Dev. Psychopathol. [JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Mothers' and fathers' social support trajectories and children's prosocial development: A dyadic perspective.
Chang OD
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42373610 · Publisher ↗
The current study examined mothers' and fathers' dyadic trajectories of perceived social support and their associations with children's prosociality. Data were drawn from 4,329 children (52% male, 48% female; 44% Black,...
The current study examined mothers' and fathers' dyadic trajectories of perceived social support and their associations with children's prosociality. Data were drawn from 4,329 children (52% male, 48% female; 44% Black, 22% Hispanic, 17% White) in a prospective birth cohort study of low-income families. Repeated-measures latent class analysis identified three trajectories of social support at the level of the mother-father dyad from birth to age five: "High and Concordant" (64%), "Paternal-Advantaged, Declining Maternal" (20%), and "Maternal-Advantaged" (16%) social support. Child prosocial behavior differed significantly across dyadic social support trajectories. Children of parents in the "Paternal-Advantaged, Declining Maternal" ( = -0.06, = 0.20; < .001) and "Maternal-Advantaged" ( = -0.26, = 0.19; < .001) social support trajectories scored significantly lower on prosocial behavior at age five than those with "High and Concordant" social support ( = 0.37, = 0.04). These differences persisted at age nine for children of parents in the "Paternal-Advantaged, Declining Maternal" social support trajectory. Findings suggest that consistent and adequate social support within the parental dyad is critical to cultivating children's prosocial skills.
Developmental trajectories of child maltreatment: Associations with internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
Chang OD, Chang Y, Yoon S
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42359541 · Publisher ↗
This prospective study of young children ( = 11.62 months, = 8.28) with prior child welfare contact examined trajectories of exposure to various types of maltreatment (i.e., domestic violence, emotional abuse, sexual ab...
This prospective study of young children ( = 11.62 months, = 8.28) with prior child welfare contact examined trajectories of exposure to various types of maltreatment (i.e., domestic violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect) as risk factors for children's psychopathology sequelae. Data were drawn from 1,059 children (52% male, 48% female; 39% White, 28% Hispanic, 27% Black) in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II. Repeated-measures latent class analysis identified four trajectories of child maltreatment exposure: "Stable Low Multi-Type," "Increasing Emotional-Physical," "Stable High Emotional-Physical," and "Stable High Multi-Type." Maltreatment trajectories significantly predicted internalizing ([3] = 21.89, < .001) and externalizing symptoms ([3] = 33.04, < .001). Children in both the "Stable High Multi-Type" trajectory ( = 18.42, = 1.05, < .001) and the "Increasing Emotional-Physical" trajectory ( = 14.61, = 0.53, < .01) exhibited elevated externalizing symptoms. The "Increasing Emotional-Physical" trajectory was associated with elevated internalizing symptoms ( = 13.27, = 0.93, < .001). Findings indicate the need for continuous, comprehensive assessment of maltreatment exposure and underscore the value of early, targeted interventions in enhancing children's well-being.
Trajectories of distressing psychotic-like experience in youth: the interplay of recent negative life events and screen time.
Gupta T, Deam M, Headley E … +6 more , Seah THS, Silk J, Griffith JM, Vargas T, Messineo S, Horton L
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42318648 · Publisher ↗
Adolescence is marked by increased risk for psychopathology, alongside behavioral changes such as greater screen time. Adolescents who experience distressing psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are particularly vulnerable...
Adolescence is marked by increased risk for psychopathology, alongside behavioral changes such as greater screen time. Adolescents who experience distressing psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are particularly vulnerable to the onset of psychopathology and often report exposure to negative life events. This study examined how screen time and recent negative life events contribute to trajectories of PLE distress using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study®. Latent Growth Mixture Models identified PLE distress trajectories over five timepoints. Linear mixed-effects models assessed how screen time, recent negative life events, and their interactions predicted these trajectories. Sensitivity analyses were conducted examining the influence of cumulative stress. Three PLE distress trajectories emerged: increasing, decreasing, no distress. The increasing and decreasing PLE distress trajectories reported similar amounts of daily screen time. However, youth in the increasing PLE distress trajectory reported more recent negative life events, and associations between more weekend texting and social media use at ages 11-12 and PLE distress levels at ages 13-14 were strongest for people who were exposed to more recent negative life events (but not cumulative stress). These findings suggest that more proximal adverse life experiences may have an impact on screen time and PLE distress levels.
Bidirectional associations between maternal and paternal depressive symptoms across the postpartum period: Contributions of maternal prenatal depression and childhood neglect.
Hare M, Humphreys K
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42272142 · Full text
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health problem. Although maternal PPD has received more attention, less is known about paternal PPD and how parents' depressive symptoms influence one another over time. The...
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health problem. Although maternal PPD has received more attention, less is known about paternal PPD and how parents' depressive symptoms influence one another over time. The present study investigated longitudinal patterns of maternal and paternal depressive symptoms during the first 18 months postpartum using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model in 119 mothers (M = 31.15, 89% White, 93% non-Hispanic, 91% married) and fathers (M = 32.74), while also considering the role of maternal prenatal depression and maternal childhood neglect. Results indicated strong autoregressive stability for maternal depressive symptoms across all time points ( = 0.24-0.61), whereas paternal symptoms showed less consistency, with stability emerging later. Our results revealed a bidirectional effect, where maternal symptoms at 1 month ( = 0.35) predicted paternal symptoms at 6 months ( = 0.26), which in turn predicted maternal symptoms at 12 months ( = 0.28). Additionally maternal emotional ( = 0.33) and physical neglect ( = 0.18) were associated with higher maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy, and emotional neglect ( = 0.35), uniquely predicted higher maternal depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum. These findings highlight the interconnected nature of parental depressive symptoms and the lasting impact of maternal neglect on early postpartum mental health.
Psychological resilience moderates the relationship between childhood adversity, brain network connectivity, and wellness.
Li Y, Liu Z, Hu B … +7 more , Xu J, Xiao J, Chen B, Tian T, He Y, Qin S, Lin D
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42237782 · Publisher ↗
Childhood adversity impairs well-being, yet psychological resilience may buffer its impact. Using resting-state fMRI in 94 rural Chinese children (ages 10-14), we examined whether psychological resilience protects brain...
Childhood adversity impairs well-being, yet psychological resilience may buffer its impact. Using resting-state fMRI in 94 rural Chinese children (ages 10-14), we examined whether psychological resilience protects brain network connectivity from adversity and its relevance to psychological well-being. Psychological resilience significantly moderated the impact of abuse, but not neglect, on limbic connectivity. Low-resilience children exposed to abuse showed heightened limbic-somatomotor and limbic-ventral attention connectivity, which predicted greater somatization and depression at baseline and more severe levels of anxiety six months later. These associations were absent in high-resilience children. Our findings reveal that psychological resilience specifically shields against the neurotoxic effects of abuse by modulating networks involved in emotion regulation, salience, and sensorimotor processing. Targeted interventions should consider adversity dimensions and psychological resilience capacity to mitigate long-term mental health risks.
The long view: Lie-telling trajectories, ages 6 to 19 years.
Talwar V, Crossman AM, Robinson K … +4 more , Geoffroy MC, Côté S, Tremblay RE, Vitaro F
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42198996 · Publisher ↗
Longitudinal research on the development of deception across the lifespan remains limited, particularly regarding trajectories of lie-telling and their associations with later problems. The current study aimed to address...
Longitudinal research on the development of deception across the lifespan remains limited, particularly regarding trajectories of lie-telling and their associations with later problems. The current study aimed to address this gap using longitudinal data of 3,017 Quebec francophone children (47.2% girls, 52.8% boys, aged ∼6 years). Growth mixture modeling identified distinct trajectories of parent and teacher reported lie-telling from ages 6 to 19 years, with reports showing links to early aggressive-disruptive behavior. Trajectories of perceived lying by parents and teachers were also associated with antisocial personality disorder and criminal records in early adulthood. Findings suggest that identifying patterns of observed lying may inform theoretical understanding of the developmental evolution and interpersonal significance of deception over time, as well as highlight potential long-term interventions for problematic lying.
Loneliness and depressive symptoms in adolescents: A multi-timescale examination.
Lo TT, Pouwels JL, Vink JM … +4 more , van den Broek N, Eltanamly H, Maciejewski DF, Verhagen M
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42187345 · Publisher ↗
Can feelings of loneliness and depression be adaptive for adolescents? Yes, suggests the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness: initially, loneliness activates depressive responses for self-preservation. In turn, these feeli...
Can feelings of loneliness and depression be adaptive for adolescents? Yes, suggests the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness: initially, loneliness activates depressive responses for self-preservation. In turn, these feelings prepare adolescents for reaffiliation, thereby reducing loneliness (H1a: short-term feedback loop). If this fails, loneliness and depressive symptoms may become long-term traits that exacerbate each other over time (H1b: long-term feedback loop). Therefore, the short-term balancing feedback loop between loneliness and depressive symptoms may buffer against their long-term increases (H2: across-timescale influence). We tested these hypotheses in Dutch adolescents ( = 12.9, = 0.7, 53% female) using six-wave, half-yearly panel data ( = 774; 2017-2021) and 7-day, 1.5-hourly experience sampling data ( = 84; mid-2021). Residual dynamic structural equation modeling revealed reinforcing feedback loops at both short-term (1.5-hourly) and long-term (half-yearly), supporting H1b but not H1a. Bayesian latent change score modeling supported H2: Adolescents who felt more depressed an hour after heightened loneliness showed smaller half-yearly increases in trait loneliness. However, this buffering effect was not predicted by the hourly depressed-to-loneliness relation, nor did either hourly relations predict half-yearly changes in depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that feeling depressed shortly after loneliness may protect adolescents from long-term loneliness.
When stress matters most: developmental timing and socio-ecological stressors among Mexican-origin adolescents from low-income immigrant families.
Ip KI, Wen W, Lee S … +2 more , Sim L, Kim SY
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42187215 · Full text
This study investigates the dynamic, time-varying associations between multiple socio-ecological stressors and internalizing symptoms among Mexican-origin youth from low-income immigrant families. Grounded in a socioecol...
This study investigates the dynamic, time-varying associations between multiple socio-ecological stressors and internalizing symptoms among Mexican-origin youth from low-income immigrant families. Grounded in a socioecological framework and employing time-varying effect modeling (TVEM), we examine how stressors at the interpersonal, family, and neighborhood levels differentially influence anxiety and depressive symptoms across early adolescence (ages 11-13), middle adolescence (ages 14-17), and late adolescence/emerging adulthood (ages 18-20). Participants included 604 Mexican-origin adolescents (54% female) from low-income immigrant families, assessed across three waves spanning nine years. Five distinct stressors were identified: discrimination, foreigner stress, economic stress, language brokering stress, and neighborhood violence/non-safety. Results from TVEM analyses revealed that the impact of discrimination on internalizing symptoms was more pronounced during early and middle adolescence, while foreigner stress became increasingly more pronounced in late adolescence/emerging adulthood. Economic hardship and language brokering stress consistently predicted internalizing symptoms across all developmental periods, whereas neighborhood violence/non-safety exerted the greatest influence during early adolescence. These findings underscore the importance of considering how stressor type and developmental timing intersect to shape mental health outcomes. Moreover, the results suggest that identifying sensitive windows for specific socio-ecological stressors can inform the optimal timing of tailored, developmentally sensitive interventions to mitigate their adverse effects.
Pilot study evidence suggests that mother-infant dyads respond differently to technoference following phone calls and text messages.
Golds L, Gillespie-Smith K, Muirhead S … +2 more , Moy J, MacBeth A
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42152740 · Publisher ↗
While studies suggest that maternal smartphone use causes disruptions to mother-infant interactions and distress to the infant, little work currently explores how mother-infant dyads co-regulate after periods of technofe...
While studies suggest that maternal smartphone use causes disruptions to mother-infant interactions and distress to the infant, little work currently explores how mother-infant dyads co-regulate after periods of technoference, or how different modes of smartphone use impact co-regulation strategies within the dyad. This pilot study used a modified still-face paradigm to explore differential impacts of texting and phone call on mother-infant emotion regulation behavioral strategies after technoference. We recruited 46 mother-infant dyads, living in Scotland, where the infant was aged 3-6 months old. Linear modeling identified that after a phone call, synchronous negative affect significantly increased compared to free play ((131) = 3.26, < .01, = .68), while after texting, synchronous negative affect was significantly higher still ((131) = 7.03, < .001, = 1.47). Conversely, synchronous positive affect significantly reduced after a phone call compared to free play ((131) = -4.42, < .001, = -0.92) and significantly reduced further still after texting ((131) = -6.69, < .001, = -1.40). This has direct implications for maternal support and education, suggesting that communicating using audio functions rather than texting has the potential to reduce experiences of mother-infant negative affect after episodes of technoference.
Long-term cardiometabolic effects of early institutionalization and foster care: Evidence from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project.
Mens MMJ, Jopling E, Hare M … +5 more , Drury SS, Nelson CA, Zeanah CH, Fox NA, Slopen N
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42138119 · Full text
Early psychological deprivation is associated with increased risk for cardiometabolic disorders, and rapid catch-up growth following improved care environments may further influence this risk. Using data from the Buchare...
Early psychological deprivation is associated with increased risk for cardiometabolic disorders, and rapid catch-up growth following improved care environments may further influence this risk. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project - a randomized longitudinal study of children institutionalized in infancy assigned to high-quality foster care, continued institutional care, or raised by biological families - we examined cardiometabolic outcomes in early adulthood. Participants were 81 women and 58 men (mean age 22.6 years), predominantly Romanian. We assessed associations between care type and cardiometabolic traits including blood pressure, lipid and glucose metabolism, and metabolic syndrome. Results indicated that adults with histories of institutionalization displayed poorer lipid metabolism compared to non-institutionalized controls. Notably, individuals randomized to foster care showed increased BMI and waist circumference in adulthood relative to those who remained in institutional care. Longitudinal latent class analyses revealed four distinct BMI trajectories from infancy to early adulthood. The accelerated BMI trajectory, predominantly comprising foster care participants, was associated with the greatest prevalence of metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that both lipid dysregulation and persistent increases in BMI represent ongoing concerns for cardiometabolic risk following early psychosocial deprivation. Those exposed to early adverse care may benefit from ongoing cardiometabolic monitoring and lifestyle interventions.
Testing an intergenerational cascade model of adolescent family and individual functioning, young adult Romantic competence, and third-generation child adjustment: Developmental processes and PROSPER intervention effects.
Fosco GM, Van Ryzin MJ, Albright CA … +2 more , Ha SC, Feinberg ME
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42109148 · Full text
This study evaluated whether young adult romantic relationship quality is an intergenerational mechanism linking Generation 1-2 (G1-G2) family climate and G2 social problem-solving skills during adolescence to G2-G3 pare...
This study evaluated whether young adult romantic relationship quality is an intergenerational mechanism linking Generation 1-2 (G1-G2) family climate and G2 social problem-solving skills during adolescence to G2-G3 parenting and family level-functioning and ultimately G3 child maladjustment and social-emotional competence. Our sample included 396 families with a parent (M = 28.29; 94% White) from a longitudinal study starting when they were in 6 grade. Participants completed annual assessments through high school, three assessments in young adulthood, and surveys after becoming parents. Two intergenerational pathways emerged: Positive G1-G2 family climates in adolescence predicted less young adult relationship violence; in turn, violence was associated with lower G2-G3 harsh discipline, abusive parenting, and family conflict. Of these, harsh discipline and abusive parenting were associated with G3 children's adjustment. In addition, G2 social problem-solving skills in adolescence were associated with stronger couple problem-solving skills in young adulthood and with better G2-G3 family routines; in turn, G2-G3 family routines were associated with G3 child social-emotional competence. Finally, moderation effects were observed in which youth who received the PROSPER interventions exhibited associations between adolescent social problem-solving skills and young adult couple problem-solving and G2-G3 parental warmth and (lower) lax discipline.
Neurophysiological sensitivity in early childhood: EEG aperiodic slope moderates the association between maternal anxiety and child internalizing symptoms.
Sacks DD, Valdes V, Levin AR … +2 more , Nelson CA, Bosquet Enlow M
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42099055 · Full text
Maternal internalizing (anxiety and depressive) symptoms are a robust risk factor for the development of internalizing symptoms in offspring, yet the neurobiological mechanisms that influence this association remain rela...
Maternal internalizing (anxiety and depressive) symptoms are a robust risk factor for the development of internalizing symptoms in offspring, yet the neurobiological mechanisms that influence this association remain relatively unexplored. The aperiodic "slope" of the EEG power spectrum (i.e., aperiodic exponent) is hypothesized to index the cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance and may serve as an early neurophysiological marker of mental health risk. In a prospective longitudinal cohort ( = 323 mother-child dyads), we examined associations among maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms in infancy and at age 5 years, child EEG aperiodic slope at age 3 years, and child internalizing symptoms at age 5 years. We investigated whether the aperiodic slope at 3 years (a) mediated associations between maternal internalizing symptoms in infancy and child internalizing symptoms at age 5 years and/or (b) moderated associations between maternal internalizing symptoms and child internalizing symptoms at age 5 years. There were no significant mediation effects. The aperiodic slope moderated the association between maternal anxiety symptoms and child internalizing symptoms: A steeper slope was associated with a stronger association between maternal and child symptoms. Findings suggest that the EEG aperiodic slope may represent a moderator of intergenerational risk for internalizing symptoms in early childhood.
Association between infant and toddler gut microbiota composition and later executive functioning.
Huovinen V, Aatsinki AK, Eskola E … +13 more , Benedetti G, Isokääntä H, Nordenswan E, Munukka E, Lamichhane S, Yada A, O'Mahony SM, Dickens A, Lahti L, Karlsson H, Korja R, Nolvi S, Karlsson L
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42099049 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Studies indicate that alterations in gut microbiota composition (GMC) during the first 1,000 days of life are associated with neurodevelopment and further behavioral development. However, research on the asso...
BACKGROUND: Studies indicate that alterations in gut microbiota composition (GMC) during the first 1,000 days of life are associated with neurodevelopment and further behavioral development. However, research on the associations between GMC and executive functions (EFs) in childhood is scarce. This study aims to improve the understanding of the biological processes underlying behavioral development by exploring the associations between GMC and EFs early in life. METHODS: Study population ( = 373) is part of the longitudinal FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. GMC was analyzed using infant and toddler stool sample 16S rRNA sequencing and targeted and untargeted metabolomic assays. EF was assessed using the Spin the Pots and Snack Delay tasks at 2.5 years and the Spin the Pots task, Delay of Gratification task, EF Touch battery and BRIEF-2 questionnaire at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Alpha diversity in infancy was negatively associated with preschool EF. Additionally, EFs differed between microbial groups based on dominant genera. Bacterial genera abundances were related to some EFs, but no associations were found between microbial metabolites and EF. This study is among the first to investigate associations between GMC and EF in childhood, a crucial developmental stage characterized by significant changes in both the brain and microbiota.
Parental differential treatment and symptoms of child psychopathology: A twin study.
Maravilla JP, Lyding C, Clifford S … +2 more , Goldsmith HH, Lemery-Chalfant K
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42083755 · Full text
Parental differential treatment is associated with higher levels of psychopathology symptoms in children. Both higher overall levels of differential treatment (absolute/magnitude of differential treatment) and consistent...
Parental differential treatment is associated with higher levels of psychopathology symptoms in children. Both higher overall levels of differential treatment (absolute/magnitude of differential treatment) and consistently favoring one child over another (relative differential treatment) are associated with risk in children. This study enhances understanding of parental differential treatment using a genetically informed twin design that clarifies child- and parent-driven effects. Participants included 632 twin pairs (age = 7.6 years, SD = 0.94; 96% White, 44% Rural) and parents. Parental differential treatment was assessed using an observed card game interaction and reports from mothers, fathers, and children. Twin modeling indicated heritable influences on parental hostility ( = .34 for females, .06 for males) and intrusiveness ( = .51 across the sample), suggesting that children's heritable traits elicit parenting. Observed intrusiveness differences predicted ADHD. Absolute and relative differences in maternal discipline predicted externalizing, internalizing, and ADHD symptoms, with a similar but less strong pattern for paternal discipline. However, absolute differences in paternal affection and paternal partiality proved especially important for children's psychopathology. Findings show children's behavior can elicit maladaptive differences in parenting, informing interventions.
Parenting practices and child irritability across diverse racial-ethnic backgrounds: A temporal network analysis.
Lim YV, Bellaert N, Ahsan N … +2 more , Michalska K, Tseng WL
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 May · PMID 42083748 · Full text
Irritability is a core symptom and diagnostic criterion in several childhood psychiatric disorders. Research has documented bidirectional associations between child irritability and parenting practices; however, cultural...
Irritability is a core symptom and diagnostic criterion in several childhood psychiatric disorders. Research has documented bidirectional associations between child irritability and parenting practices; however, cultural variations in these associations remain underexplored.Using three-wave longitudinal data ( = 2,408) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) in the United States, this study examined associations between child irritability, parenting behaviors (psychological aggression, physical assault, neglect, and non-violent discipline) and parenting stress across three racial-ethnic groups: non-Latine Black ( = 1,167; 605 males), non-Latine White ( = 614; 314 males), and Latine ( = 627; 316 males) using cross-sectional and temporal network analyses.Parenting behaviors and stress were associated with child irritability concurrently and longitudinally across groups. Results showed bidirectional effects between parenting behaviors/stress and child irritability across ages 3, 5, and 9, with more similarities than differences between groups. Physical assault and lower use of non-violent discipline predicted higher future child irritability (partial correlations = 0.03-0.18 for physical assault and 0.04-0.07 for non-violent discipline) across racial-ethnic groups.These findings suggest parenting interventions may be scalable across cultural contexts to promote positive child outcomes and well-being, though future work should elucidate culturally specific factors that inform tailored practices.
Disaggregation of between- and within-subject effects of internalizing symptoms on P300 amplitude during adolescence.
Santopetro NJ, Brush CJ, Kallen A … +2 more , Amir N, Hajcak G
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Apr · PMID 42047330 · Full text
Deviations in P300 activity have been implicated in depression and anxiety; however, much of this research has been conducted in adult samples and has primarily examined the association between P300 amplitude and interna...
Deviations in P300 activity have been implicated in depression and anxiety; however, much of this research has been conducted in adult samples and has primarily examined the association between P300 amplitude and internalizing symptoms . We sought to simultaneously examine the between- and within-subject associations between depression and anxiety symptoms with P300. Self-report and neural data from a flanker task were collected at three timepoints over the course of two years in a large sample of adolescents ( = 490). P300 was robustly related to elevated between-subject depression. Conversely, elevations in within-subject anxiety were associated with P300. Results implicate the P300 as a reliable correlate of between-subjects level depression-related deficits in cognitive functions that is not susceptible to within-subject changes. Additionally, P300 also serves as a correlate of within-subject elevations in youth anxiety symptoms likely reflecting greater hyperarousal at the time of assessment.
Emotion regulation in young children of mothers with borderline personality disorder: A transgenerational perspective.
Bunz M, Derhardt R, Seehagen S … +4 more , Heinrichs N, Kumsta R, Renneberg B, Schneider S
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Apr · PMID 42037067 · Publisher ↗
Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in early childhood are considered potential predictors of later psychopathology, particularly in children of mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This multicenter study...
Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in early childhood are considered potential predictors of later psychopathology, particularly in children of mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This multicenter study examined ER in German-speaking children of mothers with BPD (C-BPD), children of mothers with anxiety/ depressive disorders, and children of mentally healthy mothers ( = 318; = 39.41 months, SD = 22.16; range: 6-84 months, 53.5% female). We hypothesized that C-BPD would display more unfavorable (maladaptive) ER strategies than the other groups. ER was assessed via behavioral observations, analyzing latency, frequency, duration, and variability. Contrary to expectations, children across all groups primarily used adaptive ER strategies. No significant associations emerged between maternal psychopathology and children's ER (MANCOVAs for adaptive ER strategies by maternal diagnostic group: duration, > .999, = .008; latency, > .999, = .009; frequency, > .999, = .006, variability, = .668, = .003). Exploratory analyses revealed age-specific and developmentally typical differences in ER strategy use. These findings contribute to the literature on ER in C-BPD and highlight the need for longitudinal studies to clarify how and when early ER patterns may influence later psychopathological outcomes.
Depressive symptoms amplify the impact of feeling supported or ignored online by friends on adolescents' well- and Ill-being.
Janssen L, van der Wal A, Beyens I
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Apr · PMID 42036793 · Publisher ↗
Adolescents' communication with friends increasingly occurs online and research has primarily focused on the quantity rather than the quality of interactions, such as feeling supported or ignored. Since feeling supported...
Adolescents' communication with friends increasingly occurs online and research has primarily focused on the quantity rather than the quality of interactions, such as feeling supported or ignored. Since feeling supported or ignored by friends affects adolescents' well- and ill-being, it is essential to understand how these dynamics unfold in online contexts, particularly for adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms, who may be especially sensitive to these experiences. In this preregistered 100-day diary study, 479 adolescents ( = 15.98, 54.9% girls; 96.9% Dutch) reported daily on time spent communicating online with friends, their experiences of feeling supported and ignored by friends, and their well- and ill-being. Results showed that time spent communicating online with friends did not relate to adolescents' well- and ill-being. Feeling supported by friends online resulted in higher well-being and lower ill-being, while feeling ignored by friends online was related to lower well-being and higher ill-being. Adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms experienced intensified effects, both positive and negative, suggesting more vulnerability to everyday online social experiences but also increased benefit from online support. Altogether, this underscores the importance for parents and clinicians to foster open conversations to help adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms navigate their digital social world.
Testosterone, cortisol, and bullying perpetration in adolescents: The moderating role of peer victimization.
Calvete E, Orue I, Cortazar-Enciondo N … +2 more , Larrucea M, Little TD
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Apr · PMID 42036790 · Publisher ↗
Research on the joint role of testosterone and cortisol in aggression has produced inconsistent results, with limited attention to adolescence, a stage characterized by considerable hormonal changes, and to the distincti...
Research on the joint role of testosterone and cortisol in aggression has produced inconsistent results, with limited attention to adolescence, a stage characterized by considerable hormonal changes, and to the distinction between within-and between-person effects. This study examined whether peer victimization moderates testosterone-cortisol associations with bullying perpetration in adolescents. Assessed at three 3-month intervals, participants (471 adolescents, = 14.97, = 0.70; 47.1% female) reported bullying perpetration and victimization and provided saliva samples for the analysis of hormones. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models revealed a three-way interaction (testosterone × cortisol × victimization). Increases in testosterone predicted changes in bullying perpetration when cortisol decreased. These effects were moderated by victimization. When victimization was below average, testosterone increases predicted more bullying perpetration; when it was above average, testosterone increases predicted less perpetration. These findings highlight that peer victimization shapes how testosterone-cortisol interactions influence adolescent aggression, underscoring the interplay of biological and contextual factors in adolescent adaptation.
Preschool home visits promote adolescent adjustment: Follow-up of a randomized-controlled trial.
Bierman KL, Welsh JA, Heinrichs BS … +1 more , Jones DE
Dev Psychopathol · 2026 Apr · PMID 42026879 · Publisher ↗
Research suggests that well-developed parent engagement programs can boost early learning and reduce socioeconomic disparities in subsequent school adjustment. Yet few follow-up studies exist. To address this gap, we fol...
Research suggests that well-developed parent engagement programs can boost early learning and reduce socioeconomic disparities in subsequent school adjustment. Yet few follow-up studies exist. To address this gap, we followed participants in the Research-based, Developmentally Informed-Parent [REDI-P] intervention study for 8 years to evaluate adolescent outcomes. Participants included 200 4-year-old children (55% White, 26% Black, 19% Latinx; 56% male, 44% female; at study entry = 4.45 years) attending Head Start. Families were randomly assigned to REDI-P home learning materials and coaching or an attention control group. Multi-method measures tracked child literacy skills, learning behaviors, social competence, and conduct problems through grade 7. GLM analyses revealed significant preschool intervention effects on grade 7 working memory, = 0.35, 95% CI 0.08, 0.62, = .01; perceived social competence, = 0.30, 95% CI 0.02, .58, = .04; deviant peer affiliation, = -0.33, 95% CI -0.60, -0.06, = .02; and teacher-rated conduct problems, = -0.30, 95% CI -0.58, -0.01, = .04. Serial path models identified developmental progressions linking initial intervention effects to adolescent outcomes. Results highlight the long-term value of empowering parents to support the early social-emotional and pre-academic learning of their preschool children.
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