Poster #54 - Enhanced Error-Related Negativity Predicts Better Self-Regulation and Fewer Symptoms in Early to Middle Childhood

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Developmental Psychopathology

Integrative Statement

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a neural response that reflects error monitoring processes (Hajcak, 2012). Contradictorily, an enlarged (more negative) ERN has been cited as both a risk factor and a protective factor (Weinberg et al., 2015). A larger ERN predicts higher risk for anxiety symptoms (e.g. Ladouceur et al., 2006), but also has been associated with greater self-regulation abilities (Larson & Clayson, 2011). In turn, self-regulation abilities predict fewer internalizing symptoms in children over time (Lengua, 2006). These conflicting findings hinder the ERN’s utility as a predictive indicator. The aim of the current study is to examine the associations between brain activity (ERN) measured in early childhood with the development of self-regulation and internalizing symptoms over 1-2 years.
The children in this study were part of a broader project examining behavioral and neurobiological markers of childhood internalizing symptoms and were sampled to represent the full continuum for risk for psychopathology. At an initial lab visit when children were ages 5-7, EEG data was collected during a go/no-go task (McDermott et al., 2014). A subset of the original study participants (n=30) were selected based on their baseline ERN in an extreme case design: one group of children with high amplitude (more negative) ERN, matched by age and sex with another group with low amplitude (less negative) ERN. One to two years after their initial visit, selected participants were invited to take part in a follow-up study of self-regulation and psychopathology. For the follow-up study, participants (now ages 7-9) completed a number of tasks measuring their cognitive and self-regulation abilities (NIH toolbox, selected subtests; Zelazo et al., 2013) and self-reported on their mental health (Child Depression Inventory, Kovacs, 2015; SCARED, Birmaher et al., 1999; Affect Dysregulation Scale, Brown et al., 2012). Parents also reported on their child's attention and inhibitory control (Child Behavior Questionnaire, CBQ, Rothbart et al., 2001), emotion regulation (Emotion regulation checklist, ERC, Shields & Cicchetti, 1997), and emotional and behavioral problems (Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL; Achenbach, 1991).
Data is currently available on 27 of the 30 selected subgroup participants (see Table 1). T-tests were used to compare the two groups of children (high amplitude ERN group, n=12; and the low amplitude ERN group, n=15) on cognitive and behavioral indices. Children in the High Amplitude group showed better executive functioning (Dimensional change card sort task; t(25)=2.49, p=.020), higher vocabulary scores (Picture vocabulary task; t(25)=2.49, p=.047), less self-reported depression (t(25)=-2.39, p=.025) and anxiety (t(25)=-3.22, p=.004), less affect dysregulation (t(25)=-2.24, p=.034), more parent-rated attention and inhibitory control (t(25)=3.15, p=.004), less lability/negativity (t(25)=-3.13, p=.004), and less externalizing (t(25)=-3.54, p=.002) and total (t(25)=-2.92, p=.007) behavior problems. The groups showed no difference on working memory or Flanker tasks, parent-rated emotion regulation capabilities or internalizing problems, although mean differences continued to favor the high amplitude group (see Table 2).
In this study of young children, a high amplitude ERN was consistently protective, predicting better self-regulation and less emotional and behavioral problems. These results can inform identification and intervention efforts for children at risk for psychopathology.

Authors

• Jamie Melissa Lawler, Eastern Michigan University
  Presenting Author

• Jessica Hruschak, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Muzik, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katherine L Rosenblum, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kate Fitzgerald, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author