Individual, Parental, and Family Risk and Protective Factors for Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Developmental Examination From Infancy Through the Preschool Years

Previous research and theory have highlighted infancy as a critical period in children’s development during which various individual, parental, and family factors may set the stage for lasting emotional and behavioral difficulties. Two risk factors commonly identified are interparental conflict and parental mental illness, which have demonstrated immediate impacts on infants (Du Rocher Schudlich et al, 2011; Tronick, 2009). However, little research has examined the potential lasting effects of these stressors over time on children. Furthermore, distinctions between different forms of conflict and their differential impact on children at this age have been little studied.  Individual differences in infants’ emotional security and emotion regulation strategies are also understudied as potential risk or protective factors regarding their later adjustment. Following prevention science prescriptions, we seek to identify individual, parental, and familial risk and protective factors in the infancy years that may be associated with preschoolers’ emotional and behavioral adjustment.

74 families participated: first when infants were 6-14 months old and again between ages 3-4. Behavioral observations were made at T1 of parents engaging in a conflict resolution task during which their infant was present. Conflict was coded for specific negative and constructive conflict behaviors, emotions, and resolution, which were then collapsed into three categories: constructive, destructive and depressive conflict. Infant reactions to live marital conflict represented their emotional security and were coded using adaptations of procedures from research on infants’ responses to angry social situations (Cummings et al., 1984). Parents reported their T1 depression on the CES-D (Radloff, 1977), anxiety symptoms on the BAI (Beck et al., 1988), and infant temperament on the IBQ (Rothbart, 1981). At T2 parents and their preschooler were observed in a frustration task from which preschoolers’ emotion regulation strategies were coded. Parents reported on children’s emotional and behavioral problems via the SDQ (Goodman, 1997).

Multilevel modeling analyses identified several significant risk and protective factors from infancy associated with preschooler adjustment. Risk factors from infancy included depressive conflict by fathers and mothers, parental depression symptoms, maternal anxiety symptoms, and infant emotional insecurity. Preschoolers’ negative emotion regulation strategies also increased risk. On the other hand, paternal constructive conflict, maternal conflict resolution, less infant attending to conflict, and positive emotion regulation strategies during preschool all served as protective factors. Prevention implications for children and families will be highlighted.