Browsing by Author "Järvinen, Aurora"

The aim of the study. Internalizing symptoms are mental health problems of which the most common forms are depression and anxiety. Internalizing symptoms emerging in childhood are associated with a risk of cumulating negative consequences and a tendency to become chronic. To narrow the risk of developing internalizing symptoms, it is crucial to understand their early risk factors. The association between temperament and internalizing symptoms has been demonstrated in earlier studies. However, longitudinal studies have typically examined these associations within relatively short time frames. Studies on the role of early temperament as a potential predictor of internalizing symptoms occurring later in school-age are scarce and insufficient. Also, due to a lack of research data, it is still unclear how temperamental change and stability of traits during childhood years explain the risk of school-age internalizing problems. This study examines the role of infant temperament in the etiology of school-age internalizing symptoms. The study also explores how the changes and the stability of temperament traits from infancy to school-age are associated with the risk of school-age internalizing symptoms. In this study, the definition of temperament is based on Rothbart’s temperament theory. Methods. The data of this study is a part of a larger follow-up study PREDO (The Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction). The sample consists of 919 children. In this study, data from the 6-month infancy assessment point and follow-up at the age of 7 to 11 years were used. Mothers and partly fathers (n = 581) assessed the child’s temperament with the Revised Infant Behavior Questionnaire at the age of 6 months. At the age of 7 to 11 years, mothers assessed the child’s temperament with the Temperament of Middle Childhood Questionnaire and internalizing symptoms with the Childhood Behavior Checklist and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations between temperament traits and internalizing symptoms were examined with linear regression analyses. In terms of studying the stability and change of temperament traits, residualization and interaction analyses of traits were used. Results and conclusions. Negative emotionality appeared as a significant risk factor for internalizing symptoms; high levels of negative emotionality in infancy can be seen as an early risk factor for subsequent symptoms. Also, weak regulation capacity in infancy increases the risk of school-age internalizing symptoms. In this study, the stability of temperament traits was low and the role of temperamental change from infancy to school-age was highlighted. According to this study, changes in temperament traits explain the risk of internalizing problems more than the stability of the traits. An increase in negative emotionality and a decrease in effortful control during childhood years are associated with elevated risks of internalizing symptoms. The association between extraversion and internalizing symptoms was modest, but low levels of extraversion through childhood years slightly increase the possibility of symptoms. The results of this study create a possibility to recognize early risk factors, intervene at an early stage, and prevent the development of internalizing problems.