Psychophysiological correlates in children with conduct disorders

Thirty-two children with conduct disorder (CD) and forty-four children without conduct disorder (control group) were compared on impulsivity, heart rate variability, heart rate, forehead EMG, electrodermal activity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure during rest periods, playing a video game, and a paper-and-pencil task (AD). The control group was more impulsive than the CD group on the Arrow Dot test. There were no differences between the groups on the Matching Familiar Figures Test. This is discussed in terms of task complexity. Heart rate variability was less for both the video game and rest than recovery for the CD group. Baseline heart rate was lower than all other conditions for the sample. Heart rate in the CD group was greater during the video game than the following rest period. Forehead EMG was greater in the CD group than the control group and greater during the video game for both groups. Electrodermal activity was greater at baseline than any other interval for the sample. Electrodermal activity was greater for the video game than the following rest period or the AD task. The a priori prediction that the CD group baseline electrodermal activity would be lower than the control group's was supported. Each task raised systolic blood pressure above baseline measures for the sample. The video game increased systolic blood pressure over rest, AD task, and recovery. The control group's diastolic blood pressure was greater during the video game than AD task and rest. The CD group's heart rate variability reactivity was greater than the control group. The video game elicited more electrodermal, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure reactivity than the AD task for the sample. The control group's diastolic blood pressure reactivity was greater to the video game than AD task. The CD group demonstrated more heart rate recovery than the control group and more recovery from the video game than from AD task. The sample showed more electrodermal and diastolic blood pressure recovery after the video game than AD task. These results are discussed in terms of parasympathetic nervous system mediation and coupling of physiological systems.