Role of Ethnicity and Environment on Regulation of Response Towards Sensory Stimulation in Children

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Behavior; Children

Treatments: Other: Ethnicity; Other: Environment

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02878824

HSEARS20150316001-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Difference in autonomic nervous system processes across cultural and ethnic groups was suggested and autonomic regulation differentiation may occur even at an early age. However, the role of ethnicity and environment on regulation of response towards sensory stimulation in children is not well understood yet. This research aims to compare the autonomic activity at resting condition and toward a block of auditory stimulation between typically developing children from different countries and living environments. There will be two phases in this study. In Phase I, two groups of participants will be recruited: (a) 32 typically-developing Chinese children living in Hong Kong, (HK group) and (b) 32 typically developing Filipino children living in Hong Kong (Fil-HK group). In phase II, two groups of participants will be recruited: (a) 32 typically-developing Filipino children who are living at Urban area (PH-U group), and (b) 32 typically developing Filipino children who are living at Philippines-Rural area (PH-R group). Participants will be composed of males and females ages 7-12 years old, and without known history of developmental disabilities, medical history of cardiac or pulmonary problem, medical history of diabetes, or having any sensory deficits. Recruited participants will watch a silent movie, and listen to a block of sound. Autonomic activity (heart rate variability and electrodermal activity) will be measured and recorded using Polar H2 heart rate monitor and eSense skin response. Recordings will be screened for ectopic beats of HRV or bursts of EDA. The HRV and EDA signals will be processed by using aHRV and the eSense propriety software, respectively, and according to the standards of editing HRV and EDA artefacts. Autonomic activity (LF, HF and EDA) at resting condition, and hypothesis interaction between conditions (resting condition vs. auditory stimulation) and groups (HK group and PH-U group; Fil-HK group and PH-U group; PH-U group vs. PH-R group) will be tested with repeated measures of MANOVA. All significant levels will be set at p≤ 0.05. This study will increase the understanding on the role of culture and environment in the regulation of behaviour in auditory processing. The findings of this research may further shed light on the evaluation and treatment planning for children across and within cultures.

Full description

Background: Difference in autonomic nervous system (ANS) processes across cultural and ethnic groups was suggested and autonomic regulation differentiation may occur even at an early age. However, the role of ethnicity and environment on regulation of response towards sensory stimulation in children is not well understood yet. This research aims to compare the autonomic activity at resting condition and toward a block of auditory stimulation between typically developing children from different countries and living environments and examine the role of environments and ethnicity on autonomic regulation.

Methods: Four groups of typically-developing participants will be recruited in this study: 1) Chinese children living in Hong Kong (n=32); Filipino children living in Hong Kong (32); Filipino children living in urban-Philippines (n=32); Filipino children living in urban-Philippines (n=32). Participants will be males (nm=16) and females (nf=16), ages 7-12 years old, and without known history of developmental disabilities, medical history of cardiac or pulmonary problem, medical history of diabetes, or having any sensory deficits. Recruited participants will watch a silent movie, and listen to a block of sound stimulus presentations. Autonomic activity (heart rate variability and electrodermal activity) will be measured and recorded using Polar H2 heart rate monitor and eSense GSR. Recordings will be screened for ectopic beats of HRV or bursts of EDA. The HRV and EDA signals will be processed by using aHRV and Ledalab software, respectively, and according to the standards of editing and analysing HRV and EDA artefacts. Autonomic activity (LF, HF and EDA) at experimental condition groups (HK group and PH-U group; Fil-HK group and PH-U group; PH-U group vs. PH-R group) will be tested with repeated measures of MANOVA. All significant levels will be set at a critical α=> .05.

Discussion: This study will increase the understanding on the role of culture and environment in the regulation of behaviour in auditory processing. The findings of this research may further shed light on the evaluation and treatment planning for children across and within cultures.

Enrollment: 128 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 7 to 12 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• male or female
• 7-12 years old
• enrolled in primary school
• currently resides in the country/area in context
• for Hong Kong participants: Hong Kong-Chinese national
• for Philippine participants: born and living within the area in context

Exclusion criteria

• known history of developmental disabilities, medical history of cardiac or pulmonary problem, medical history of diabetes, or having any sensory deficits
• repeated a grade level
• multiracial parental background

Trial design

128 participants in 4 patient groups

HK-Children

Description:

This is a group of typically-developing children ages 7-12 years old who are of Chinese ethnicity, born and raised in Hong Kong (n=32).

Treatment:

Other: Ethnicity

FHK-Children

Description:

This is a group of typically-developing children ages 7-12 years old who are of Filipino ethnicity; either born, migrated and/or raised in Hong Kong (n=32).

Treatment:

Other: Ethnicity

FU-Children

Description:

This is a group of typically-developing children ages 7-12 years old who are of Filipino ethnicity, born and raised in an urban area in the Philippines (n=32).

Treatment:

Other: Environment

FR-Children

Description:

This is a group of typically-developing children ages 7-12 years old who are of Filipino ethnicity, born and raised in a rural area in the Philippines (n=32).

Treatment:

Other: Environment