The Effect of Reflection on Heart Rate Variability during Adulthood

Addressing age-related features of reflection in adulthood and investigating the consequences influencing the activity of the autonomic system is one of the solutions to the task that opens up prospects for the application of reflective methods in helping psychological practice. The aim of the research is to determine the state of balance in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) of the body after completing a reflective act in adults (18 years and older); establish the influence of age-related features and the completeness of reflective development on post-reflective state on ANS parameters. The reflective act has a significant influence, registered in the post-reflective state, on ANS activity. The assumption is that: 1) age-related psychological and psychophysiological characteristics determine the influence of reflection on the state of ANS; 2) the completeness of reflective development is one of the factors influencing the activity and passivity of the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems of the body. The study employed methods of diagnosing heart rate variability (HRV) and methods setting conditions for "complete" reflection. The sample included 141 individuals, with 118 individuals included in the final analysis (mean age 22±8 years). 1) Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the experimental and control groups of young age in terms of HRV temporal parameters: average duration of cardiac intervals (RRNN); heart rate; mode (Mo); as well as spectral parameters of HRV; 2) statistical analysis identified significant differences between conditions before and after the experiment in the "adult" experimental group in terms of temporal HRV analysis parameters: RRNN; heart rate; Mo. No significant changes were observed in spectral parameters; 3) Multifactorial ANOVA analysis revealed significant patterns. The main significant interactions of factors were found for the factors "group" and "conditions" (indicators - RRNN, SDNN, LFnorm, HFnorm, LF/HF, HF. Conclusions. The results showed that younger participants (18-21 years) exhibit greater sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system and more pronounced changes in HRV parameters compared to older individuals (over 22 years). The main shifts in the balance of autonomic regulation are associated with an increase in the parasympathetic component in providing adaptive reactions of the body.