Exploring Effortful Control as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Negative Affect and Child Psychopathology

Abstract

Abstract The present study examined unique and interactive effects of effortful control (self-report vs. task-based) on the relationship between negative affect and dimensions of psychopathology in a group of children from the ABCD Study® aged 9–11 (n = 5,432). Results demonstrate that the reactive temperament factor of negative affect showed strong and positive significant associations with both dimensions of psychopathology, while the regulative factor of effortful control showed a significant negative association with both dimensions of psychopathology via Flanker, and a significant positive association with both dimensions of psychopathology via the EATQ-R. These findings raise the possibility that early assessment of effortful control may aid in the identification of early risk profiles for psychopathology and that interventions aimed at maximizing flexible deployment of effort control could help to reduce children’s risk of developing psychopathological symptoms.