Differential Risk for Late Adolescent Conduct Problems and Mood Dysregulation Among Children with Early Externalizing Behavior Problems

Abstract

To investigate the differential emergence of antisocial behaviors and mood dysregulation among children with externalizing problems, the present study prospectively followed 317 high-risk children with early externalizing problems from school entry (ages 5–7) to late adolescence (ages 17–19). Latent class analysis conducted on their conduct and mood symptoms in late adolescence revealed three distinct patterns of symptoms, characterized by: 1) criminal offenses, conduct disorder symptoms, and elevated anger (“conduct problems”), 2) elevated anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidal ideation (“mood dysregulation”), and 3) low levels of severe conduct and mood symptoms. A diathesis-stress model predicting the first two outcomes was tested. Elevated overt aggression at school entry uniquely predicted conduct problems in late adolescence, whereas elevated emotion dysregulation at school entry uniquely predicted mood dysregulation in late adolescence. Experiences of low parental warmth and peer rejection in middle childhood moderated the link between early emotion dysregulation and later mood dysregulation but did not moderate the link between early overt aggression and later conduct problems. Thus, among children with early externalizing behavior problems, increased risk for later antisocial behavior or mood dysfunction may be identifiable in early childhood based on levels of overt aggression and emotion dysregulation. For children with early emotion dysregulation, however, increased risk for mood dysregulation characterized by anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidality – possibly indicative of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder – emerges only in the presence of low parental warmth and/or peer rejection during middle childhood.

Conduct problems, schoolwork difficulties, and being bullied: A follow-up among Finnish adolescents

“…In the stress-vulnerability frame (Grant et al, 2004;Grant & McMahon, 2005), this interaction can be interpreted so that the stressor (being bullied) exacerbated the effect of the vulnerability factor (earlier conduct problems) on mental health. This also accords with an earlier observation showing that peer rejection in middle childhood moderates the link between dysregulation at school entry and mood dysregulation at late adolescence among children with early externalizing problems (Okado & Bierman, 2015).…”

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Trait Impulsivity, and Externalizing Behavior in a Longitudinal Sample

“…Finally, we were surprised at the lack of significant findings related to peer conflict as a potential mediator, despite childhood HI being strongly predictive of adolescent peer conflict. Perhaps, in the unfolding of externalizing behavior patterns over time, this factor is not as important as it has been shown in prior samples of males (Laird et al, 2001; but see also Okado & Bierman, 2014)…”

The interaction between parenting and children's cortisol reactivity at age 3 predicts increases in children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 6

“…Cortisol responses to stress appear to change across development with particularly marked changes occurring with pubertal onset and hormone fluctuations (Gunnar, Talge, et al, 2009; Gunnar, Wewerka, et al, 2009). Similarly, trajectories of internalizing and externalizing symptoms also change across development, with internalizing symptoms showing a marked rise in adolescence (McLaughlin & King, 2015) and child externalizing symptoms possibly manifesting as mood dysregulation or conduct problems in adolescence (Okado & Bierman, 2015). Thus, it is possible that the associations observed in the current study may also change across development.…”