Measuring the temporal dynamics of inter-personal neural entrainment in continuous child-adult EEG hyperscanning data

Current approaches to analysing EEG hyperscanning data in the developmental literature typically consider interpersonal entrainment between interacting physiological systems as a time-invariant property. This approach obscures crucial information about how entrainment between interacting systems is established and maintained over time. Here, we describe methods, and present computational algorithms, that will allow researchers to address this gap in the literature. We focus on how two different approaches to measuring entrainment, namely concurrent (e.g., power correlations, phase locking) and sequential (e.g., Granger causality) measures, can be applied to three aspects of the brain signal: amplitude, power, and phase. We guide the reader through worked examples using simulated data on how to leverage these methods to measure changes in interbrain entrainment. For each, we aim to provide a detailed explanation of the interpretation and application of these analyses when studying neural entrainment during early social interactions.

Automated summary

This article introduces a new method and algorithm for analyzing changes in neural entrainment in EEG hyperscanning data. By using concurrent and sequential measures, it provides an effective way to quantify the amplitude, power, and phase of brain signals, addressing the missing information about how entrainment is established and maintained in current research.