Studies have shown a significant association between effective parasympathetic modulation of the heart and processes linked to social cognition. Particularly, Quintana and colleagues documented a relation between vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) and performance on a theory of mind (ToM) task, namely, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), in a sample of university students. The purpose of the present study was to test whether such result would extend to a sample of school-aged children (7-9 years old) using the child version of the RMET. In addition, the Eyes Test Revised was administered as it is more suitable to evaluate ToM during childhood. Results supported the positive association between vmHRV and ToM abilities, replicating and extending previous results obtained in young adults. The current study adds to the existing literature pointing to HRV as a putative biomarker of social cognition abilities.

From One's Heart to the Mind of Others: A Study in School‐Aged Children / Zammuto, Marta; Ottaviani, Cristina; Bianchi, Dora; Laghi, Fiorenzo; Lonigro, Antonia. - In: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY. - ISSN 0012-1630. - 66:6(2024). [10.1002/dev.22516]

From One's Heart to the Mind of Others: A Study in School‐Aged Children

Zammuto, Marta;Ottaviani, Cristina;Bianchi, Dora;Laghi, Fiorenzo;Lonigro, Antonia
2024

Abstract

Studies have shown a significant association between effective parasympathetic modulation of the heart and processes linked to social cognition. Particularly, Quintana and colleagues documented a relation between vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) and performance on a theory of mind (ToM) task, namely, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), in a sample of university students. The purpose of the present study was to test whether such result would extend to a sample of school-aged children (7-9 years old) using the child version of the RMET. In addition, the Eyes Test Revised was administered as it is more suitable to evaluate ToM during childhood. Results supported the positive association between vmHRV and ToM abilities, replicating and extending previous results obtained in young adults. The current study adds to the existing literature pointing to HRV as a putative biomarker of social cognition abilities.
2024
cardiac vagal tone; heart rate variability; school‐aged children; social cognition; theory of mind
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From One's Heart to the Mind of Others: A Study in School‐Aged Children / Zammuto, Marta; Ottaviani, Cristina; Bianchi, Dora; Laghi, Fiorenzo; Lonigro, Antonia. - In: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY. - ISSN 0012-1630. - 66:6(2024). [10.1002/dev.22516]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1722376
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