Adolescent emotionality and effortful control: Core latent constructs and links to psychopathology and functioning.

Abstract

Temperament is associated with important outcomes in adolescence, including academic and interpersonal functioning and psychopathology. Rothbart’s temperament model is among the most well-studied and supported approaches to adolescent temperament, and contains three main components: positive emotionality (PE), negative emotionality (NE), and effortful control (EC). However, the latent factor structure of Rothbart’s temperament measure for adolescents, the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire Revised (EATQ-R, Ellis & Rothbart, 2001) has not been definitively established. To address this problem and investigate links between adolescent temperament and functioning, we used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the latent constructs of the EATQ-R in a large combined sample. For EC and NE, bifactor models consisting of a common factor plus specific factors for some sub-facets of each component fit best, providing a more nuanced understanding of these temperament dimensions. The nature of the PE construct in the EATQ-R is less clear. Models replicated in a hold-out dataset. The common components of high NE and low EC where broadly associated with increased psychopathology symptoms, and poor interpersonal and school functioning, while specific components of NE were further associated with corresponding specific components of psychopathology. Further questioning the construct validity of PE as measured by the EATQ-R, PE factors did not correlate with construct validity measures in a way consistent with theories of PE. Bringing consistency to the way the EATQ-R is modeled and using purer latent variables has the potential to advance the field in understanding links between dimensions of temperament and important outcomes of adolescent development.

Disentangling vulnerabilities from outcomes: Distinctions between trait affect and depressive symptoms in adolescent and adult samples

“…Our study supports the tripartite model in asserting that NA and PA are distinct constructs from the depressive symptoms that they uniquely predict (1, 30), which was previously uninvestigated in adolescent and adult samples. These distinctions were demonstrated in our adolescent sample through the EATQ-R and CDI-II loading onto distinct factors, which supports the use of the EATQ-R and CDI-II as measuring distinct predictors and outcomes.…”

“…These distinctions were also partially supported in our adult sample, although considerable statistical overlap in ATQ and CES-D items indicated a need to revise and potentially omit similar item content across instruments. Second, our adolescent factor structure supports the grouping of Shyness with Surgency rather than NA, which is a division that lacks consensus in the literature (30) but is supported by the original EATQ-R publication (8, 30). Third, findings supported distinctions between trait affect and depressive symptoms by demonstrating that not all individuals with combined high NA and low PA develop depressive symptoms, which would occur if trait affect and depressive symptoms were statistically equivalent constructs.…”

“…The EATQ-R was recently factor analyzed as measuring the distinct constructs of Negative Emotionality, Positive Emotionality, and Effortful Control (30), which was supported by Rothbart’s model of temperament. Previous studies similarly supported Rothbart’s model through the latent factor structure of the original EATQ (31), although earlier research divided Positive Emotionality into Surgency and Affiliativeness (8).…”

“…Previous studies similarly supported Rothbart’s model through the latent factor structure of the original EATQ (31), although earlier research divided Positive Emotionality into Surgency and Affiliativeness (8). The original EATQ-R publication also labeled low levels of Shyness and low levels of Fear under the Surgency superscale, even though future researchers grouped Shyness and Fear under Negative Emotionality (30). The original EATQ-R publication contained a Depressed Mood measure that included items assessing sadness and happiness, but these items were designated as separate from trait affect and not included as a temperament scale.…”

Normative and Clinical Self-Perceptions of Sexuality and Their Links to Psychopathology among Adolescents

“…Because adolescents are still less sexually active, the discrepancy between aspirations and reality might cause higher levels of depression and somatization symptoms. Finally, and in keeping with research on adults, attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance) was linked to various psychopathologies [33], whereas effortful control was linked to less severe psychopathology [57]. …”