Cardiac regulation, attachment style, and frustration tolerance in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

Abstract

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a childhood mood disorder characterized by severe difficulty in emotion regulation, particularly anger and irritability. Limited research has explored the relationship between attachment style and DMDD, despite the potential influence of attachment on physiological and behavioural regulation. This study investigated the role of attachment style, and subsequent adaptive shifts in parasympathetic regulation of the heart (indexed by vagal tone), as a potential contributing factor in the onset and maintenance of DMDD. The sample consisted of children who were diagnosed with DMDD (n=15) and a control group of typically developing peers (n =15). The avoidant attachment style was prominent in the DMDD group, compared to the control group. No differences in vagal tone were apparent at baseline or during a frustrating task. A negative correlation was found between the number of social interaction problems reported by parents in the DMDD group and autonomic regulation of the heart during the frustrating task. The study highlights the need for further research on the role of attachment style and physiological state regulation when frustrated to develop targeted interventions and support systems for children with DMDD