Background. Previous work has demonstrated that a commercial gaming electroencephalography (EEG) system, Emotiv EPOC, can be adjusted to provide valid auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in adults that are comparable to ERPs recorded by a research-grade EEG system, Neuroscan. The aim of the current study was to determine if the same was true for children.Method. An adapted Emotiv EPOC system and Neuroscan system were used to make simultaneous EEG recordings in nineteen 6- to 12-year-old children under “passive” and “active” listening conditions. In the passive condition, children were instructed to watch a silent DVD and ignore 566 standard (1,000 Hz) and 100 deviant (1,200 Hz) tones. In the active condition, they listened to the same stimuli, and were asked to count the number of ‘high’ (i.e., deviant) tones.Results. Intraclass correlations (ICCs) indicated that the ERP morphology recorded with the two systems was very similar for the P1, N1, P2, N2, and P3 ERP peaks (r = .82 to .95) in both passive and active conditions, and less so, though still strong, for mismatch negativity ERP component (MMN; r = .67 to .74). There were few differences between peak amplitude and latency estimates for the two systems.Conclusions. An adapted EPOC EEG system can be used to index children’s late auditory ERP peaks (i.e., P1, N1, P2, N2, P3) and their MMN ERP component.

Background. Previous work has demonstrated that a commercial gaming electroencephalography (EEG) system, Emotiv EPOC, can be adjusted to provide valid auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in adults that are comparable to ERPs recorded by a research-grade EEG system, Neuroscan. The aim of the current study was to determine if the same was true for children. Method. An adapted Emotive EPOC system and Neuroscan system were used to make simultaneous EEG recordings in nineteen 6- to 12-year-old children under “passive” and “active” listening conditions. In the passive condition, children were instructed to watch a silent DVD and ignore 566 standard (1000 Hz) and 100 deviant (1200 Hz) tones. In the active condition, they listened to the same stimuli, and were asked to count the number of ‘high’ (i.e. deviant) tones. Results. Intraclass correlations (ICCs) indicated that the ERP morphology recorded with the two systems was very similar for the P1, N1, P2, P2, and P3 ERP peaks (r = .78 to .95) in both passive and active conditions, but was poor for the mismatch negativity ERP component (MMN; r < .30). There were few differences between peak amplitude and latency estimates for the two systems. Conclusions. An adapted EPOC EEG system can be used to index children’s late auditory ERP peaks (i.e. P1, N1, P2, N2, P3) but not their MMN ERP component. Subjects: Psychiatry and Psychology Keywords: EEG, ERP, Emotiv EPOC, Validation, Mismatchnegativity, MMN, Intraclass correlation, Methods, Signal processing, Auditory odd-ball, Children

Objective Children with reading difficulties are at elevated risk for externalising (e.g., conduct disorder) and internalising (e.g., anxiety and depression) mental health problems. Reading ability is also negatively associated with self‐esteem, a consistent predictor of child and adolescent mental health more broadly. This study examined whether self‐esteem moderated and/or mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Method One hundred and seventeen children (7–12 years) completed standardised reading assessments (Castles and Coltheart Test 2; CC2) and self‐report measures of mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) and self‐esteem (Coopersmith Self‐esteem Inventory). Non‐verbal intelligence (IQ) was measured using the block design and matrix reasoning subscales of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and was controlled for in all multivariate analyses. Results Reading ability was negatively associated with internalising symptoms. This relationship was not moderated by self‐esteem. Poor readers also reported more total difficulties and externalising symptoms, but only at low levels of self‐esteem. There was no evidence that self‐esteem mediated relationships between reading ability and mental health. Conclusions Poor reading was associated with internalising symptoms. Self‐esteem moderated the impact of reading ability on total difficulties and externalising symptoms, with high self‐esteem buffering against negative impacts of poor reading. However, the reliability of the self‐esteem scale used in the study was poor and findings need replication using a reliable and valid self‐esteem measure, as well as other measures of child mental health. If replicated, future research should examine whether interventions aiming to improve self‐esteem can reduce the risk of externalising problems in children with reading difficulties.