Internalising and externalising problems in adolescence - general and dimension-specific effects of familial loadings and preadolescent temperament traits

Abstract

Background and aims:

We investigated the links between familial loading, preadolescent temperament, and internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescence, hereby distinguishing effects on maladjustment in general versus dimension-specific effects on either internalising or externalising problems.

Method:

In a population-based sample of 2230 preadolescents (10-11yrs) familial loading (parental lifetime psychopathology) and offspring temperament were assessed at baseline by parent report, and offspring psychopathology at 2.5-year follow-up by self-report, teacher and parent report.

Results:

Familial loading of internalising psychopathology predicted offspring internalising but not externalising problems whereas familial loading of externalising psychopathology predicted offspring externalising but not internalising problems. Both familial loadings were associated with Frustration, low Effortful Control, and Fear. Frustration acted as a general risk factor predicting severity of maladjustment; low Effortful Control and Fear acted as dimension-specific risk factors that predicted a particular type of psychopathology; whereas shyness, high-intensity pleasure, and affiliation acted as direction markers that steered the conditional probability of internalising versus externalising problems, in the event of maladjustment. Temperament traits mediated a third of the association between familial loading and psychopathology. Findings were robust across different composite measures of psychopathology, and applied to girls as well as boys.

Conclusions:

It is important to distinguish general risk factors (Frustration) from dimension-specific risk factors (familial loadings, effortful control, fear), and direction markers that act as pathoplastic factors (shyness, high-intensity pleasure, affiliation) from both types of risk factors. About a third of familial loading effects on psychopathology in early adolescence are mediated by temperament.