Neurocognitive Mechanisms Linking Early Parent-Child Relationship Quality to Transdiagnostic Psychopathology at School Age

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Project Summary/Abstract Earlier onset of a psychiatric disorder is associated with an increased likelihood of meeting criteria for additional disorders and impaired functioning across the lifespan. Thus, efforts aimed at preventing or reducing the development and maintenance of psychopathology early in life are of great value, especially when focused on identifying early modifiable risk factors and mechanisms most salient to its development. The overall objective of the present study is to investigate how the parent-child relationship across infancy and toddlerhood – a sensitive period consisting of increased neuroplasticity and sensitivity to the quality of the caregiving relationship – ultimately impacts the development of transdiagnostic psychopathology and its underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. Additionally, to address the dearth of research on the importance of fathers on children’s development, we will examine the unique contributions of both mothers and fathers in the development of children’s psychopathology and its underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. Based on prior theory and empirical evidence, we hypothesize that preschool executive control will be a mechanism through which the quality of both the mother-child and father-child relationship in infancy and toddlerhood impacts the development of the p-factor, a general shared dimension of symptoms that underlies nearly all forms of psychopathology. To test this hypothesis, the integrative, comprehensive construct of mutually responsive orientation (MRO) will be observed in both the mother-child and father-child relationships during infancy and toddlerhood as predictors of child executive control in preschool and the general factor of psychopathology at school age. MRO captures a dyadic level of relationship quality comprised of coordinated routines, harmonious communication, mutual cooperation, and emotional ambience (high MRO) and maladaptive qualities of the relationship such as hostile communication, lack of responsiveness, and high levels of negative affect (low MRO). Study aims will be pursued in an established sample of 159 families (mother, father, and child) who have completed observational paradigms when the target child was 1 and 2 years of age. Preschool executive control will be measured using a comprehensive, laboratory battery of nine executive functioning tasks at age 5 years. Child general psychopathology will be measured using both mother and father reports of well-validated, reliable, and developmentally appropriate psychopathology questionnaires of child internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and emotion dysregulation when participating children turn 7 years of age. Findings are expected to identify modifiable targets for developmentally informed prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing executive dysfunction and the subsequent development of nearly all forms of psychopathology across the lifespan.