A short-term longitudinal study of the early development of self-regulation

Pre-pandemic family resources and child self-regulation in children's internalizing problems during COVID-19: a multi-level social-ecological framework for emotional resilience

Introduction

Children's psychological adjustment to adverse events can be determined by multiple risk and resilience factors. This study explored multi-level protective factors against children's internalizing problems and investigated the mechanism regarding how diverse environmental and child-level resources influence children's mental health in the context of COVID-19.

Methods

Our participants included a nationally representative sample of 2,619 young children (48.3% girls) and their primary caregivers (95.1% mothers) in Singapore. They were a subset of the participants in the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS). Data were collected over two waves-before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Wave 1) when these children aged 3 to 6, and during the second year of the pandemic (Wave 2). Primary caregivers completed measures of verbal cognitive ability, self-control, economic stress, and positive and negative parental control in Wave 1. Children's self-regulation was assessed by the Delay of Gratification task in Wave 1, and their internalizing problems were rated by their primary caregivers in both waves. Other pre-pandemic family and community characteristics were collected as covariates. Structural equation modeling was performed.

Results

Pre-pandemic parental resources (i.e., verbal cognitive ability, self-control, and low economic stress) predicted children's fewer internalizing problems during the pandemic and less aggravation of internalizing problems from before to during the pandemic, through more positive parental control (i.e., limit setting) and less negative parental control (i.e., harsh discipline). Moreover, children's self-regulation during early childhood was predicted by their primary caregivers' verbal cognitive ability and self-control, as well as positive parental control. Early childhood self-regulation further alleviated the aggravation of internalizing problems over time. Among the covariates, parental education, family income, parental psychological well-being, living with both parents, having a live-in domestic helper, and neighborhood quality also longitudinally predicted fewer child internalizing problems.

Discussion

Our findings underscore the importance of nurturing children's emotional resilience under adverse and uncertain circumstances by boosting protective factors in their social-ecological system, including community-, family-, parent-, and child-level resources.

Research Review: A systematic review and meta-analysis of infant and toddler temperament as predictors of childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with onset as early as preschool and impairment across the lifespan. Temperament factors, specifically those that theoretically map onto ADHD symptoms, may be early markers of risk for developing later childhood ADHD that could be identifiable in infancy or toddlerhood. This meta-analysis examined the associations between these early temperamental factors and later symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD and mapped early temperament constructs onto the three ADHD symptom dimensions.

METHODS

A systemic review of the literature was conducted to identify prospective longitudinal studies that included theoretically relevant temperament constructs (sustained attention, activity level, inhibition, and negative emotionality) examined from birth to 36 months old and ADHD (symptoms or diagnosis) in preschool or childhood. The association between each temperament construct and ADHD outcomes was examined using pooled standardized estimates in meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Forty-eight articles (n = 112,716 infants/toddlers) prospectively examined temperament and the relation to childhood ADHD symptoms or diagnosis. Activity level (k = 18) in infancy and toddlerhood was moderately associated with childhood ADHD (r = .39, CI = 0.27, 0.51, p < .001). Moderate effect sizes were also observed for sustained attention (k = 9; r = -.28, CI = -0.42, -0.12, p < .001) and negative emotionality (k = 33; r = .25, CI = 0.16, 0.34, p < .001) with ADHD. The specificity of each temperament construct for later ADHD symptom dimensions was such that activity level and negative emotionality were predictive of all three symptom dimensions (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and combined), whereas sustained attention was only associated with combined symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Infant and toddler temperament is an early risk factor for the development of childhood ADHD that could be utilized for early intervention identification. Yet, this systematic review found that relatively few prospective longitudinal studies have examined sustained attention (k = 9) and inhibition (k = 15) in infancy and toddlerhood in relation to later ADHD highlighting the need for further research.

The Effects of Mothers’ Family-of-Origin Attachment on Self-Regulation of Young Boys and Girls: The Mediating Effect of Mothers’ Inner Strength

Objectives: This study investigates the relationship among mothers’ family-of-origin attachment, inner strength, and young children’s self-regulation.Methods: A total of 329 participants, mothers of 3-year-old children responded to questionnaires, which included items related to mothers’ family-of-origin attachment, inner strength, and young children’s self-regulation. Data were statistically analyzed using basic descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Baron and Kenny’s method was examined. Subsequently, the Sobel test was performed to check the mediating model’s significance and was adapted to SPSS version 24.0 for Windows.Results: The major findings of the study are summarized as follows. First, as a result of examining the sex differences in mothers’ family-of-origin attachment, mothers’ inner strength, and young children’s self-regulation, we found significant differences in self-appraisal and behavior-inhibition. Second, mothers’ family-of-origin attachment was positively correlated with young children’s self-regulation. Also mothers’ family-of-origin attachment was positively correlated with their inner strength. Third, mothers’ inner strength played a perfectly mediating role between mothers’ family-of-origin attachment and young children’s self-regulation[behavior-inhibition(boys)/self-appraisal(girls)]. Moreover, mothers’ inner strength played a partially mediating role between mothers’ family-of-origin attachment and young children’s self-regulation[self-appraisal, self-determination(boys)/self-appraisal(girls)]; consequently, a mothers’ family-of-origin attachment had a direct/indirect effect on young children’s self-regulation.Conclusion: The results indicate that a mothers’ inner strength plays a crucial role in the relationship between mothers’ family-of-origin attachment and the young children’s self-regulation. Furthermore, the results offer a foundation in designing parent education/counseling programs for mothers with young children in order to enhance their family-of-origin attachment.

Self-management interventions for reducing challenging behaviors among school-age students: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Challenging classroom behaviors can interfere with student social and academic functioning and may be harmful to everyone in schools. Self-management interventions within schools can address these concerns by helping students develop necessary social, emotional, and behavioral skills. Thus, the current systematic review synthesized and analyzed school-based self-management interventions used to address challenging classroom behaviors.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to inform practice and policy by (a) evaluating the effectiveness of self-management interventions at improving classroom behaviors and academic outcomes and (b) examining the state of research for self-management interventions based on existing literature.

SEARCH METHODS

Comprehensive search procedures included electronically searching online databases (e.g., EBSCO Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, ERIC, PsycINFO), hand-searching 19 relevant journals (e.g., School Mental Health, Journal of School Psychology), reference-list searching 21 relevant reviews, and searching gray literature (e.g., contacting authors, searching online dissertation/theses databases and national government clearinghouses/websites). Searches were completed through December of 2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Included studies employed either a multiple group-design (i.e., experimental or quasi-experimental) or single-case experimental research design and met the following criteria: (a) utilized a self-management intervention, (b) conducted in a school setting, (c) included school-aged students, and (d) assessed classroom behaviors.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Standard data collection procedures expected by the Campbell Collaboration were used in the current study. Analyses for single-case design studies incorporated three-level hierarchical models to synthesize main effects, and meta-regression for moderation. Further, robust variance estimation was applied to both single-case design and group-design studies to account for dependency issues.

MAIN RESULTS

Our final single-case design sample included 75 studies, 236 participants, and 456 effects (i.e., 351 behavioral outcomes and 105 academic outcomes). Our final group-design sample included 4 studies, 422 participants, and 11 total behavioral effects. Most studies occurred in the United States, in urban communities, in public schools, and in elementary settings. Single-case design results indicated that self-management interventions significantly and positively impacted both student classroom behaviors (LRRi = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.59, 0.78]) and academic outcomes (LRRi = 0.58, 95% CI [0.41, 0.76]). Single-case results were found to be moderated by student race and special education status, whereas intervention effects were more pronounced for African American students (F = 5.56, p = 0.02) and students receiving special education services (F = 6.87, p = 0.01). Single-case results were not found to be moderated by intervention characteristics (i.e., intervention duration, fidelity assessment, fidelity method, or training). Despite positive findings for single-case design studies, risk of bias assessment indicated methodological shortcomings that should be considered when interpreting findings. A significant main effect of self-management interventions for improving classroom behaviors was also revealed for group-design studies (g = 0.63, 95% CI [0.08, 1.17]). However, these results should be interpreted with caution given the small number of included group-design studies.

IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

The current study, conducted using comprehensive search/screening procedures and advanced meta-analytic techniques, adds to the large amount of evidence indicating that self-management interventions can be successfully used to address student behaviors and academic outcomes. In particular, the use specific self-management elements (i.e., self-determining a performance goal, self-observing and recording progress, reflecting on a target behavior, and administering primary reinforcers) should be considered within current interventions as well as in the development of future interventions. Future research should aim to assess the implementation and effects of self-management at the group or classroom-level within randomized controlled trials.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: The Science of Early-Life Precursors and Interventions for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate which early neurocognitive and behavioral precursors are associated with the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and whether these are currently targeted in early interventions.

METHOD

We conducted 2 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of empirical studies to examine the following: (1) early-life (0-5 years) neurocognitive and behavioral precursors associated with familial likelihood for ADHD, an early ADHD diagnosis/elevated ADHD symptoms, and/or the presence of later-childhood ADHD; and (2) interventions delivered to children aged 0 to 5 years targeting the identified precursors or measuring these as outcomes. Standardized mean differences (Hedges' g) and pre-post-treatment change scores (SMD) were computed.

RESULTS

A total of 149 studies (165,095 participants) investigating 8 neurocognitive and behavioral domains met inclusion criteria for part 1. Multi-level random-effects meta-analyses on 136 studies revealed significant associations between ADHD and poorer cognitive (g = -0.46 [95% CIs: -0.59, -0.33]), motor (g = -0.35 [CIs: -0.48, -0.21]) and language (g = -0.43 [CIs: -0.66, -0.19]) development, social (g = 0.23 [CIs: 0.03, 0.43]) and emotional (g = 0.46 [CIs: 0.33, 0.58]) difficulties, early regulatory (g = 0.30 [CIs: 0.18, 0.43]) and sleep (g = 0.29 [CIs: 0.14, 0.44]) problems, sensory atypicalities (g = 0.52 [CIs: 0.16, 0.88]), elevated activity levels (g = 0.54 [CIs: 0.37, 0.72]), and executive function difficulties (g = 0.34 [CIs: 0.05, 0.64] to -0.87 [CIs: -1.35, -0.40]). A total of 32 trials (28 randomized, 4 nonrandomized, 3,848 participants) testing early interventions that targeted the identified precursors met inclusion criteria for part 2. Multi-level random-effects meta-analyses on 22 studies revealed significant intervention-related improvements in ADHD symptoms (SMD = 0.43 [CIs: 0.22, 0.64]) and working memory (SMD = 0.37 [CIs: 0.06, 0.69]).

CONCLUSION

Children aged 0 to 5 years with current or later-emerging ADHD are likely to experience difficulties in multiple neurocognitive/behavioral functions. Early interventions show some effectiveness in reducing ADHD symptoms, but their effects on neurocognitive/behavioral difficulties require further study.

Externalizing behavior and emotion dysregulation are indicators of transmissible risk for substance use disorder

BACKGROUND

Psychological items discriminating children of fathers diagnosed with an illicit drug-related substance use disorder and normal controls are indicators of a unidimensional construct termed transmissible liability index (TLI) (Vanyukov et al., 2009). TLI is a highly heritable (Vanyukov et al., 2009; Hicks, Iacono, McGue, 2012) and valid (Vanyukov et al., 2009; Hicks et al., 2009; Kirisci et al., 2013a) measure of childhood liability to substance use disorders (SUDs).

AIMS

This longitudinal study determined whether TLI has incremental validity for predicting SUD beyond commonly measured psychological indicators of risk.

METHODS

TLI and measures of executive cognitive capacity, emotion dysregulation and externalizing disturbance were administered to boys at ages 10-12 and 16. SUD outcome determined at age 22 was assessed as (1) any SUD, (2) the number of drug-specific SUDs, and (3) SUD severity.

RESULTS

TLI predicted SUD beyond the contribution of measures of emotion dysregulation, executive cognitive capacity and externalizing disturbance. The association of emotion dysregulation and externalizing behavior at ages 10-12 and 16 with SUD at age 22 was also reduced to non-significance after controlling for transmissible risk measured by TLI.

CONCLUSIONS

TLI's incremental validity beyond these latter indicators of risk points to its utility for identifying vulnerable youths requiring intervention.

An integrative review of ethnic and cultural variation in socialization and children's self-regulation

AIM

To examine the evidence for cross-cultural variation in socialization and children's normative self-regulation, based on a contextual-developmental perspective.

BACKGROUND

Nurses and healthcare workers in multi-cultural societies must understand diversity in socializing influences (including parenting) and in children's behaviour. A contextual-developmental perspective implies that normative cultural and ethnic values will influence socializing processes and behaviour, which in turn will influence children's self-regulation.

DESIGN

Integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

Studies were located using five major search engines from 1990-2011. Domains of a contextual-developmental perspective and a comprehensive definition of self-regulation assisted the generation of search terms.

REVIEW METHODS

Selected studies compared at least two ethnic or cultural groups and addressed contextual-developmental domains: (1) culturally specific social values, beliefs, or attitudes; (2) socializing behaviours; and (3) children's normative self-regulation.

RESULTS

Eleven studies about children's self-regulation were found to have data consistent with a contextual-developmental perspective. Studies used descriptive correlational or comparative designs with primarily convenience sampling; eight confirmed stated hypotheses, three were exploratory. Findings across studies evidenced coherent patterns of sociocultural influence on children's attention, compliance, delay of gratification, effortful control and executive function.

CONCLUSION

A contextual-developmental perspective provided a useful perspective to examine normative differences in values, socializing behaviours and children's self-regulation. This perspective and these findings are expected to guide future research, to assist nurses and healthcare providers to understand diversity in parenting and children's behaviour.

Longitudinal associations from neurobehavioral disinhibition to adolescent risky sexual behavior in boys: direct and mediated effects through moderate alcohol consumption

PURPOSE

This longitudinal study tested the hypothesis that neurobehavioral disinhibition (ND) in childhood, mediated by alcohol use, portends risky sexual behavior (number of sexual partners) in midadolescence.

METHODS

Participants were 410 adolescent boys. Neurobehavioral disinhibition was assessed at 11.3 years of age. Frequency and quantity of alcohol use on a typical drinking occasion were assessed at 13.4 years of age at first follow-up, and sexual behavior at 16.0 years at second follow-up.

RESULTS

Quantity of alcohol consumed on a typical drinking occasion, but not frequency of alcohol use, mediated the relation between ND and number of sexual partners.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that number of sexual partners in midadolescence is predicted by individual differences in boys' psychological self-regulation during childhood and moderate alcohol consumption in early adolescence, and that ND may be a potential target for multi-outcome public health interventions.

»Lieber unruhig sein als in einem tiefen dunklen Loch eingesperrt.« Zum Verständnis und zur Therapie der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit- und Hyperaktivitätsstörung aus psychodynamischer Sicht

Psychodynamic models will be presented after a critical discussion of the biomedical-psychiatric model of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (dimensional diagnostics, genetic disorder, dopamine deficiency, neuronal developmental disorder). Research findings on early mother-child interactions refer to specific psychosocial developmental conditions amongst children who develop ADHD. Factors which lead to gene expression can be traced here. A psychodynamic-oriented developmental psychotherapy which centres on regulatory procedures, de-centration, mentalisation, de-somatisation and symbolisation of treated notifications is helpful, particularly amongst children with complex disorders. The underlying conflicts and dealing with them are thus elucidated in the presentation of a treatment.

Conundrums in the use of observational measures of socioemotional behavior

The potential for translation of observational measures of social and emotional behavior used in small-scale studies for use in large-, possibly national-scale, studies of child development is currently an unresolved challenge. To begin to address this issue, the advantages and disadvantages to using observational measures of social and emotional behavior are discussed. In addition, alternatives to observational measures that may be helpful in assessing social and emotional behavior are considered with special emphasis on the benefits of cognitive measures.

Evaluating models of the personality–psychopathology relationship in children and adolescents

Connections between personality traits and psychopathology in children and adolescents have frequently been reported in research studies. However, despite the occurrence of significant and systematic relationships between personality and mental disorders in childhood, a thorough understanding of the cause, nature, and implications of these relationships is lacking. In this paper, a comprehensive taxonomy of childhood personality is used to link research on children with that on adults, as well as provide a framework for discussing the personality-psychopathology relationship. Next, research on children and adolescents is integrated into various proposed models of the personality-psychopathology relationship. Finally, clinical implications and future directions are proposed for research on personality and psychopathology in children.

Behavioral inhibition and disinhibition as hypothesized precursors to psychopathology: implications for pediatric bipolar disorder

Attention has been devoted over the past two decades to the identification of temperamental risk factors for child psychopathology. These qualities, evident in toddlerhood or earlier, have the advantage of being measurable in standardized laboratory observations well before children reach the age of onset or diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. Our group's programmatic research over the past 15 years, and that of others, has provided evidence linking "behavioral inhibition to the unfamiliar" in toddlerhood or early childhood with later social anxiety disorder. In addition, recent results by our group have suggested that "behavioral disinhibition" in early childhood, measured by the same laboratory methods, may be linked with later disruptive behavior and comorbid mood disorders. In this article, we discuss our approach to the study of temperamental precursors to disorders in high-risk children, summarize the literature linking behavioral inhibition and disinhibition to later psychopathology, and suggest directions to take in applying this methodology to the search for temperamental precursors to pediatric bipolar disorder.

Early developmental precursors of impulsive and inattentive behavior: from infancy to middle childhood

BACKGROUND

We examined infancy and toddler-age precursors of impulsivity and inattention in school-age children. Children (50 boys, 39 girls) had been participants since infancy in the Bloomington Longitudinal Study.

METHOD

Individual differences in children's self-regulatory competence were assessed at 8 years of age, using laboratory tests and observations of three central constructs: Inhibitory Control, Behavioral Control, and Attentional Disengagement.

RESULTS

We found that measures of caregiver-child interaction, child temperament, and child cognitive competence during the toddler period significantly predicted variations in children's later impulsive functioning. However, the strength of these relationships, and the type and combination of significant risk factors, were differentially patterned in relation to specific subtypes of later child impulsivity.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide further evidence for the multidimensional nature of child impulsivity, and they highlight the importance of examining toddler-age precursors of children's later self-regulatory competence.

The influence of maternal child-rearing attitudes and teaching behaviors on preschoolers' delay of gratification

This study was an exploratory examination of the influence of mothers' teaching behaviors, strategies, and child-rearing attitudes on their children's ability to delay gratification. In an externally imposed delay of gratification situation, 30 mothers from a rural university community taught their children strategies that could help them refrain from touching a brightly wrapped present when the mothers left the room. Results showed that mothers of children who did not delay gratification exhibited teaching behaviors and child-rearing attitudes consistent with a permissive parenting style, whereas mothers of children who did delay gratification exhibited teaching behaviors and child-rearing attitudes consistent with an authoritative parenting style. The results of this study are discussed with respect to the development of children's self-control and self-regulatory abilities.

Children's ability to delay gratification: longitudinal relations to mother-child attachment

Concurrent and longitudinal mother-child attachment qualities were studied in relation to children's ability to postpone gratification at age 6 years. A sample of 32 children (at ages 12 months and 18 months) and their mothers participated in the strange situation procedure. At age 6 years, they were observed in an attachment situation and administered a standard delay of gratification task. The length of time that children were able to delay gratification at age 6 was predicted both by concurrent attachment quality and by a longitudinal attachment measure. Children with secure attachment were able to wait the longest periods of time, whereas those with insecure-disorganized attachment had the most difficulties in waiting. The effects of longitudinal, but not concurrent, attachment quality on children's total waiting time remained significant when other important variables were considered, including gender and children's cognitive functioning. An interactive effect was found between attachment quality and cognitive functioning. Insecure-avoidantly attached children with high cognitive functioning did not differ in their overall waiting times from securely attached children, but insecure-avoidantly attached children with average or low cognitive functioning did have shorter waiting times. The study provides a basis for the further investigation of mother-child attachment quality as a factor that is linked to children's delay behavior.

Using standard situations to measure attention span and persistence in toddler-aged children: some cautions

This study was conducted with 38 children, 23-25 months old, to evaluate the use of standard situations to measure individuals differences in attention span and persistence. A vigilance task was used to measure attention span and three problem-solving tasks to measure persistence. Three delay tasks were used to measure inhibitory control, a personality trait hypothesized to be a correlate of attention span and persistence. Results showed (a) some consistency in performance within the persistence tasks but not across these tasks, (b) poor consistency in performance within the vigilance task, and (c) good consistency in performance across the delay tasks. No significant interrelations were found among the persistence, attention span, and delay measures. Developmental status, as measured by maternal report, was not related to any of the measures.

Executive cognitive functioning predicts reactive aggression in boys at high risk for substance abuse: a prospective study

This study assessed the ability of executive cognitive functioning (ECF) to predict reactive aggression in boys at high and low risk for substance abuse using a 2-year prospective design. ECF is defined as the self-regulation of goal-directed behavior. Reactive aggression involves impulsive hostile reactions committed with little forethought. ECF was measured using five neuropsychological tests in 198 10- to 12-year-old boys with (SA+) and without (SA-) a paternal history of substance abuse/dependence. Reactive aggression was measured, 2 years later, using a composite index of items derived from two self-report measures. It was hypothesized that ECF would predict reactive aggression, and that this relation would be stronger for the SA+ compared with the SA- boys. SA+ subjects demonstrated lower ECF scores and higher reactive aggression scores, compared with SA- controls. ECF predicted reactive aggression in the SA+ group (beta = 0.37, p = 0.001), but not in the SA- group (beta = 0.09, p = NS). This suggests that compromised ECF may be a risk factor for reactive aggression in SA+ youth. The hypothesis that the relation between ECF and reactive aggression is a manifestation of a mild dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex is discussed.

Mother-child interactions and noncompliance in hyperactive boys with and without conduct problems

Mother-child interaction, and parent ratings of child noncompliance and defiance among hyperactive boys with conduct problems (H/CP), hyperactive boys without conduct problems (H), and normal boys (N) were compared. Results indicated more negative mother-child interactions and more noncompliance in the H/CP group than in the other two groups. The H group was more noncompliant than normal children, but these groups showed no differences in defiance, nor in the behaviour of mothers. The implications of these findings in relation to the development of conduct problems in hyperactive children, treatment and research are discussed.