A growing literature indicates that early emerging differences in emotional reactivity and regulation, known as temperament, may relate to an increased risk for developing internalizing psychopathology. Much of the evidence for these claims has relied on temperament models derived from parent-report. Few studies have drawn upon basic findings in affective, cognitive, and developmental science to measure temperament using a multi-method approach. The aim of this study is to draw upon these perspectives to map associations between behavioral and psychophysiological measures of effortful control (EC) and fear-proneness (FP) dimensions of temperament, and to explore their relationship with maternal-reported internalizing problems in children. Children between the ages of 3 and 7 years (N = 275) completed laboratory assessments of temperament, and a subset (N = 55) completed psychophysiological tasks designed to measure responses to error-induced demands on EC (the error-related negativity, or ERN) and to aversive stimuli (fear-potentiated startle). Results revealed a relationship between higher ratings of laboratory-assessed FP and smaller ERN amplitude. Additionally, higher ratings of laboratory-assessed FP were associated with larger startle magnitude responses to negatively-valenced stimuli. Results also indicated a moderate effect in association between larger ERN amplitude and higher maternal-reported internalizing symptoms. The present findings support the use of psychophysiological measures as a useful complement to behavioral and informant measures to better understand the relationship between temperament and risk for internalizing problems in children.
Read
