Poster #29 - The P3 ERP in Relation to General Versus Specific Psychopathology in Early Childhood

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Externalizing behavior problems, including aggression, impulsivity, and oppositionality, as well as internalizing behavior problems, including depression, anxiety, and obsessions and compulsions, are among the most commonly faced symptoms experienced by children and adults (Forbes et al., 2016). Moreover, research has found considerable covariation between externalizing and internalizing problems across the lifespan (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). Partitioning general and specific psychopathology is crucial to identify (a) processes that confer specific risk for externalizing versus internalizing problems and (b) transdiagnostic processes that confer risk for the covariation between externalizing and internalizing problems. The P3 event-related potential (ERP) component has been widely examined in relation to psychopathology in children and adults. However, prior studies have not examined the P3—or other aspects of neural functioning—in relation to general versus specific psychopathology in children. The present study examined whether children’s P3 amplitudes were associated with general versus specific psychopathology.
Children’s (N = 124, ages 3–7 years) electroencephalography data were recorded during an oddball task (Figure 1). Parents rated their children’s externalizing and internalizing problems on the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment scales. Using bifactor models to partition variance in parents’ ratings of children’s psychopathology symptoms, we examined children’s P3 amplitudes simultaneously in relation to three latent factors: (1) the general factor of psychopathology—the covariation of externalizing and internalizing psychopathology, (2) unique externalizing problems—the variance in externalizing problems after controlling for the general factor, and (3) unique internalizing problems.
Children’s P3 amplitudes were negatively associated with their externalizing problems, in a bivariate way. That is, smaller P3 amplitudes were associated with externalizing problems. However, no significant association was found between children’s P3 amplitudes and their internalizing problems. Results from the bifactor model indicated that smaller P3 amplitudes were associated with unique externalizing problems at ages 3–5 (β = -0.24, p = .015), and with general psychopathology at ages 6–7 (β = -0.39, p = .018; Figure 2). These findings remained significant after controlling for covariates.
Results from the present study suggest that smaller P3 amplitudes may be an early neural marker of psychopathology in children, consistent with prior research (Bernat et al., 2020; Petersen et al., 2018). The P3 ERP component is thought to reflect neural processes related to attentional orienting to novelty. Smaller P3 amplitudes may, therefore, reflect deficits in attentional orienting. In younger children (ages 3–5), deficits in attentional orienting may lead to externalizing behavior. By contrast, deficits in attentional orienting may lead to a broader range of psychopathology in older children (ages 6–7). For instance, consequences of deficient attentional orienting may be more limited to disruptive behavior in early childhood, whereas deficient attentional processing may have consequences for a broader range of impairment in older children. The present study highlights the importance of examining neural processes and their associations with general and specific psychopathology across childhood. Findings suggest that there may be a developmental shift in the functional significance of the P3 as it relates to general and specific psychopathology in early childhood.

Authors

• Alexis Hosch, University of Iowa
  Presenting Author

• Jordan L Harris, University of Iowa

• Ben Swanson, University of Iowa

• Isaac T. Petersen, University of Iowa