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Why does children’s temperamental exuberance increase their vulnerability to externalizing symptoms? A process-oriented approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 December 2022

Patrick T. Davies Open the ORCID record for Patrick T. Davies [Opens in a new window] ,
Vanessa T. Cao Open the ORCID record for Vanessa T. Cao [Opens in a new window] ,
Meera D. Patel Open the ORCID record for Meera D. Patel [Opens in a new window]  and
Melissa L. Sturge-Apple Open the ORCID record for Melissa L. Sturge-Apple [Opens in a new window]
Patrick T. Davies*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
Vanessa T. Cao
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
Meera D. Patel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
Melissa L. Sturge-Apple
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
*
Corresponding author: Patrick T. Davies, email: patrick.davies@rochester.edu
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Abstract

This study examined children’s exposure to family adversity, hostile reactivity to parental conflict, and negative family representations as mediators of the prospective relation between their temperamental exuberance and externalizing symptoms. Participants included 243 preschool children (Mage = 4.60 years; 56% girls) and parents (48% Black; 16% Latinx) in a multi-method and multi-informant study with three annual measurement occasions. Structural equation model results specifically supported children’s hostile reactivity to parental conflict and negative family representations as mediators. Exuberance predicted residualized increases in children’s hostile reactivity and negative family representations over a 1-year period. In turn, children’s hostile reactivity and negative family representations predicted their greater externalizing symptoms 1 year later after controlling for prior externalizing symptoms. Results are discussed in the context of their relation and refinement of temperamental models of developmental psychopathology.

Keywords

child externalizing symptomschild responses to family stressorsexuberant temperamentfamily adversityrisk mechanisms
Type
Regular Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , February 2024 , pp. 429 - 442
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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