How Heart Rate Variability Reflects Emotional and Attentional Regulation

Abstract

Previous research involving anxiety and heart rate has demonstrated that individuals with greater heart rate variability (HRV) have lower levels of anxiety and a more effective ability to control anxiety and rumination. The vigilance hypothesis explains anxious individuals’ tendency to orient toward threats quickly. A maintenance hypothesis suggests an impairment in shifting away from the threat. The current study follows the framework of the Neurovisceral Integration Model, which describes integration of autonomic, attentional, and affective systems and their link to HRV. Effective emotion regulation may be associated with higher HRV, while lower HRV may reflect ineffective cognitive and emotional processes. Participants (n = 35) first completed the Trait Anxiety, Attention Control, and Ruminative Response Scales. Upon Completion, a five-minute nature video was watched to measure baseline HRV. Then, HRV was recorded in response to a cognitive challenge task (PASAT). This was followed by state anxiety and state rumination scales. Finally, participants were presented with pairs of neutral and threatening pictures to assess attentional bias to threat as eye-tracking software recorded the duration and saccadic latency towards specific images over three seconds. This study examined whether emotional and attentional regulation is related to heart rate variability and whether anxiety leads to maintained attention toward threats in individuals who do not regulate their attention and emotions. We hypothesized that (1) the PASAT challenge would increase HRV more among those with higher resting HRV; (2) those with high trait anxiety may experience more state anxiety and state rumination after the PASAT unless they also have higher resting HRV; (3) there would be a negative correlation between attention control and state rumination, and state anxiety after the PASAT; and (4) resting HRV and attention control would mediate attention to threat among those high in trait.

Details

Session 1

11:15am – 12:30pm

Del Norte Hall

Room C: 1535