Neurobiological stress responses predict aggression in boys with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder: a 1-year follow-up intervention study

Abstract

To improve outcome for children with antisocial and aggressive behavior, it is important to know which individual characteristics contribute to reductions in problem behavior. The predictive value of a parent training (Parent Management Training Oregon; PMTO), parenting practices (monitoring, discipline, and punishment), and child neurobiological function (heart rate, cortisol) on the course of aggression was investigated. 64 boys with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder (8–12 years) participated; parents of 22 boys took part in PMTO. All data were collected before the start of the PMTO, and aggression ratings were collected three times, before PMTO, and at 6 and 12 month follow-up. Parent training predicted a decline in aggression at 6 and 12 months. Child neurobiological variables, i.e., higher cortisol stress reactivity and better cortisol recovery, also predicted a decline in aggression at 6 and 12 months. Heart rate and parenting practices were not related to the course of aggression. These results indicate that child neurobiological factors can predict persistence or reduction of aggression in boys with ODD/CD, and have unique prognostic value on top of the parent training effects.

Co‐activation of SAM and HPA responses to acute stress: A review of the literature and test of differential associations with preadolescents’ internalizing and externalizing

“…This finding highlights the need for revised theoretical work on SAM‐HPA co‐activation that integrates empirical findings and provides testable hypotheses about the role of reactivity and recovery phases, particularly with respect to different forms of developmental psychopathology. Additionally, while significant reactivity co‐activation was evident in our sample, cortisol during the recovery period also explained variability in children's internalizing problems, which aligns with the limited research to date on recovery cortisol (Nederhof et al, ; Schoorl et al, ).…”

“…Additionally, while significant reactivity co-activation was evident in our sample, cortisol during the recovery period also explained variability in children's internalizing problems, which aligns with the limited research to date on recovery cortisol (Nederhof et al, 2015;Schoorl et al, 2017).…”

“…As with internalizing, recovery cortisol was inversely related to externalizing problems (Nederhof et al, ; Schoorl et al, ), in further support of the utility of cortisol activity during the recovery period. Partially consistent with hypothesis 2, low symmetric SAM‐HPA co‐activation was linked to greater externalizing problems, however, it was co‐activation during the recovery phase rather than the predicted reactivity phase.…”

“…In contrast, exaggerated cortisol reactivity is associated primarily with internalizing symptoms such as anxiety (Kryski, Smith, Sheikh, Singh, & Hayden, 2013) as well as broadband internalizing problems (Hartman et al, 2013;Hastings et al, 2011). Though the research on cortisol recovery is more limited, findings generally align with the theoretical premise that efficient return to baseline functioning (i.e., quick and complete) is optimal (Nederhof et al, 2015;Schoorl, van Rijn, de Wied, van Goozen, & Swaab, 2017). some studies also find risk stemming from symmetric high co-activation as well.…”

Affective dysregulation: a transdiagnostic research concept between ADHD, aggressive behavior conditions and borderline personality traits

“…Although aggression, impulsivity, and irritability are dealt with in many research articles (for ECAP see Refs. [6][7][8][9][10][11]), a key problem is to assess these complex behaviors in terms of indication and choice of appropriate interventions as well as individual prognosis.…”