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The Impact of Affective Touch on Physiological Self-Regulation among Preschool-Age Children: The Influence of Emotional Context and Effortful Control

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Title: The Impact of Affective Touch on Physiological Self-Regulation among Preschool-Age Children: The Influence of Emotional Context and Effortful Control
Language: English
Authors: Letizia Della Longa (ORCID 0000-0003-0159-3744), Teresa Farroni (ORCID 0000-0003-1876-3703)
Source: International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2026 50(2):200-212.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Preschool Children, Stimuli, Tactual Perception, Physiology, Self Control, Emotional Response, Affective Behavior, Visual Stimuli, Cartoons, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Italy
DOI: 10.1177/01650254251324157
ISSN: 0165-0254
1464-0651
Abstract: The preschool period marks a crucial transition from a regulatory environment primarily governed by parents to children's emerging capacity for autonomous control over their behavior and emotions. Affective touch, mediated by activation of C-tactile afferents may play a pivotal role in facilitating this transition by supporting physiological vagal activity, which eventually becomes integrated into processes of emotional and behavioral self-regulation. This study aims to investigate whether affective touch modulates heart rate variability (HRV), an index of vagal activity associated with autonomic regulation, among young children (N = 68, age range 3-6 years) following exposure to neutral and emotional (crying scene) cartoons. The results unveiled a more pronounced increase of HRV during tactile stimulation in children experiencing affective touch compared with those exposed to nonaffective touch across both neutral and emotionally salient conditions. This suggests that affective touch may enhance autonomic vagal activity. Furthermore, temperamental traits were found to modulate this effect: children with lower scores of effortful control exhibited a greater increase in HRV during affective touch stimulation, indicating that affective touch may be particularly beneficial for children who struggle to regulate their behaviors and emotions in everyday activities.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500110
Database: ERIC
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  Data: The Impact of Affective Touch on Physiological Self-Regulation among Preschool-Age Children: The Influence of Emotional Context and Effortful Control
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Letizia+Della+Longa%22">Letizia Della Longa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0159-3744">0000-0003-0159-3744</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Teresa+Farroni%22">Teresa Farroni</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1876-3703">0000-0003-1876-3703</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Behavioral+Development%22"><i>International Journal of Behavioral Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 50(2):200-212.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 13
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stimuli%22">Stimuli</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tactual+Perception%22">Tactual Perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physiology%22">Physiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Control%22">Self Control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affective+Behavior%22">Affective Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Stimuli%22">Visual Stimuli</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cartoons%22">Cartoons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/01650254251324157
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  Data: 0165-0254<br />1464-0651
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The preschool period marks a crucial transition from a regulatory environment primarily governed by parents to children's emerging capacity for autonomous control over their behavior and emotions. Affective touch, mediated by activation of C-tactile afferents may play a pivotal role in facilitating this transition by supporting physiological vagal activity, which eventually becomes integrated into processes of emotional and behavioral self-regulation. This study aims to investigate whether affective touch modulates heart rate variability (HRV), an index of vagal activity associated with autonomic regulation, among young children (N = 68, age range 3-6 years) following exposure to neutral and emotional (crying scene) cartoons. The results unveiled a more pronounced increase of HRV during tactile stimulation in children experiencing affective touch compared with those exposed to nonaffective touch across both neutral and emotionally salient conditions. This suggests that affective touch may enhance autonomic vagal activity. Furthermore, temperamental traits were found to modulate this effect: children with lower scores of effortful control exhibited a greater increase in HRV during affective touch stimulation, indicating that affective touch may be particularly beneficial for children who struggle to regulate their behaviors and emotions in everyday activities.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1500110
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        Value: 10.1177/01650254251324157
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 200
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stimuli
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tactual Perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional Response
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Affective Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Visual Stimuli
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cartoons
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Italy
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: The Impact of Affective Touch on Physiological Self-Regulation among Preschool-Age Children: The Influence of Emotional Context and Effortful Control
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            NameFull: Letizia Della Longa
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            NameFull: Teresa Farroni
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              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0165-0254
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            – TitleFull: International Journal of Behavioral Development
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