Poster #205 - Specific Childhood Emotions Differentially Predict Adolescent Psychological, Academic, and Physical Health Risks

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Social, Emotional, Personality

Integrative Statement

Children’s emotionality predicts later adjustment across many realms of functioning, including psychological and academic adjustment, risky behavior, and physical health (e.g., Putnam, 2012; Rothbart & Bates, 2006). The existing literature has predominantly considered measures of negative emotionality, but positive emotionality, including high-intensity positivity (HIP) and low-intensity positivity (LIP), may also play an important role. Furthermore, studies often rely on global indices of emotionality (e.g., negative emotionality), but growing evidence, for example on children’s expressions of intense anger and fear, suggests that expressions of specific negative (or positive) emotions are associated with different outcomes. Preliminary findings on specific positive emotions suggest that HIP involving strong approach behavior is associated with problematic behaviors, whereas LIP involving contentment is associated with desirable behaviors (Kochanska et al., 2007). These associations have yet to be examined over time. The current study addressed this gap by examining longitudinal associations between childhood HIP, LIP, anger, and fear and adolescent psychological and academic adjustment, risk-taking, and cardiovascular risk. It also examined whether preadolescent social skills, self-regulation (effortful control), and having risk-taking friends serve as mechanisms through which childhood expressions of specific emotions is associated with adolescent well-being or risk.

Data came from N=383 children. When children were five years old, mothers completed the Child Behavior Questionnaire-short form (Putnam & Rothbart, 2006) to report on children’s HIP, LIP, Anger, and Fear. At age 10, children’s teachers reported on their social skills [Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; Gresham & Elliot, 1990)], mothers completed the CBQ-SF to assess children’s effortful control, and children completed the “Things My Friends Do” questionnaire (NICHD SECCYD) to report prevalence of deviant/aggressive behavior, substance use, and sexual activity in their peer group. At age 15, adolescents completed the “Things I Do” questionnaire (NICHD SECCYD) to report on their substance use, deviant/aggressive behavior, and sexual activity. Adolescents reported on their school problems and emotional symptoms [Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004)]. Adolescents’ teachers completed the BASC-Teacher Rating Scale and SSRS to report on externalizing behaviors and academic competence. At age 16, adolescents completed a blood draw, and their waist circumference and blood pressure were measured. Blood was analyzed for biomarkers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) using a multiplex system or ELISA. Z-scores of the variables that constitute MetS (glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-inverse, waist circumference and mean arterial pressure) were summed to create a continuous MetS score.

Full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimates were used to handle missing data; standardized estimates and model fit are provided (Figure 1). Results indicated that age 5 HIP was positively associated with adolescent risk-taking, whereas LIP was associated with lowered MetS. Indirect effects suggested that children’s effortful control, social skills, and having risk-taking friends served as mechanisms that explain associations between LIP and anger and psychological and academic outcomes, and risky behaviors (Table 1).

This multi-method longitudinal study is the first to show that specific aspects of children’s emotionality differentially predict adolescent well-being, with HIP increasing likelihood of risk-taking and LIP serving a protective role in physical health.

Authors

• Jessica Dollar, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Presenting Author

• Lilly Shanahan, Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich
  Non-Presenting Author

• Susan Calkins, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lenka Shriver, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Susan Phillips Keane, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laurie Wideman, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author