Executive function and psychophysiological profiles of dysregulated children

Merelise R. Ametti, The University of Vermont

Abstract

Background: Approximately 7% of clinically referred youth exhibit profound impairment in the ability to regulate their affect, behavior, and cognition. This phenotype – often referred to as the dysregulation profile (DP) –has been associated with a multitude of negative outcomes. Symptom overlap between DP and other disruptive behavior or mood disorders has generated debate regarding whether DP constitutes a distinct behavioral syndrome or is simply a combination of multiple disorders. The current study aims to explore the behavioral and physiological relations between DP and the RDoC constructs of cognitive control and frustrative non-reward.

Method: Participants were 294 children ages 7-17 (M=10.94; 67% male). Emotional and behavioral symptoms were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Cognitive control was assessed with the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) and Stop Signal Task (SST). Frustrative non-reward was measured using a frustration-induction Go/No-Go paradigm during which heart rate variability was indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP).

Results: Latent class analysis was used to identify three symptom classes: dysregulated (41.33%), predominantly externalizing (30.51%), and low-symptoms (28.16%). Children in the DP class showed the poorest cognitive control, especially during complex and inhibitory control tasks. Additionally, while children in the DP class reported comparable levels of subjective frustration on the Go/No-Go task, they performed worse when frustrated and demonstrated more autonomic rigidity.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that impaired executive function and autonomic rigidity may be mechanisms related uniquely to DP and separable from externalizing behavior.

 

Executive function and psychophysiological profiles of dysregulated children

Background: Approximately 7% of clinically referred youth exhibit profound impairment in the ability to regulate their affect, behavior, and cognition. This phenotype – often referred to as the dysregulation profile (DP) –has been associated with a multitude of negative outcomes. Symptom overlap between DP and other disruptive behavior or mood disorders has generated debate regarding whether DP constitutes a distinct behavioral syndrome or is simply a combination of multiple disorders. The current study aims to explore the behavioral and physiological relations between DP and the RDoC constructs of cognitive control and frustrative non-reward.

Method: Participants were 294 children ages 7-17 (M=10.94; 67% male). Emotional and behavioral symptoms were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Cognitive control was assessed with the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) and Stop Signal Task (SST). Frustrative non-reward was measured using a frustration-induction Go/No-Go paradigm during which heart rate variability was indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP).

Results: Latent class analysis was used to identify three symptom classes: dysregulated (41.33%), predominantly externalizing (30.51%), and low-symptoms (28.16%). Children in the DP class showed the poorest cognitive control, especially during complex and inhibitory control tasks. Additionally, while children in the DP class reported comparable levels of subjective frustration on the Go/No-Go task, they performed worse when frustrated and demonstrated more autonomic rigidity.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that impaired executive function and autonomic rigidity may be mechanisms related uniquely to DP and separable from externalizing behavior.