This study characterizes autonomic nervous system activity reactive to separation–reunion among mothers with Interpersonal Violence-Related
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (IPV-PTSD). Heart-rate (HR) and high frequency
heart-rate-variability (HF-HRV) were measured in 17 IPV-PTSD-mothers, 22
sub-threshold-mothers, and 15 non-PTSD mother-controls while interacting with
their toddlers (12–48 months). Analyses showed IPV-PTSD-mothers having
generally lower HR than other groups. All groups showed negative correlations
between changes in HR and HF-HRV from sitting- to standing-baseline. During
initial separation, controls no longer showed a negative relationship between HR
and HF-HRV. But by the second reunion, the negative relationship reappeared.
IPV-PTSD- and sub-threshold-mothers retained negative HR/HF-HRV correlations during the initial separation, but stopped showing them by the second
reunion. Results support that mother-controls showed a pattern of autonomic
regulation suggestive of hypervigilance during initial separation that resolved by
the time of re-exposure. PTSD-mothers showed delayed onset of this pattern
only upon re-exposure, and were perhaps exhibiting defensive avoidance or
numbing during the initial separation/reunion