
Affiliations
Boston Children's Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
McLaughlin, Katie A.
Venue
Psychosomatic Medicine
Published
2014-09
Volume
76
Issue
7
Pages
538-546
ISSN
0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2017925404
Cited by
149
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 10
FWCI
14.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (K01MH092555, K01MH092526)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
Keywords
child abuse, autonomic reactivity, threat reactivity, social stress, Trier Social Stress Test, pre-ejection period, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance, sympathetic nervous system, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, biopsychosocial model, adolescents, stress response dysregulation
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood Pressure, Cardiography, Impedance, Child Abuse, Electrocardiography, Female, Humans, Male, Stress, Psychological, Vascular Resistance

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