Date of Award
Spring 4-3-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
April 2026
Department
Psychology
College Granting Degree
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department Granting Degree
Psychology
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Nancy Aaron Jones
Abstract
Infancy represents a period of rapid neural development during which early temperamental traits begin to emerge. Fearful reactivity, a core dimension of temperament, has been linked to later risk for anxiety and related internalizing outcomes. The present study examined developmental patterns of frontal alpha-band electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence across infancy and tested whether neural connectivity within frontal regions was associated with fearful temperament. Participants were 61 infants recruited through a multisite longitudinal study conducted at Florida Atlantic University, Washington State University, and Virginia Tech. Infants completed laboratory visits at approximately 6, 8, 10, and 12 months of age. During each visit, resting-state EEG was recorded during a baseline condition and during a fear-eliciting stranger approach task. Frontal intrahemispheric short-lead alpha-band coherence (Fp1–F7; Fp2–F8) was computed for left and right hemispheres. Parent-reported fearful temperament was assessed using standardized caregiver questionnaires. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine developmental change in fearful temperament and EEG coherence across infancy, as well as associations between neural coherence and fearful reactivity. Results indicated that fearful temperament increased significantly from 6 to 12 months of age. Frontal EEG coherence differed between baseline and fear-eliciting conditions, with higher coherence observed during baseline relative to the stranger condition. However, coherence did not show a significant developmental change across age. Although coherence alone was not significantly associated with fearful temperament, the relation between coherence and fear varied significantly as a function of hemisphere and developmental age. These findings suggest that frontal neural connectivity is sensitive to affective context, and that the relation between neural coherence and fearful temperament varies across development.
Recommended Citation
Gott, Samantha Christiana, "DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS OF FRONTAL ALPHA-BAND EEG COHERENCE AND FEARFUL TEMPERAMENT ACROSS INFANCY" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 255.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/255