Poster #35 - Context-dependent approach and avoidance behavioral profiles as predictors of psychopathology

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Infants categorized as behaviorally inhibited (avoidance behaviors) have an increased likelihood of later developing problems with anxiety and depression, whereas the behavioral trait of exuberance (approach behaviors) is associated with an increased likelihood of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. However, not all children who exhibit high levels of approach or avoidance behaviors develop emotional or behavioral problems. This study aimed to 1) identify context-dependent profiles of approach and avoidance behaviors in 3-year-old children and 2) examine if and how certain subgroups of children identified at age 3 years have an increased likelihood of developing internalizing and externalizing symptoms by age 5 years. We hypothesized that (a) both context and approach/avoidance motivation will be contributing factors in determining groupings (Aim 1) and (b) groups characterized by limited repertoires or strategies mismatched to context will have greater internalizing and/or externalizing symptoms than groups with more flexible, context-matching strategies (Aim 2).

In our longitudinal cohort, children (N = 309) completed a behavioral battery at age 3 years, and parents (N = 242) completed a report of their child’s emotional and behavioral symptoms at age 5 years completed a psychological assessment. The sample is typically developing, predominately White, and from parents of high socioeconomic status. To assess behavioral profiles, children participated in a series of behavioral tasks across two major contexts: (a) heightened threat (robot, stranger, tunnel), where avoidance behaviors are warranted, and (b) prosocial (instrumental helping and empathy tasks), where approach behaviors are warranted. Emotional and behavioral symptoms were assessed using parental report questionnaires and a semi-structured clinical interview. Hypotheses and analyses were pre-registered (https://osf.io/esrjt).

Using latent profile analysis, we compared 2-, 3-, and 4-group solutions and found that a 4-group model best fit the data according to a series of metrics (AIC, BIC, entropy). The best fitting model identified 4-groups of approach and avoidance strategies: perpetual approachers, social approachers, social avoiders, and perpetual avoiders (Aim 1, Figure 1). A one-way ANOVA was conducted to assess differences across all four groups on externalizing symptoms, and this model was non-significant (all p-values > .05). However, when we created two sets of groups, approachers (perpetual approachers and social approachers) and avoiders (perpetual avoiders and social avoiders), approachers were found to have higher levels of externalizing symptoms compared to avoiders (t(239) = -2.12 , p = .035, d = .28; Aim 2, Figure 2). In contrast to our hypothesis, no differences were found among groups on internalizing symptoms (all p-values > .05).

These findings increase our understanding of individual differences in how children adjust their behavior based on contextual cues and enhance our ability to identify children early in life who have an increased likelihood of developing emotional and behavioral problems.

Authors

• Caroline Kelsey, Boston Children’s Hospital
  Presenting Author

• Anna Fasman

• Kelsey Quigley, Pennsylvania State University

• Kelli Dickerson

• Michelle Bosquet Enlow, Boston Children's Hospital

• Charles A. Nelson, Harvard Medical School