Poster #36 - Cross-domain interactions between children's temperament and psychopathology using network analysis

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Introduction: Children’s temperament and psychopathology are each often conceptualized as being composed of distinct broad dimensions, types, or diagnoses. However, these dimensions/diagnoses tend to be related to each other and co-occur within the same individuals. One recent approach to modeling these cross-domain interactions is by utilizing multivariate methods like network analysis (Epskamp et al., 2018; Fried et al., 2017). Network analysis has been used to examine specific mental disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression as networks of interacting symptoms (Abend et al., 2022; Fried et al., 2017; Karalunas et al., 2021). However, these methods have not been as commonly used to examine the structure of cross-domain interactions between temperament and psychopathology across development. In this study, we utilize network analysis to examine the network structure of temperament and psychopathology, and their interactions. This analysis describes the interactions between specific dimensions of temperament and psychopathology, and identifies “hub” dimensions that integrate temperament and psychopathology in childhood.

Method: Participants were 380 children (M = 7.63 years, SD = .46, 51.5% females) from a larger longitudinal study on children’s temperament. Temperament was measured using the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (Putnam & Rothbart, 2006). Children’s problem behaviors and psychopathology were rated by their parents using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). A network model was estimated as previously described (Epskamp et al., 2021). We utilized the number of connections a node makes (betweenness) and average strength of these connections (strength) to determine central dimensions. Moreover, we used these network centrality measures to identify the dimensions that bridge temperament and psychopathology.

Result: As shown in Figure 1, a network analysis model identified interactions between dimensions of temperament and psychopathology. As expected, anxiety/depression and attention problems were central dimensions of psychopathology, whereas inhibitory control, sadness, and impulsivity were central dimensions for temperament. Although temperament and psychopathology formed separate clusters, some dimensions served as bridges between them. Aggression, attention, and anxiety/depression problems served as psychopathology-dimension bridges as indicated by high and significant bridge strength and betweenness. Soothability, inhibitory control, and sadness served as temperament-dimension bridges based on bridge strength and expected influence, but only inhibitory control displayed centrality in bridge betweenness. In sensitivity analyses, we removed overlapping items, which did not change the results – with the exception that attention problems no longer served as a bridge.

Discussion: Among the dimensions of temperament, inhibitory control had the strongest connection to the psychopathology cluster, whereas aggression problems and anxiety/depression problems appeared to be the “bridge” to the temperament cluster for children at the age of 7. These findings provide insight into the structure of temperament and psychopathology, as well as their interactions in childhood. Future analyses for the poster will examine how the temperament–psychopathology network changes with age across adolescence. Utilizing a network analysis approach could help elucidate which dimensions are most central (e.g., inhibitory control) and serve as potential targets for process-specific treatment (Fried et al., 2017).

Authors

• Jingqi Li, University of Southern California
  Presenting Author

• Selin Zeytinoglu, University of Maryland - College Park

• Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, University of Maryland, College Park

• Nathan A Fox, University of Maryland - College Park

• Santiago Morales, University of Southern California