I. INTRODUCTION.

PARASYMPATHETIC nervous system physiology; AUTONOMIC nervous system physiology; CHILD psychology research; EMOTIONS in children; CHILD psychopathology; CHILD development research; MARITAL conflict; INTERPERSONAL conflict

The article presents studies which investigate the interactions between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) as vulnerability and protective factors for externalizing behaviors in the context of marital conflict among children in the U.S. It purports that child characteristics can function as risk moderators. It shows that high levels of conflict increase and negative reinforcement of children's arousal and aggression increase risk for conduct problems the poor vagal regulation of emotion. It was found out that the individual's potential to react to environment is great if heart rate physiologic variability is also great.