Abstract
Adolescent family adversity is a considerable adaptive challenge in an increasingly turbulent developmental period. Using
data from a prospective population cohort of 2230 Dutch adolescents, we tested risk-buffering interactions between adolescent
family adversity and self-regulation capacities on mental health. We used two adaptive self-regulation capacities that could
allow adolescents to manage relatively well with family adversity: (1) parent-reported effortful control, and (2) an attentional
flexibility (in this case, set-shifting) task. Adolescent family adversity was associated with internalizing problems and
externalizing problems. The risk-buffering effects of effortful control were found for externalizing problems but not for
internalizing problems. There were no risk-buffering effects of attentional flexibility on both types of mental health problems.
Effortful control is likely to benefit adolescents’ ability to channel their frustrations in adaptive ways in the presence
of family adversity. Additionally, (attentional) set-shifting tasks might have a limited predictive value for risk-buffering
research.
data from a prospective population cohort of 2230 Dutch adolescents, we tested risk-buffering interactions between adolescent
family adversity and self-regulation capacities on mental health. We used two adaptive self-regulation capacities that could
allow adolescents to manage relatively well with family adversity: (1) parent-reported effortful control, and (2) an attentional
flexibility (in this case, set-shifting) task. Adolescent family adversity was associated with internalizing problems and
externalizing problems. The risk-buffering effects of effortful control were found for externalizing problems but not for
internalizing problems. There were no risk-buffering effects of attentional flexibility on both types of mental health problems.
Effortful control is likely to benefit adolescents’ ability to channel their frustrations in adaptive ways in the presence
of family adversity. Additionally, (attentional) set-shifting tasks might have a limited predictive value for risk-buffering
research.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-010-9470-6
- Authors
- Martin Paul Bakker, Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology & Groningen Graduate School Medical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, CC72, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
- Johan Ormel, Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology & Groningen Graduate School Medical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, CC72, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
- Frank C. Verhulst, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center—Sophia Children’s Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Albertine J. Oldehinkel, Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology & Groningen Graduate School Medical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, CC72, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627