BEHAVIORAL-INHIBITION, HEART PERIOD, AND RESPIRATORY SINUS ARRHYTHMIAIN YOUNG-CHILDREN

Children were selected according to criteria for high or low behaviora l inhibition (BI) on the basis of both a maternal questionnaire and in terviewer ratings at home. Subsequent laboratory assessments involved further BI ratings as well as heart period (HP) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). BI, HP, and RSA were all moderately stable from 4.5 to 7 years. HP and RSA changed in meaningful ways according to the con text of different laboratory episodes. No significant relations emerge d between BI and HP or RSA over the whole sample. However, HP predicte d which of the children in the high inhibition group would remain inhi bited at 7 years: HP at 4.5 years was significantly lower for children with high BI ratings at 4.5 who remained high at 7 years compared wit h children with high BI at 4.5 years who were less inhibited at 7 year s. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.