Summary: Preschool children who struggle to regulate their emotions are more likely to show symptoms of ADHD and mental health challenges by age seven. A study of over 19,000 children found that slower emotional development was significantly linked to behavioral issues, internalizing symptoms like sadness, and conduct problems. These findings suggest that monitoring emotional regulation in early childhood could help identify children at risk for mental health issues.
Preschool children who struggle to control their emotions and behaviour have more symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - known as ADHD - at age seven, a study suggests.
Children aged between three and seven who are slower at acquiring skills to manage their intense emotions were also found to be at risk of displaying more conduct issues.
They were also more likely to show internalising behaviours, such as sadness and worries, at age seven, experts say.
The study, led by the University of Edinburgh, is among the first to examine the links between early patterns of emotion regulation and school-age mental health.
The findings could help tailor targeted support for children who may benefit from enhanced preventative care before mental health issues emerge, researchers say.
Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh, Northumbria and Oxford analysed a large dataset to test whether the progression of emotional development among children aged three to seven is related to the risk of common mental health issues.
They examined data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study which follows the lives of around 19,000 young people born in 2000-02.
The researchers analysed questionnaires and interviews which surveyed parents on their children's conduct, social behaviours, and emotional regulation skills.
They used statistical techniques to measure the link between emotional problems, conduct problems and ADHD symptoms at age seven.
Findings showed that a tendency to have extreme emotional responses and slower development in the ability to regulate those emotions was significantly associated with ADHD symptoms, internalising symptoms, and conduct problems in both male and female children at age seven.
This was the case even when other factors such as data on any pre-existing neurodevelopmental and mental health issues were taken into account.
Dr Aja Murray, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, who led the study, said: "Emotion regulation skills are acquired from early in life and are thought to strengthen gradually over childhood.
"Children, however, acquire these skills at different rates and slower acquisition may serve as a marker for neurodevelopmental and mental health issues.
"Our findings suggest that monitoring trajectories of emotion regulation over development could help identity which children are at risk of mental health issues."
Author: Joanne Morrison
Source: University of Edinburgh
Contact: Joanne Morrison - University of Edinburgh
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
"Early emotion regulation developmental trajectories and ADHD, internalizing, and conduct problems symptoms in childhood" by Aja Murray et al. Development and Psychopathology
Abstract
Early emotion regulation developmental trajectories and ADHD, internalizing, and conduct problems symptoms in childhood
Emotion dysregulation is considered a transdiagnostic factor with importance for a range of neurodevelopmental and mental health issues, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, internalizing problems, and conduct problems.
Emotion regulation skills are acquired from early in life and are thought to strengthen gradually over childhood. Children, however, acquire these skills at different rates and slower acquisition may serve as a marker for neurodevelopmental and mental health issues.
The current study uses the UK Millennium Cohort Study, a large longitudinal study to evaluate whether developmental trajectories of emotion regulation across ages 3, 5, and 7 predict levels of ADHD symptoms, internalizing problems, and conduct problems at age 7.
Both higher initial levels of and slower reductions in emotion dysregulation across ages 3, 5, and 7 predicted higher ADHD symptoms, conduct problems, and internalizing problems at age 7 in both male and female children.
Our findings suggest that monitoring trajectories of emotion regulation over development could help flag at-risk children.
Additionally, supporting the acquisition of emotion regulation skills in this critical period could be a promising transdiagnostic preventive intervention.