Parenting Self-Efficacy and Dyadic Autonomic Responses During Parent-Child Conflict

Abstract

In this thesis, I explored the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and autonomic self-regulation, using respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as a dynamic and sensitive indicator of physiological affective regulation during parent-adolescent conflict. Grounded in social cognitive theory, I examined how parenting self-efficacy relates to parents’ physiological affective responses during conflict interactions with their children. The data for the two studies presented herein were drawn from an archival dataset of a diverse sample of dyads comprised of 162 youth (ages 10-13; 47% female; 60% racial/ethnic minority) and their caregivers (94% female; 48% racial/ethnic minority). In Study 1, I used latent growth curve modeling to examine parental RSA trajectories, demonstrating that parenting satisfaction—the affective component of parenting self-efficacy reflecting a sense of fulfillment—predicts changes in the trajectory of physiological affective regulatory responses during the anticipation of conflict. High-satisfaction parents showed minimal anticipatory reactivity with RSA withdrawal occurring as conflict began, suggesting a more context-sensitive regulatory approach, whereas low-satisfaction parents exhibited RSA withdrawal during anticipation. In Study 2, I extended this inquiry into the dyadic context, analyzing whether parenting self-efficacy moderated time-lagged RSA synchrony in parent-adolescent interactions. Findings indicated that parenting cognitions were not directly associated with time-lagged physiological synchrony in parent-child dyads. Together, these studies provide insights into the physiological mechanisms underpinning parenting cognitions and contribute to a nuanced understanding of PSE’s role in dyadic self-regulation. Implications include the potential for interventions targeting parental self-regulatory capacities through practices like mindfulness and biofeedback, supporting both parental efficacy and adolescent developmental outcomes in emotionally charged contexts.