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- Creators: Davis, Mary
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ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional study examined whether the temperament dimensions of negative emotionality, positive emotionality, and impulsivity moderated the relation between interparental conflict and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. The sample consisted of 355 divorced mothers and their children (9-12 years old) who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a preventive parenting intervention for divorcing families. Children provided reports of their experiences of interparental conflict and internalizing and externalizing problems; mothers provided reports of children’s temperament and internalizing and externalizing problems. The relations were examined separately for child report and mother report of outcomes using multiple regression analyses. Results found no support for the interactive effect of interparental conflict and temperament dimensions on children’s internalizing or externalizing problems. Consistent with an additive model of their effects, interparental conflict and temperament dimensions were directly and independently related to the outcomes. There was a significant, positive effect of interparental conflict and negative emotionality on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. Positive emotionality was significantly, negatively related to internalizing and externalizing problems. Impulsivity was significantly, positively related to externalizing problems only. The patterns of results varied somewhat across mother and child report of interparental conflict on externalizing problems and positive emotionality on internalizing problems. The results of this study are consistent with the previous research on the significant main effects of interparental conflict and temperament dimensions on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. These findings suggest that children’s environment and intrapersonal characteristics, represented by children’s experiences of interparental conflict and temperament, both uniquely contribute to children’s post-divorce internalizing and externalizing problems.
This cross-sectional study examined whether the temperament dimensions of negative emotionality, positive emotionality, and impulsivity moderated the relation between interparental conflict and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. The sample consisted of 355 divorced mothers and their children (9-12 years old) who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a preventive parenting intervention for divorcing families. Children provided reports of their experiences of interparental conflict and internalizing and externalizing problems; mothers provided reports of children’s temperament and internalizing and externalizing problems. The relations were examined separately for child report and mother report of outcomes using multiple regression analyses. Results found no support for the interactive effect of interparental conflict and temperament dimensions on children’s internalizing or externalizing problems. Consistent with an additive model of their effects, interparental conflict and temperament dimensions were directly and independently related to the outcomes. There was a significant, positive effect of interparental conflict and negative emotionality on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. Positive emotionality was significantly, negatively related to internalizing and externalizing problems. Impulsivity was significantly, positively related to externalizing problems only. The patterns of results varied somewhat across mother and child report of interparental conflict on externalizing problems and positive emotionality on internalizing problems. The results of this study are consistent with the previous research on the significant main effects of interparental conflict and temperament dimensions on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. These findings suggest that children’s environment and intrapersonal characteristics, represented by children’s experiences of interparental conflict and temperament, both uniquely contribute to children’s post-divorce internalizing and externalizing problems.
ContributorsIngram, Alexandra Marie (Author) / Wolchik, Sharlene (Thesis advisor) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Suk, Hye Won (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
Approximately 20% of youth experience mental health problems (Vasileva et al., 2021), and dimensions of early childhood temperament, specifically negative affectivity and effortful control, predict later mental health (Rothbart, 2007). Examining temperament using person-centered methods, particularly in stressful contexts, may improve our understanding of vulnerability to adolescent emotional problems. The current study examined whether specific patterns, or types, of infant temperament longitudinally predicted adolescent anxiety and depression symptoms and whether family relationship stress moderated this association. We hypothesized that infants with a Negative Dysregulated temperament would experience higher anxiety and depression symptoms in later childhood compared to those with a Typical Expressive temperament, and that family relationship stress would exacerbate this link. In an ongoing-longitudinal study of families with twins (N=563, 51% female, 29.8% Hispanic/Latinx, 58.4% White; Lemery-Chalfant et al., 2019), primary caregivers (PCs) reported on infant temperament at 12 months (IBQ; Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003, α=.74-.90). In a prior study (Murillo et al., 2023), latent profile analysis yielded three infant temperament types: Negative Dysregulated, Positive Well-Regulated, and Typical Expressive. PCs reported on partner strain (PSS; Schuster, Kessler, & Asseltine, 1990, α=.87) and family conflict (FCS; Porter & O’Leary, 1980, α=.80) at age 8 and a composite of these two measures represented Family Relationship Stress (r = .689). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to form Depression and Anxiety outcome composites based on PC (4 reports), secondary caregiver (2 reports), teacher (2 reports), and self-report (3 reports) measures of depression and anxiety symptoms collected from ages 8-11 (HBQ, Armstrong & Goldstein, 2003; BPI, Measelle et al., 1998, all α’s > .80). We randomly selected one twin from each pair and conducted regression analyses, and then used the second twin for an internal replication. Family relationship stress had a significant main effect on both anxiety and depressive symptoms. The Negative Dysregulated temperament type did not predict anxiety and depression at ages 8-11, however, it interacted with family relationship stress to predict anxiety and depression in 1 of 2 samples. When family relationship stress was low, the Negative Dysregulated type was significantly associated with higher anxiety and depression outcomes compared to the Typical Expressive type, and high family relationship stress was significantly associated with lower depression outcomes. Elucidating these longitudinal relations is important for informing early intervention and reducing the burden of adolescent psychopathology.
ContributorsSingh, Ajuni (Author) / Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn (Thesis director) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2023-12