A Longitudinal Study of Emotion Regulation and Anxiety in Middle Childhood: Associations with Frontal EEG Asymmetry in Early Childhood

We investigated whether brain electrical activity during early childhood vas associated with anxiety symptoms and emotion regulation during a stressful situation during middle childhood. Frontal (EEG) asymetries were measured during baseline and during a cognitive control task tit 4 1/2 years. Anxiety and emotion regulation were assessed during a stressful situation at age 9 (speech task), along with measures of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). Questionnaires were also used to asses anxiety and emotion regulation at age 9. Results from this longitudinal study indicated that children who exhibited right frontal asymmetry in early childhood experienced more physiological arousal (increased HR, decreased HRV) during the speech task (it age 9 and less ability to regulate their emotions as reported by their parents. Findings are discussed in light of the associations between temperament and development of anxiety disorders.(C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals. Dev Psychobiol 52:197-204.2010.