Associations between parent-infant interactions, cortisol and vagal regulation in infants, and socioemotional outcomes: A systematic review

Emotional regulation in early infancy develops mainly through social interactions with caregivers and is a key process in socioemotional functioning. The use of physiological measures such as vagal tone and cortisol can help researchers understand what underlies this association between parent-infant interaction, emotion regulation, and socioemotional functioning. This review integrates 39 studies from four databases. We first examine associations between parent-infant interactions and physiological measures of emotion regulation in children aged 0-24 months. We then examine the association between these physiological measures and children's socioemotional outcomes. The results provide insights into which aspects of parent-infant interactions are associated with the physiological functioning of infants and which socioemotional outcomes in infants may be influenced by this functioning.

Automated summary

Emotional regulation in early infancy is developed through social interactions with caregivers and plays a crucial role in socioemotional functioning. Physiological measures such as vagal tone and cortisol can provide insights into the association between parent-infant interaction, emotion regulation, and socioemotional outcomes. This review of 39 studies examines the associations between parent-infant interactions, physiological measures of emotion regulation, and children's socioemotional outcomes.