Behavioral inhibition, heart period, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia: An attachment perspective

This study shows that relations between behavioral inhibition and cardiac a ctivity may be clarified by identifying attachment status, whereas relation s between security of attachment and cardiac activity may be clarified by i dentifying inhibition status. Assessments at 4.5 years (N = 126) included h eart period (HP), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), behavioral inhibition CBI), and security of attachment. There was no main effect of BI status (L ow, Medium, High) on either HP or RSA. Instead,:it was only the Secure chil dren who showed the predicted relation between low BI and high HP or RSA, w ith the Low BI-Secure group having significantly higher HP than either the High BI-Secure br the Low BI-Insecure groups. Turning to attachment, both H P and RSA increased significantly from an assessment during separation from mother to an assessment 3 min after reunion. The only subgroups showing a significant increase in HP, however, were those with both secure attachment and an absence of high BI.