Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 12, 2026
Calculating Heart Rate Variability from ECG Data from Youth with Cerebral Palsy During Active Video Game Sessions
Published on: June 5, 2019
Pediatric Heart Rate Variability During Play and Neurocognitive Testing: The Influence of Parental Attitudes Towards
Tony H Liu1,2, Anna Sroka3, Jessica Zhang4
1Columbia University Medical Center Department of Psychiatry, New York, New York, USA.
Insights
Parental attitudes towards play significantly influence children's autonomic nervous system regulation. Positive caregiver views on parent-child play correlate with better autonomic recovery in young children, impacting their development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Child Health
Background:
- Parent-child play is vital for child development and autonomic nervous system (ANS) integration.
- Parental perceptions of play's impact on childhood autonomic profiles, linked to safety and learning, are understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between parental attitudes towards play and children's autonomic regulation.
- To explore how caregiver perceptions of parent-child play dynamics influence children's heart rate variability (HRV) recovery.
Main Methods:
- Recorded heart rate variability (HRV) in children aged 3-7 years during neurocognitive tests and play activities.
- Administered questionnaires to caregivers regarding parent-child play dynamics.
- Analyzed HRV recovery post-play as a marker of autonomic regulation.
Main Results:
- Caregiver attitudes towards parent-child play showed a significant correlation with children's autonomic recovery profiles.
- Multiple regression analyses confirmed the link between parental play attitudes and children's autonomic regulation.
- Children's autonomic outcomes appear associated with parental attitudes and behaviors concerning play.
Conclusions:
- Parental attitudes and behaviors related to play are linked to children's autonomic nervous system outcomes.
- This study highlights the importance of caregiver perceptions in shaping children's physiological regulation during development.
- Findings suggest interventions focusing on positive parental play attitudes may enhance child autonomic regulation.
Abstract:
Parent-child play is crucial in shaping child development, where play also facilitates autonomic nervous system integration. However, less is known about how parental perceptions of play impact childhood autonomic profiles, which have been associated with enhanced feelings of safety, responsiveness, comfort, and improved learning. This study recorded heart rate variability (HRV) among a sample of young children aged 3-7 years old (N = 45; 42% girls; 62% African American) while they performed neurocognitive tests and play activities, including tickling by a caregiver. Caregivers also completed questionnaires on parent-child play dynamics. Utilizing HRV recovery after play as a marker of autonomic regulation, correlation and multiple regression analyses showed that caregiver attitudes towards parent-child play correlated with the children's autonomic recovery profiles. These findings suggest children's autonomic outcomes are linked to parental attitudes and behaviors related to play.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types