Dysregulation in children: Origins and implications from age 5 to age 28

Abstract

Research shows that childhood dysregulation is associated with later psychiatric disorders. It does not yet resolve discrepancies in the operationalization of dysregulation. It is also far from settled on the origins and implications of individual differences in dysregulation. This study tested several operational definitions of dysregulation using Achenbach attention, anxious/depressed, and aggression subscales. Individual growth curves of dysregulation were computed, and predictors of growth differences were considered. The study also compared the predictive utility of the dysregulation indexes to standard externalizing and internalizing indexes. Dysregulation was indexed annually for 24 years in a community sample (n ¼ 585). Hierarchical linear models considered changes in dysregulation in relation to possible influences from parenting, family stress, child temperament, language, and peer relations. In a test of the meaning of dysregulation, it was related to functional and psychiatric outcomes in adulthood. Dysregulation predictions were further compared to those of the more standard internalizing and externalizing indexes. Growth curve analyses showed strong stability of dysregulation. Initial levels of dysregulation were predicted by temperamental resistance to control, and change in dysregulation was predicted by poor language ability and peer relations. Dysregulation and externalizing problems were associated with negative adult outcomes to a similar extent.

Heterotypic continuity of inhibitory control in early childhood: Evidence from four widely used measures.

“…Importantly, the secondary caregiver ratings of inhibitory control were strongly related to the latent inhibitory control factor, which suggests that secondary caregivers' ratings are a key complementary assessment of children's inhibitory control. This finding is also consistent with prior work showing the incremental validity of teachers'/secondary caregivers' ratings over and above parents' ratings of children's behavior (McQuillan et al, 2018), including children's temperament as assessed on the CBQ (Rudasill et al, 2014). Secondary caregivers may evaluate child behavior in more structured, academic contexts and in comparison with other age mates, providing a description of child strengths and weaknesses that may complement or, for some purposes, even surpass the informational utility of parent ratings.…”

Cognitive performance in children and adolescents with psychopathology traits: A cross-sectional multicohort study in the general population

“…Potentially, breaking this vicious cycle can improve cognitive development in those with externalizing symptoms. To date only one study has assessed the relationship between DP symptoms and educational attainment, showing that in adulthood the highest educational level is lower in those with more DP symptoms (McQuillan et al, 2018). Future studies should assess the relationship between cognitive performance and DP symptoms using longitudinal models and compare the discrepancy between academic performance and IQ in this group to elucidate how much school performance is hampered by DP symptoms.…”

Early Adolescents’ Risk Taking Propensity, Urban Stress, and Affiliation With Risky Peers

“…High levels of environmental stress could, for example, incite a desire for psychological distraction that risky peers can provide (see Copeland & Hess, 1995; Kurdek, 1987). Such chronic stress could also dysregulate early adolescents, especially those who have underlying problems (McQuillan et al, 2018).…”