Resting heart rate associations with violence exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms: sex differences in children

ConclusionIn our sample of primarily Black urban children, we found that violence exposure was associated with slower, more adult-like HR, that girls showed greater PTSS associated with slower HR while boys did not, and that girls with lower than normative HR showed significantly higher PTSS compared to girls with normative HR. Our sample ’s demonstration of psychological consequences in addition to the physiological implications could provide new information about a psychobiological sequelae of violence exposure.
Source: Biology of Sex Differences - Category: Biology Source Type: research