Self-Reported Conduct Problems at age 9: The Impact of Child Negative Affect, Maternal Negative Behaviors, and Child Frontal EEG Asymmetry

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Childhood conduct problems can lead to disastrous outcomes. Kratzer and Hodgins (1997) showed that 76% of males (6,449) and 30% of females (6,268) with childhood conduct problems had either a criminal record, a mental disorder, or both by age 30. Multiple developmental factors are linked to the development of conduct problems. Associations between temperament and conduct problems appear robust (Frick & Morris, 2004). Some theories speculate that strong tendencies to approach may place an individual at risk for developing conduct problems (Fowles, 1988; Quay, 1993). Negative affectivity (NA) has been shown to be related to externalizing problems (Gartstein et al., 2012) and a strong predictor of later maladjustment and behavior problems (Lawson & Ruff, 2004; Lengua, 2002).
Frontal EEG asymmetry (FA) indicates asymmetrical frontal brain electrical activity. Greater right asymmetry is linked with withdrawal tendencies (Davidson et al., 2000) and internalizing problems in early childhood (Fox et al., 2001) while greater left asymmetry is linked approach tendencies (Davidson et al., 2000) and with externalizing behaviors in toddlers (Smith & Bell, 2010). Chen, Bell, and Deater-Deckard (2014) reported that greater maternal right FA moderated the link between child conduct problems reported by mothers and harsh maternal parenting. Novel to previous literature, our study examined the impact that child NA, child FA, and maternal negative parenting behaviors had on child self-reported conduct problems in a community sample. We also examined whether child FA moderated the impact of child NA.
This study included 170 (85 girls) 9-year-olds. Child NA was measured by maternal report via EATQ-R (Ellis & Rothbart, 2001). Maternal negative behaviors were coded during a marble maze cooperation task with child (Egeland et al., 1995; Kochanska & Aksan, 1995). EEG was recorded during a 3-minute video baseline. Positive and negative FA values indicate greater left and right activation respectively. Children self-reported their own conduct problems via the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (Goodman, 1997).
A two-step hierarchical regression model was conducted via SPSS 26 (see Table 1). Step 1 included child NA, maternal negative behaviors, and child FA predicting child self-reported conduct problems (R2 = .060, F = 3.552, p = .016). Step 2 included the same predictors with the addition of an interaction variable between child NA and child FA (R2 = .101, F = 7.373, p = .001). The change in R2 from step 1 to step 2 was 0.40 and significant (F = 4.610, p = .007). The interaction effect was significant (beta = 2.715, p =.007), with Figure 1 showing that the positive association between child NA and self-reported conduct problems was significant only for children with high (i.e., left) FA. There were no main effects for maternal negative behaviors or child FA.
Results suggest that the impact of child FA for predicting conduct disorders becomes more complex with development. It is critical in a developmental context to understand how temperament and neural predispositions impact child conduct problems. These findings may serve an important guide in early screening and intervention for later conduct problems.

Authors

• Mohamed G. Zerrouk, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  Presenting Author

• Martha Ann Bell, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  Non-Presenting Author