Emotion Regulation Attenuates the Prospective Links from Peer Victimization to Internalizing Symptoms during Middle Childhood.

Objective: Peer victimization has been shown to be a robust predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms over time. Relatively little is known, however, regarding what protective factors may attenuate these associations and render youth more resilient to this interpersonal stressor. Therefore, the current study examined sadness and worry regulation as moderators of the prospective links from peer victimization to internalizing symptoms over a 1-year period.Method: Participants included 464 predominantly Caucasian children (54.7% boys; ages 7-10), as well as their homeroom teachers, from an elementary school located in the Midwestern United States. Child and teacher reports of peer victimization and child reports of sadness and worry regulation were assessed at Time 1. Children also provided ratings of depressive and anxiety symptoms at Time 1, approximately 6 months later (Time 2), and again approximately 1 year later (Time 3). Moderating effects were evaluated using a series of multivariate latent growth curve models.Results: Consistent with expectations, sadness regulation attenuated the prospective links from both child- and teacher-reported peer victimization to internalizing symptoms. Worry regulation also attenuated the prospective links from teacher-reported peer victimization to internalizing symptoms. The moderating effects of emotion regulation did not differ according to gender.Conclusions: Findings suggest that the ability to effectively manage feelings of sadness and worry may serve as a buffer against the internalizing symptoms associated with peer victimization. Additional research is needed to determine whether interventions focused on enhancing victims' emotion regulation skills reduce their subsequent risk for depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Examining ODD/ADHD Symptom Dimensions as Predictors of Social, Emotional, and Academic Trajectories in Middle Childhood.

The goal of this article is to investigate the symptom dimensions of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD; irritability, defiance) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity) as predictors of academic performance, depressive symptoms, and peer functioning in middle childhood. Children (N = 346; 51% female) were assessed via teacher-report on measures of ODD/ADHD symptoms at baseline (Grades K-2) and academic performance, depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and victimization on 7 occasions over 4 school years (K-2 through 3-5). Self-report and grade point average data collected in Grades 3-5 served as converging outcome measures. Latent growth curve and multiple regression models were estimated using a hierarchical/sensitivity approach to assess robustness and specificity of effects. Irritability predicted higher baseline depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and victimization, whereas defiance predicted higher baseline peer rejection; however, none of these ODD-related effects persisted 3 years later to Grades 3-5. In contrast, inattention predicted persistently poorer academic performance, persistently higher depressive symptoms, and higher baseline victimization; hyperactivity-impulsivity predicted subsequent peer rejection and victimization in Grades 3-5. In converging models, only inattention emerged as a robust predictor of 3-year outcomes (viz., grade point average, depressive symptoms, peer rejection, and relational victimization). Broadly, ODD dimensions-particularly irritability-may be linked to acute disturbances in social-emotional functioning in school-age children, whereas ADHD dimensions may predict more persistent patterns of peer, affective, and academic problems. By examining all 4 ODD/ADHD symptom dimensions simultaneously, the present analyses offer clarity and specificity regarding which dimensions affect what outcomes, and when. Findings underscore the importance of multidimensional approaches to research, assessment, and intervention.

Bidirectional associations between affective empathy and proactive and reactive aggression.

Preliminary evidence indicates that affective empathy is differentially related to proactive and reactive functions of aggression. However, additional longitudinal research is needed to understand the potential reciprocal nature of these links. The current study examined the bidirectional associations between affective empathy and proactive and reactive aggression over a 6-month period during middle childhood, with attention to potential gender differences. Data were collected from 294 elementary school children (52% girls; M = 9.25 years; SD = 0.944 years) and their homeroom teachers. Affective empathy was assessed using self-reports, and teachers provided ratings of children's functions of aggression. Data were collected during the fall and spring of one academic year. Overall, results suggest some evidence that affective empathy and functions of aggression are reciprocally linked over time. As predicted, Time 1 empathy was inversely associated with Time 2 proactive aggression and Time 1 reactive aggression was inversely associated with Time 2 empathy. Contrary to expectations, Time 1 proactive aggression was marginally positively associated with Time 2 empathy, and Time 1 empathy was not significantly associated with Time 2 reactive aggression. These prospective links did not differ according to gender. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Factors associated with perceived containment.

There is growing evidence indicating that a lack of perceived containment, or youth's beliefs about whether adults can control their behavior, is associated with problem behavior. However, little research has examined factors that may contribute to perceived containment, which would be helpful in further tailoring prevention and intervention efforts for problem behavior. The current study evaluated associations between callous-unemotional (C/U) traits, peer delinquency, neighborhood problems, and perceived containment. Associations were examined using a sample of detained youth. Findings indicated that while all three factors were correlated with perceived containment, only C/U traits (particularly the callousness and uncaring subscales) and peer delinquency were uniquely associated with perceived containment. Further, C/U traits did not moderate the links between peer delinquency or neighborhood problems and perceived containment. This study supports the influence of both individual and contextual factors on perceived containment, suggesting multiple factors to target for prevention and intervention.

Parent, Teacher, and Youth Reports on Measures of Reactive and Proactive Aggression.

Background: More research is needed to improve measurement selection and to better understand informant differences in reports of reactive and proactive aggression. Objective: Toward this goal, the current study evaluated the psychometrics (i.e., reliability, factor structure, and validity) and correlates of two measures of reactive and proactive aggression (i.e., Dodge & Coie, in J Pers Soc Psychol 53:1146, 1987; Raine et al. in Aggress Behav 32:15-171, 2006) across three informants (i.e., parent, teacher, and youth). Method: Parent, teacher and youth reports of measures were collected in a community recruited sample of 9-12 year-old youth (M = 10.44; 56% male). Results: Both measures demonstrated adequate to good internal consistency by parent- and teacher-report, and borderline to adequate internal consistency by youth-report. Additionally, aggression subscales were correlated within and across measures and informants, and an appropriate 2-factor structure was identified for both measures across informants. Consistent with prior research, reactive aggression was more robustly associated with depression symptoms and effortful control than proactive aggression across measures, but there were some links with proactive aggression. Conclusions: Overall findings suggest that both measures are psychometrically appropriate to use with parents, teachers, and youth. However, there were distinctions between the two measures, and relying solely on youth reports in this age group is not recommended. Further, there are unique associations evident with various informants, supporting the need for multiple informants when assessing functions of aggression in youth.

Bivariate Growth of Perceived Containment and Functions of Aggression Over 2 Years.

Perceived containment is the belief that one can be controlled by the limits set by authority figures, with low levels of perceived containment indicating that one does not believe they can be controlled by others. Low levels of perceived containment have been associated with a range of problem behaviors in youth, including proactive and reactive aggression. However, the stability of perceived containment across time and authority figures in middle childhood is not well understood. Additionally, more research is needed to understand how perceived containment is associated with the trajectories of related problem behavior, such as proactive and reactive functions of aggression. Thus, the current study evaluated univariate and bivariate growth trajectories of perceived containment and proactive and reactive aggression across 2 years in middle childhood. Participants were 249 elementary school youth (41% female, 7-10 years old). Children self-reported on perceived containment and proactive and reactive aggression at 4 time points across a two-year period. Results indicated that perceived containment and proactive aggression remained stable, while reactive aggression increased over a two-year period. Bivariate models indicated that perceived containment was negatively associated with the latent intercept of proactive and reactive aggression; however, perceived containment was not significantly associated with growth of reactive aggression. Findings and implications for treatment and prevention are discussed in turn.

An account of the Speech-to-Song Illusion using Node Structure Theory.

In the Speech-to-Song Illusion, repetition of a spoken phrase results in it being perceived as if it were sung. Although a number of previous studies have examined which characteristics of the stimulus will produce the illusion, there is, until now, no description of the cognitive mechanism that underlies the illusion. We suggest that the processes found in Node Structure Theory that are used to explain normal language processing as well as other auditory illusions might also account for the Speech-to-Song Illusion. In six experiments we tested whether the satiation of lexical nodes, but continued priming of syllable nodes may lead to the Speech-to-Song Illusion. The results of these experiments provide evidence for the role of priming, activation, and satiation as described in Node Structure Theory as an explanation of the Speech-to-Song Illusion.

Delay discounting associated with challenges to treatment adherence and glycemic control in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Many young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) face challenges in adherence to self-management practices and have above-target HbA1c. Poorer decision-making skills, indicated by greater delay discounting, may be linked to these factors. METHODS: An online survey using social media ads targeted young adults aged 18-26 with T1D. Participants completed the Self-Care Inventory and the 5-trial delay discounting task and self-reported their last HbA1c value. RESULTS: Discounting was significantly associated with treatment adherence (r = -.14, p < .05) and HbA1c (r  = .18, p <  .01). Adherence was also associated with HbA1c (r = -.26, p < .01). In a hierarchical regression, adding discounting explained significant additional variance in HbA1c after controlling demographics (F(1, 257) = 3.99, p <  .05); adding adherence next explained significant additional variance in HbA1c (F(1, 256) = 12.96, p <  .01). In the final model, adherence significantly explained HbA1c variance (ß = -.21, p <  .01). DISCUSSION: These results expand the literature on cognitive factors and glycemic control among patients with T1D. Factors like delay discounting represent potentially modifiable risk factors targetable through interventions.