Developmental Trajectories of Internalizing Symptoms during Early Childhood: Associations with Child Physiology and Maternal Internalizing Symptoms
Open Access
- Author:
- Zhou, Anna
- Graduate Program:
- Psychology
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- June 28, 2019
- Committee Members:
- Kristin Ann Buss, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Pamela Marie Cole, Committee Member
Erika Sell Lunkenheimer, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Children
Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia
Internalizing Symptoms
Development - Abstract:
- Research has shown that children have varying trajectories of internalizing symptom development during early childhood (Sterba, Prinstein, & Cox., 2007). However, the associations between maternal internalizing symptoms, child physiology and trajectories of child internalizing symptoms are not well understood. Growth curve models were used to examine how maternal internalizing symptoms, child physiology and the interaction between maternal internalizing symptoms and child physiology may be associated with trajectories of internalizing symptoms during early childhood. 170 children (50% female) and their parents participated in the present study. Mothers reported their children’s internalizing symptoms when children were 3, 4, 5 and 6 years of age, and mothers self-reported their own internalizing symptoms when children were 3. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) was collected when children were 3.5 years. Results showed that there is a non-linear, quadratic trajectory across all participants across time such that there are increasing internalizing symptoms from ages 3 to 5, but symptoms remain stable from 5 to 6. Maternal internalizing symptoms were not associated with children’s internalizing symptoms at age 6, but were associated with greater increases and subsequent decreases in children’s internalizing symptoms over time. Lower baseline RSA was associated with higher internalizing symptoms at age 6, as well as greater increases in children’s internalizing symptoms over time. RSA reactivity was not associated with children’s trajectories of internalizing symptom development. Interactions between maternal internalizing symptoms and RSA were not associated with children’s internalizing symptom development. The findings suggest that maternal internalizing symptoms and child physiology are independently associated with internalizing symptom development during early childhood.