ABSTRACT
Research into co-occurrent internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood is flourishing. In particular, investigation on the association between anxiety and externalizing problems has yielded mixed findings, focused mainly on the issue of which problem might precede the other, and what role anxiety plays with respect to externalizing problems. Relatively little attention has been paid to the developmental patterns of these behaviors from early childhood, despite the potential of such knowledge to fully delineate etiological models of co-occurrence. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal association of anxiety and externalizing problems in a community sample of preschoolers (ELISA Project; N = 2,341; 48.2% girls), by identifying empirically derived profiles and then describing their change and stability through the use of Latent Transition Analysis. Gender differences were explored. Four different profiles were identified: "typically developing", "mainly anxious", "modestly externalizing" and "co-occurrent". Membership in these profile groups showed high stability over a two-year period. However, children in the "co-occurrent" profile group were the most likely to show changes, predominantly towards "modestly externalizing". Furthermore, a significant gender difference for transitions towards the "co-occurrent" profile group was found, with girls showing less likelihood of being assigned to such profile. These findings show that it is possible to identify an early persistent course of co-occurrent anxiety and externalizing problems, as well as observe changes in co-occurrence towards a simpler externalizing behavioral expression. Further research should explore predictors of group membership and changes in membership, that are malleable and therefore open to preventative intervention.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders , Anxiety , Anxiety/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
The association between psychopathic traits and conduct problems has been extensively analyzed, with results showing a significant predictive effectof psychopathic traits on later conduct problems. However, some recent research has evidenced some reversed effects, with early-onset conduct prob-lems also showing a significant effect on psychopathic traits. The present study aimed to examine the longitudinal effects (i.e., autoregressive, direct, andbidirectional) between the three psychopathy dimensions (i.e., interpersonal, affective, and behavioral), and conduct problems in two data collectionsspanning one year (T1-T2). The potential mediation effect from inconsistent parenting and parental warmth was also analyzed. Data were collected,trough parents reports, in a sample of 1.833 children (48.8% girls; Mage = 4.24; SD = 0.92), participating in the ELISA study (Longitudinal Study fora Healthy Childhood). A cross-lagged path analysis with mediation effects was performed in Mplus. Results showed autoregressive, direct and bidirec-tional effects between psychopathic traits and conduct problems. Hence, whilst T1 conduct problems predicted all psychopathy dimensions in T2, onlycallous-unemotional and impulsive/need of stimulation traits measured in T1 predicted conduct problems in T2. Finally, some marginal mediation effectsfrom inconsistent parenting and parental warmth were also observed, particularly in the relationship between interpersonal and affective psychopathictraits, and later CP through parental warmth. Current findings provide relevant implications for developmental models of psychopathic traits, as well asfor predictive models and preventive strategies on early-onset conduct problems.(AU)
La relación entre rasgos psicopáticos y problemas de conducta ha sido extensamente analizada, constándose un efecto predictivo de losrasgos psicopáticos sobre los problemas de conducta a lo largo del desarrollo. Sin embargo, investigaciones recientes mostraron que los problemasde conducta de inicio temprano también pueden jugar un papel fundamental en el desarrollo de los rasgos de tipo psicopático. El presente trabajo tienecomo objetivo principal analizar los efectos longitudinales (i.e., autorregresivos, directos y recíprocos) entre las tres dimensiones de la personalidadpsicopática (interpersonal, afectiva y conductual) y los problemas de conducta a largo de un 1 año de estudio (T1-T2), analizando el posible efectomediador de las prácticas parentales inconsistentes y basadas en el afecto. Se emplearon datos de 1.833 niños/as (48.8% niñas; edad media = 4.24;DT = 0.92), proporcionados a través de informes de padres, participantes en el proyecto ELISA (Estudio Longitudinal para una Infancia Saludable).Se realizó un diseño longitudinal en panel con efectos de mediación en Mplus. Los resultados mostraron efectos autorregresivos, directos y recíprocosentre problemas de conducta y rasgos psicopáticos. Así, mientras los problemas de conducta en T1 permiten predecir cambios en las tres dimensionesde psicopatía en T2, únicamente los rasgos de dureza emocional e impulsividad/búsqueda de sensaciones en T1, predicen cambios en problemas deconducta en T2. Por último, se evidenció el posible papel mediador de las prácticas parentales, particularmente en la relación entre rasgos psicopáticosde tipo interpersonal y afectivo, y los problemas de conducta a través de las prácticas basadas en el afecto. Los resultados obtenidos permiten extraerimportantes implicaciones sobre los modelos de desarrollo de la personalidad psicopática, así como para la predicción y prevención de los problemasde conducta de inicio temprano.(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Neurodevelopmental Disorders , Antisocial Personality Disorder , Parenting , Behavior , Child Behavior , Adolescent Behavior , Psychology, Child , Child DevelopmentABSTRACT
Research continues to work towards a full understanding of the early risk factors and mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of ex-ternalizing and internalizing problems. There is increasing evidence of negative emotionality predicting the co-occurring forms of theseproblems over childhood. This feature may show substantial stability along development; however, negative emotionality might alsovary depending on child characteristics, environment, and the developmental stage. The present study aimed to examine the patternsof stability and change of negative emotionality from preschool to school years, and to identify which of these patterns lead to differentbehavioral profiles of externalizing and internalizing problems during school years. A total of 1,293 preschoolers from 4 to 6 years (M =4.64; SD = .67; 50.2 % girls) were followed-up for two years using parent-reported data, within the frame of the ELISA Project. Latentprofile and transition analyses were conducted. The overall results revealed a primarily stability pattern of negative emotionality, and toa lesser extent some change towards a less intense emotional expression after follow-up. Results also showed particular developmentalpatterns of negative emotionality for the different behavioral profiles identified. Children with co-occurrent externalizing and internalizingproblems displayed greater rates of transition towards a high negative emotionality expression. These findings were explained in light ofindividual differences during the development of temperamental characteristics, which may be the result of an interplay among biologicaland ecological factors.(AU)
La investigación continúa profundizando en torno a los mecanismos explicativos tempranos relacionados con lapresencia de problemas externalizantes e internalizantes concurrentes. Existe una creciente evidencia que destaca la capacidad de laemocionalidad negativa para predecir la concurrencia de estos problemas durante la infancia. Este rasgo parece cursar con una estabili-dad sustancial durante el desarrollo; no obstante, también se reconoce cierta variación en su intensidad en función de las característicasindividuales, del entorno y la etapa del desarrollo. El objetivo del presente trabajo es examinar los patrones de estabilidad y cambio de laemocionalidad negativa que exhiben niños/as con perfiles diferenciales de problemas externalizantes e internalizantes, centrando la aten-ción sobre el perfil concurrente. Un total de 1293 niños/as de 4-6 años (M = 4,64; DT = .67; 50.2% niñas) fueron evaluados durante laetapa preescolar y tras dos años hasta su paso a la escolarización primaria dentro del marco del Proyecto ELISA. Se emplearon análisisde perfiles y transiciones latentes. Los resultados mostraron que los preescolares se mantuvieron estables en sus niveles de emocionali-dad negativa durante el seguimiento, y con menor probabilidad cambiaron su expresión emocional hacia formas menos intensas. Además,los perfiles comportamentales se relacionaron con patrones particulares de desarrollo de la emocionalidad negativa. Los niños/as delperfil concurrente exhibieron una mayor probabilidad de evolucionar hacia niveles altos de emocionalidad negativa. Estos hallazgos seexplican a la luz de las diferencias individuales en el desarrollo de las características temperamentales, derivadas de la interacción entrefactores biológicos y ambientales.(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Child , Adolescent , Neuroticism , Self Concept , Child Behavior , Child Development , Psychology, Child , Psychology, DevelopmentalABSTRACT
Despite advances in the theoretical and empirical literature, a better understanding of the etiological determinants of callous-unemotional (CU) traits is needed. In this study, we tested the hypotheses advanced by the Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model, a theoretical framework, which proposes that individual differences in two temperament dimensions, fearlessness and low affiliation, jointly contribute to the development of CU traits. Specifically, we examined the unique and interactive effects of fearlessness and low affiliation on CU traits, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally and within and across informants (teachers and parents) in a large community sample of Spanish preschoolers (N = 2467, 48.1% girls, M = 4.25 years; SD = 0.91). Both fearlessness and low affiliation were independently related to higher CU traits across models. Consistent with the purported relationships outlined in the STAR model, we also found that a significant interaction between fearlessness and low affiliation explained unique variance in CU traits. The results suggested that main and interactive effects were specific to CU traits and not to other related dimensions of psychopathic traits that are measurable in early childhood (i.e. grandiose-deceitfulness and impulse need of stimulation). Thus, we provide new empirical support to the hypotheses generated by the STAR model in relation to the development of CU traits. Fearlessness and low affiliation are potential targets of future child-focused interventions to prevent or treat the development of CU traits and childhood conduct problems.
Subject(s)
Conduct Disorder , Problem Behavior , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Reward , TemperamentABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of millions of people around the globe and some of the unprecedent emerged disruptions, are likely to have been particularly challenging for young children (e.g., school closures, social distancing measures, movement restrictions). Studying the impact of such extraordinary circumstances on their well-being is crucial to identify processes leading to risk and resilience. To better understand how Spanish children have adapted to the stressful disruptions resulting from the pandemic outbreak, we examined the effects of child coping and its interactions with contextual stressors (pandemic and family related) on child adjustment, incorporating in our analysis a developmental perspective. Data was collected in April 2020, through parent-reports, during the acute phase of the pandemic and, temporarily coinciding with the mandatory national quarantine period imposed by the Spanish Government. A sample of 1,123 Spanish children (50% girls) aged 3 to 12 (Mage = 7.26; SD = 2.39) participated in the study. Results showed differences in the use of specific strategies by children in different age groups (i.e., 3-6, 7-9 and 10-12-year-olds). Despite the uncontrollable nature of the pandemic-related stressors, child disengagement coping was distinctively associated to negative outcomes (i.e., higher levels of behavioral and emotional difficulties), whereas engagement coping predicted psychosocial adjustment across all age groups. Moreover, interactively with child coping, parent fear of the future and parent dispositional resilience appear as relevant contextual factors to predict both negative and positive outcomes, but their effects seem to be age dependent, suggesting a higher contextual vulnerability for younger children. These findings might have implications for identifying individual and contextual risk and informing potential preventive interventions aimed to reduce the impact of future pandemic outbreaks on children of different ages.
