NREM Slow-Wave Activity in Adolescents Is Differentially Associated With ADHD Levels and Normalized by Pharmacological Treatment.

BACKGROUND: A compelling hypothesis about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) etiopathogenesis is that the ADHD phenotype reflects a delay in cortical maturation. Slow-wave activity (SWA) of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) is an electrophysiological index of sleep intensity reflecting cortical maturation. Available data on ADHD and SWA are conflicting, and developmental differences, or the effect of pharmacological treatment, are relatively unknown. METHODS: We examined, in samples (Mage = 16.4, SD = 1.2), of ever-medicated adolescents at risk for ADHD (n = 18; 72% boys), medication-naïve adolescents at risk for ADHD (n = 15, 67% boys), and adolescents not at risk for ADHD (n = 31, 61% boys) matched for chronological age and controlling for non-ADHD pharmacotherapy, whether ADHD pharmacotherapy modulates the association between NREM SWA and ADHD risk in home sleep. RESULTS: Findings indicated medication-naïve adolescents at risk for ADHD exhibited greater first sleep cycle and entire night NREM SWA than both ever-medicated adolescents at risk for ADHD and adolescents not at risk for ADHD and no difference between ever-medicated, at-risk adolescents, and not at-risk adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Results support atypical cortical maturation in medication-naïve adolescents at risk for ADHD that appears to be normalized by ADHD pharmacotherapy in ever-medicated adolescents at risk for ADHD. Greater NREM SWA may reflect a compensatory mechanism in middle-later adolescents at risk for ADHD that normalizes an earlier occurring developmental delay.

Theta and alpha activity are differentially associated with physiological and rating scale measures of affective processing in adolescents with but not without ADHD.

Although atypical theta and alpha activity may be biomarkers of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) outcomes such as atypical affective processing and attention, the exact nature of the relations of these characteristics is unknown. We examined in age- and sex-matched adolescents (N = 132; Mage = 14.944, years, SD = .802) with and without ADHD, whether resting state (RS) theta and alpha power or theta and alpha event-related synchronization (ERS) during affect regulation (1) differ between adolescents with and without ADHD; (2) are differentially associated with event-related potential (ERP) and parent- and self-report measures of affective processing and inattention, given ADHD status and sex, and (3) are differentially lateralized, given ADHD status and sex. Adolescents with ADHD exhibited lower RS frontal-midline alpha power than adolescents without ADHD. In adolescents with ADHD, right parietal theta ERS was positively associated with the ERP measure of elaborate affective/motivational processing and right parietal RS alpha power was negatively associated with self-reported positive affectivity. In adolescents without ADHD, associations were nonsignificant. There was no disassociation of theta and alpha activity with affective processing and inattention. Consistent with clinical impressions, the between-group difference in frontal-midline theta ERS was more marked in boys than girls.

Concurrent and Prospective Associations of Reward Response with Affective and Alcohol Problems: ADHD-Related Differential Vulnerability.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous disorder. Data on the role of transdiagnostic, intermediate phenotypes in ADHD-relevant characteristics and outcomes are needed to advance conceptual understanding and approaches to precision psychiatry. Specifically, the extent to which the association between neural response to reward and ADHD-associated affective, externalizing, internalizing, and substance use problems differ depending on ADHD status is unknown. Aims were to examine, in 129 adolescents, whether concurrent and prospective associations of fMRI-measured initial response to reward attainment (relative to loss) with affectivity and externalizing, internalizing, and alcohol use problems differs between youth at-risk for (i.e., subclinical) (n = 50) and not at-risk for ADHD. Adolescents were, on average, 15.29 years old (SD = 1.00; 38% female), 50 were at-risk for (Mage = 15.18 years, SD = 1.04; 22% female) and 79 not at-risk for (Mage = 15.37 years, SD = 0.98; 48.1% female) ADHD. Both concurrent and prospective relations differed given ADHD risk: across analyses, in at-risk youth, greater superior frontal gyrus response was associated with lower concurrent depressive problems but in not at-risk youth, these characteristics were not related. Controlling for baseline use, in at-risk youth, greater putamen response was associated with greater 18-month hazardous alcohol use, whereas in not at-risk youth, greater putamen response was associated with lower use. Where in brain and for which outcomes modulate (direction of) observed relations: superior frontal gyrus response is relevant for depressive problems whereas putamen response is relevant for alcohol problems and greater neural responsivity is linked to less depressive but to more alcohol problems in adolescents at-risk for ADHD and less alcohol problems in adolescents not at-risk. Differences in neural response to reward differentially confer vulnerability for adolescent depressive and alcohol problems depending on ADHD risk.

Examination of developmental pathways from preschool temperament to early adolescent ADHD symptoms through initial responsiveness to reward.

To identify sources of phenotypic heterogeneity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) accounting for diversity in developmental/ pathogenic pathways, we examined, in a large sample of youth (N = 354), (a) associations between observed temperamental emotionality at age 3, an electrocortical index (i.e., reward positivity [RewP]) of initial responsiveness to reward at age 9, and ADHD symptoms at age 12, and (b) whether the association between emotionality and ADHD symptoms is mediated by initial responsiveness to reward. Bivariate analyses indicated greater positive emotionality (PE) was associated with enhanced RewP, lower age-9ADHD and lower age-12 inattention (IA). Negative emotionality (NE) was not associated with RewP or ADHD. Mediation analyses revealed the association between PE and hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I) was mediated by RewP; enhanced RewP was associated with greater H/I. Greater PE was associated with enhanced RewP at a trend level. These effects held accounting for age-9 ADHD, age-12 IA and age-12 oppositional defiant and conduct disorder symptoms. As such, preschool emotionality is associated with adolescent ADHD-H/I symptoms through late childhood initial responsiveness to reward. These relations indicate that individual differences in emotionality and reward responsiveness may be informative for personalizing ADHD interventions.

Distinct aspects of emotion dysregulation differentially correspond to magnitude and slope of the late positive potential to affective stimuli.

ABSTRACTEmotion dysregulation (ED) is a transdiagnostic risk factor for several forms of psychopathology. One established, integrative conceptualisation of ED that has informed our understanding of psychopathology (Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation : development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26(1), 41-54) was recently extended to account for state-level and specifically physiological aspects of ED. As such, the goal of the current study was to assess the degree to which this conceptualisation could be captured using a physiological, state-level index (i.e. the late positive potential; LPP). Participants (N=41; Mage=27.5 years, SD=11.0) completed a trait-based rating scale measure of the extended conceptualisation of ED and viewed a series of images that ranged in valence (i.e. unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral). Multilevel modelling indicated some points of convergence between rating scale scores and the LPP, and other points of divergence. Findings underscore the utility of a multi-method approach to improve understanding of key transdiagnostic characteristics across levels of analysis. Further, results are novel evidence supporting validity of the extended conceptualisation of ED.

Maturation-dependent vulnerability of emotion regulation as a response to COVID-19 related stress in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created unpredictable circumstances resulting in increased psychological strain. Here we investigate pandemic-related alterations in emotion regulation in adolescents assessed before and during the pandemic. We also take biological age into account in the response to the pandemic. METHODS: Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to compare baseline data on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) total scores of a pre-pandemic adolescent cohort (n = 241) with those obtained during the second wave of the pandemic (n = 266). We estimated biological age based on an ultrasonic boneage assessment procedure in a subgroup of males, including grammar school and vocational school students in the 9th and 10th grades, and analyzed their data independently. FINDINGS: There is a gender difference in the timing of vulnerability for pandemic-related stress in grammar school students: females are affected a year earlier than males. Vocational school male students mature faster than grammar school male students, and the timing of emotional vulnerability also precedes that of the grammar school students'. DISCUSSION: We interpret our findings within a developmental model suggesting that there might be a window of highest vulnerability in adolescent emotion regulation. The timing of the window is determined by both chronological and biological age, and it is different for females and males. APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Defining the exact temporal windows of vulnerability for different adolescent cohorts allows for the timely integration of preventive actions into adolescent care to protect mental health during future chronic stressful situations.

Comparative Brain Imaging Reveals Analogous and Divergent Patterns of Species and Face Sensitivity in Humans and Dogs.

Conspecific-preference in social perception is evident for multiple sensory modalities and in many species. There is also a dedicated neural network for face processing in primates. However, the evolutionary origin and the relative role of neural species sensitivity and face sensitivity in visuo-social processing are largely unknown. In this comparative study, species sensitivity and face sensitivity to identical visual stimuli (videos of human and dog faces and occiputs) were examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging in dogs (n = 20; 45% female) and humans (n = 30; 50% female). In dogs, the bilateral mid suprasylvian gyrus showed conspecific-preference, no regions exhibited face-preference, and the majority of the visually-responsive cortex showed greater conspecific-preference than face-preference. In humans, conspecific-preferring regions (the right amygdala/hippocampus and the posterior superior temporal sulcus) also showed face-preference, and much of the visually-responsive cortex showed greater face-preference than conspecific-preference. Multivariate pattern analyses (MVPAs) identified species-sensitive regions in both species, but face-sensitive regions only in humans. Across-species representational similarity analyses (RSAs) revealed stronger correspondence between dog and human response patterns for distinguishing conspecific from heterospecific faces than other contrasts. Results unveil functional analogies in dog and human visuo-social processing of conspecificity but suggest that cortical specialization for face perception may not be ubiquitous across mammals.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To explore the evolutionary origins of human face-preference and its relationship to conspecific-preference, we conducted the first comparative and noninvasive visual neuroimaging study of a non-primate and a primate species, dogs and humans. Conspecific-preferring brain regions were observed in both species, but face-preferring brain regions were observed only in humans. In dogs, an overwhelming majority of visually-responsive cortex exhibited greater conspecific-preference than face-preference, whereas in humans, much of the visually-responsive cortex showed greater face-preference than conspecific-preference. Together, these findings unveil functional analogies and differences in the organizing principles of visuo-social processing across two phylogenetically distant mammal species.

Attenuated neural reactivity to happy faces is associated with rule breaking and social problems in anxious youth.

Pediatric anxiety is associated with comorbid externalizing behaviors and social problems, and these associations may be related to altered emotion processing. The late positive potential (LPP), an event-related potential component, is a neural marker of emotion processing, and there is evidence that anxious youth exhibits enhanced LPPs to threatening signals. It is unknown, however, if differences in the LPP are related to externalizing behaviors and social problems co-occurring with anxiety and if these associations are driven by altered processing of threatening (angry or fearful faces) or rewarding (happy faces) socio-emotional signals. Thus, in the present study, we examined, in a sample of 39 anxious youth, the association between LPPs, following socio-emotional signals and externalizing behaviors and social problems. Results indicated an association between attenuated LPPs in response to happy faces and greater rule-breaking and social problems. These findings suggest that differences in positive socio-emotional signal processing are related to heterogeneity in pediatric anxiety and that LPPs are a sensitive index of such heterogeneity.

Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The purpose of this research was to update the Pelham and Fabiano ( 2008 ) review of evidence-based practices for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We completed a systematic review of the literature published between 2007 and 2013 to establish levels of evidence for psychosocial treatments for these youth. Our review included the identification of relevant articles using criteria established by the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (see Southam-Gerow & Prinstein, in press ) using keyword searches and a review of tables of contents. We extend the conceptualization of treatment research by differentiating training interventions from behavior management and by reviewing the growing literature on training interventions. Consistent with the results of the previous review we conclude that behavioral parent training, behavioral classroom management, and behavioral peer interventions are well-established treatments. In addition, organization training met the criteria for a well-established treatment. Combined training programs met criteria for Level 2 (Probably Efficacious), neurofeedback training met criteria for Level 3 (Possibly Efficacious), and cognitive training met criteria for Level 4 (Experimental Treatments). The distinction between behavior management and training interventions provides a method for considering meaningful differences in the methods and possible mechanisms of action for treatments for these youth. Characteristics of treatments, participants, and measures, as well as the variability in methods for classifying levels of evidence for treatments, are reviewed in relation to their potential effect on outcomes and conclusions about treatments. Implications of these findings for future science and practice are discussed.

Development of a human-analogue, 3-symptom domain Dog ADHD and Functionality Rating Scale (DAFRS).

The family dog, in its natural environment, exhibits neuropsychological deficits redolent of human psychiatric disorders, including behaviours that are similar to human attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Based on standard questionnaire methods in humans, we aimed to develop and validate a detailed, psychometrically improved tool to assess owner views on relevant dog behaviours. We modified available questionnaires by adding items that allow for separate analysis of impulsivity, and items on functional impairment. We collected data from 1168 owners for different validation steps of the new questionnaire and, similarly to assessment of humans where teachers also evaluate as an expert control, we collected data from dog trainers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed 3 factors: inattention (IA), hyperactivity (H) and impulsivity (I), corresponding to all three human symptom dimensions in dogs. Test-retest analyses showed excellent agreement between measurements for all factors. Similarly to findings with humans, trainer-owner rating comparisons showed fair (IA) to moderate (H, I) agreement. As in humans, greater ADHD scores were associated with greater functional impairment scores. We suggest that in dogs, similarly to humans, parallel examination of (extreme) ADHD and functional impairment scores could help distinguish diagnosable individuals, after further validation of the questionnaire using a relevant behaviour test.

Amygdala Volume is Associated with ADHD Risk and Severity Beyond Comorbidities in Adolescents: Clinical Testing of Brain Chart Reference Standards.

Understanding atypicalities in ADHD brain correlates is a step towards better understanding ADHD etiology. Efforts to map atypicalities at the level of brain structure have been hindered by the absence of normative reference standards. Recent publication of brain charts allows for assessment of individual variation relative to age- and sex-adjusted reference standards and thus estimation not only of case-control differences but also of intraindividual prediction. METHODS: Aim was to examine, whether brain charts can be applied in a sample of adolescents (N = 140, 38% female) to determine whether atypical brain subcortical and total volumes are associated with ADHD at-risk status and severity of parent-rated symptoms, accounting for self-rated anxiety and depression, and parent-rated oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as well as motion. RESULTS: Smaller bilateral amygdala volume was associated with ADHD at-risk status, beyond effects of comorbidities and motion, and smaller bilateral amygdala volume was associated with inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, beyond effects of comorbidities except for ODD symptoms, and motion. CONCLUSIONS: Individual differences in amygdala volume meaningfully add to estimating ADHD risk and severity. Conceptually, amygdalar involvement is consistent with behavioral and functional imaging data on atypical reinforcement sensitivity as a marker of ADHD-related risk. Methodologically, results show that brain chart reference standards can be applied to address clinically informative, focused and specific questions.

Mobile sleep EEG suggests delayed brain maturation in adolescents with ADHD: A focus on oscillatory spindle frequency.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. Although data show ADHD is associated with sleep problems, approaches to analyze the association between ADHD and sleep electrophysiology are limited to a few methods with circumscribed foci. AIMS: Sleep EEG was analyzed by a mixed-radix FFT routine and power spectrum parametrization in adolescents with ADHD and adolescents not at-risk for ADHD. Spectral components of sleep EEG were analyzed employing a novel, model-based approach of EEG power spectra. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The DREEM mobile polysomnography headband was used to record home sleep EEG from 19 medication-free adolescents with ADHD and 29 adolescents not at-risk for ADHD (overall: N = 56, age range 14-19 years) and groups were compared on characteristics of NREM sleep. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Adolescents with ADHD exhibited lower frequency of spectral peaks indicating sleep spindle oscillations whereas adolescents not at-risk for ADHD showed lower spectral power in the slow sleep spindle and beta frequency ranges. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The observed between-groups difference might indicate delayed brain maturity unraveled during sleep in ADHD.

Measuring ADHD and ODD symptoms and impairment using high school teachers' ratings.

We analyzed the results of high school teachers' ratings of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder, as well as school-related impairment of 875 adolescents. One hundred forty-three teachers at 19 high schools across 4 states each rated 6 students from their first-period classes according to selection criteria that led to ratings for 3 male and 3 female students. Factor analyses were conducted on the symptom measure to test hypotheses pertaining to the divergence of impulsivity and hyperactivity dimensions. Normative values for the Disruptive Behavior Disorder-Teacher Rating Scale and Impairment Rating Scale are reported, as well as important differences related to age, race, and gender. Gender and age contrasts revealed that boys were rated as more symptomatic and impaired than girls and younger adolescents were rated as having more problems than older adolescents in most areas. African American adolescents were rated higher on measures of symptoms and impairment than their Caucasian peers. Large differences in normative levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention are reported that are consistent with a reduced likelihood of a diagnosis of ADHD-C as children get older. Implications for the interpretation of ratings from high school teachers are discussed.

Event-related potentials indicate differential neural reactivity to species and valence information in vocal stimuli in sleeping dogs.

Dogs live in a complex social environment where they regularly interact with conspecific and heterospecific partners. Awake dogs are able to process a variety of information based on vocalisations emitted by dogs and humans. Whether dogs are also able to process such information while asleep, is unknown. In the current explorative study, we investigated in N = 13 family dogs, neural response to conspecific and human emotional vocalisations. Data were recorded while dogs were asleep, using a fully non-invasive event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. A species (between 250-450 and 600-800 ms after stimulus onset) and a species by valence interaction (between 550 to 650 ms after stimulus onset) effect was observed during drowsiness. A valence (750-850 ms after stimulus onset) and a species x valence interaction (between 200 to 300 ms and 450 to 650 ms after stimulus onset) effect was also observed during non-REM specific at the Cz electrode. Although further research is needed, these results not only suggest that dogs neurally differentiate between differently valenced con- and heterospecific vocalisations, but they also provide the first evidence of complex vocal processing during sleep in dogs. Assessment and detection of ERPs during sleep in dogs appear feasible.

Adolescent ADHD and electrophysiological reward responsiveness: A machine learning approach to evaluate classification accuracy and prognosis.

We evaluated event-related potential (ERP) indices of reinforcement sensitivity as ADHD biomarkers by examining, in N=306 adolescents (Mage=15.78, SD=1.08), the extent to which ERP amplitude and latency variables measuring reward anticipation and response (1) differentiate, in age- and sex-matched subsamples, (i) youth with vs. without ADHD, (ii) youth at-risk for vs. not at-risk for ADHD, and, in the with ADHD subsample, (iii) youth with the inattentive vs. the hyperactive/impulsive (H/I) and combined presentations. We further examined the extent to which ERP variables (2) predict, in the ADHD subsample, substance use (i) concurrently and (ii) prospectively at 18-month follow-up. Linear support vector machine analyses indicated ERPs weakly differentiate youth with/without (65%) - and at-risk for/not at-risk for (63%) - ADHD but better differentiate ADHD presentations (78%). Regression analyses showed in adolescents with ADHD, ERPs explain a considerable proportion of variance (50%) in concurrent alcohol use and, controlling for concurrent marijuana and tobacco use, explain a considerable proportion of variance (87 and 87%) in, and predict later marijuana and tobacco use. Findings are consistent with the dual-pathway model of ADHD. Results also highlight limitations of a dichotomous, syndromic classification and indicate differences in neural reinforcement sensitivity are a promising ADHD prognostic biomarker.

Evaluating ADHD Assessment for Dogs: A Replication Study.

The family dog, in its natural environment, exhibits neuropsychological deficits redolent of human psychiatric disorders, including behaviours similar to human Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. For dogs, Vas and colleagues developed a 13-item questionnaire to measure inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity (Dog ARS; 2007). We re-assessed, in a large sample of dogs (N = 319), psychometric properties of the Dog ARS, to identify possible limitations as a basis for further development. We examined the cross-study stability of factor structure and 40-day temporal stability of item and subscale scores and compared owner-report with expert (dog trainer)-report (n = 86), paralleling human parent/teacher assessments. To identify ambiguous items, we administered a modified version (including "I don't know" options, N = 520) to a different sample. We could replicate the factor structure with evidence of good internal consistency and test-retest reliability of both subscales. Agreement between owner and trainer ratings was fair (inattention) and moderate (hyperactivity/impulsivity). Three ambiguous items were identified. Overall, we claim that the Dog ARS is a reliable tool to assess ADHD-like behaviour in dogs, but in its current form, it is not suitable to detect diagnosable individuals, as it does not comprise items assessing functional impairment, and also, the inclusion of owner-expert ratings in the evaluation process would be necessary.

Reliability of reward ERPs in middle-late adolescents using a custom and a standardized preprocessing pipeline.

Despite advantage of neuroimaging measures in translational research frameworks, less is known about the psychometric properties thereof, especially in middle-late adolescents. Earlier, we examined evidence of convergent and incremental validity of reward anticipation and response event-related potentials (ERPs) and here we examined, in the same sample of 43 adolescents (Mage  = 15.67 years; SD = 1.01; range: 14-18; 32.6% boys), data quality (signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]), stability (mean amplitude across trials), and internal consistency (Cronbach's α and split-half reliability) of the same ERPs. Further, because observed time course and peak amplitude of ERP grand averages and thus findings on SNR, stability, and internal consistency may depend on preprocessing method, we employed a custom and a standardized preprocessing pipeline and compared findings across those. Using our custom pipeline, reward anticipation components were stable by the 40th trial, achieved acceptable internal consistency by the 19th, and all (but the stimulus-preceding negativity [SPN]) achieved acceptable SNR by the 41st trial. Initial response to reward components were stable by the 20th trial and achieved acceptable internal consistency by the 11th and acceptable SNR by the 45th trial. Difference scores had worse psychometric properties than parent measures. Time course and peak amplitudes of ERPs and thus results on SNR, stability, and internal consistency were comparable across preprocessing pipelines. In case of reward anticipation ERPs examined here, 41 trials (+4 artifacted and removed) and, in case of reward response ERPs, 45 trials (+5 artifacted) yielded stable and internally consistent estimates with acceptable SNR. Results are robust across preprocessing methods.

Developmental features of sleep electrophysiology in family dogs.

Age-related differences in dog sleep and the age at which dogs reach adulthood as indexed by sleep electrophysiology are unknown. We assessed, in (1) a Juvenile sample (n = 60) of 2-14-month-old dogs (weight range: 4-68 kg), associations between age, sleep macrostructure, and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) EEG power spectrum, whether weight moderates associations, and (2) an extended sample (n = 91) of 2-30-months-old dogs, when sleep parameters stabilise. In Juvenile dogs, age was positively associated with time in drowsiness between 2 and 8 months, and negatively with time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep between 2 and 6 months. Age was negatively associated with delta and positively with theta and alpha power activity, between 8 and 14 months. Older dogs exhibited greater sigma and beta power activity. Larger, > 8-month-old dogs had less delta and more alpha and beta activity. In extended sample, descriptive data suggest age-related power spectrum differences do not stabilise by 14 months. Drowsiness, REM, and delta power findings are consistent with prior results. Sleep electrophysiology is a promising index of dog neurodevelopment; some parameters stabilise in adolescence and some later than one year. Determination of the effect of weight and timing of power spectrum stabilisation needs further inquiry. The dog central nervous system is not fully mature by 12 months of age.

The association between reinforcement sensitivity and substance use is mediated by individual differences in dispositional affectivity in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence marks the onset of substance use experimentation and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to certain negative effects of substances. Some evidence indicates reinforcement sensitivity is associated with substance use, though little is known about mechanisms underlying such association. AIMS: in the current study were to examine, (1) associations between behavioral activation (BAS) and behavioral inhibition (BIS) system sensitivity, positive (PA) and negative affectivity (NA), and alcohol use and alcohol problems as well as tobacco, and marijuana use, and whether (2) associations are mediated by PA or NA. METHODS: Participants were a community sample of N = 125 adolescents (Mage = 15.67 years; SD = 0.93; 52% boys) who completed self-report measures. RESULTS: evinced associations, generally as expected, across variables (all ps < 0.05). In mediation analyses, an association emerged between BIS sensitivity and alcohol use, mediated by NA (95%CIs [0.034; 0.390]); greater BIS sensitivity was associated with greater NA and greater NA was associated with greater alcohol use. These findings were replicated with alcohol problems. An association also emerged between BAS sensitivity and marijuana use, mediated by PA (95%CIs [-0.296; -0.027]); greater BAS sensitivity was associated with greater PA and greater PA was associated with lower marijuana use. Finally, BIS sensitivity was associated with tobacco use through NA (95%CIs [0.023; 0.325]) and PA (95%CIs [0.004; 0.116]), with NA linked to greater, but PA linked to lower tobacco use. BAS sensitivity was also associated with tobacco use through PA (95%CIs [-0.395; -0.049]), with PA linked again to lower tobacco use. CONCLUSIONS: There are unique and shared effects of domains of reinforcement sensitivity on adolescent substance use and these vary with index of dispositional affectivity and type of substance considered.

Neural and self-reported reward responsiveness are associated with dispositional affectivity and emotion dysregulation in adolescents with evidence for convergent and incremental validity.

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by heightened reward sensitivity which, in turn, confers risk for pertinent negative outcomes, underscoring the need to better understand biological bases and behavioral correlates of reward responsiveness during this developmental phase. Our goals in the current study were to examine, in a sample of 43 typically developing adolescents (Mage  = 15.67 years; SD = 1.01; 32.6% boys), (1) evidence of convergent validity between neural and self-report reward responsiveness, (2) associations between neural reward responsiveness and self-report dispositional affectivity and emotion dysregulation (ED) and (3) evidence of incremental validity of self-report beyond neural reward responsiveness in predicting affectivity and ED. During electroencephalography (EEG), adolescents completed two experimental paradigms probing event-related potential (ERP) indices of reward anticipation and initial responsiveness to reward attainment. Following EEG, they completed self-report measures of reward responsiveness, affectivity, and ED. Findings indicated some evidence of convergent validity between enhanced ERP indices of reward anticipation and initial response to reward and greater reinforcement sensitivity; that ERP indices of both reward responsiveness aspects predicted lower negative affectivity and less ED; and evidence of incremental validity of self-report beyond neural reward responsiveness in predicting outcomes. Results underscore the utility of a multi-method framework in assessing adolescent reward responsiveness and support the relevance of reward responsiveness in explaining individual differences in dispositional affectivity and ED.