According to a study from Binghamton University, mothers with a history of depression are not physiologically “in sync” with their kids.
Researchers measured heart rate variability, which is a physiological measure of social engagement, in children aged 7-11 and their mothers. While engaging in positive and negative discussions, 50 mothers who didn’t have a history of depression showed similar increases and decreases in heart rate as their children—something researchers call “physiological synchrony.” On the other hand, 44 depressed mothers participating in the study displayed the opposite results, which showed they were not in sync with their children.
