Sacrey Lori-Ann R, Zwaigenbaum Lonnie, Bryson Susan E, Brian Jessica A, Smith Isabel M, Garon Nancy, Vaillancourt Tracy, Roncadin Caroline
Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Autism Research Centre, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 18;13:816041. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.816041. eCollection 2022.
Differences in temperament have been linked to later mental health. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an increased likelihood of experiencing such problems, including anxiety, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder; yet, relations between early temperament and later mental health are not well understood. In this paper, we assess the relationship between temperament in infancy and internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 5, in 178 children at an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with ASD (i.e., younger siblings of children with ASD). Temperament was assessed using the parent-reported Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) at 6 and 12 months of age and the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire-Revised (TBAQ-R) at 24 months of age. Mental health problems were assessed using the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at age 5. The data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regressions, with individual temperament subscale scores as single predictor variables (Subscale Score) or temperament profiles using confirmatory factor analyses (Person-Centered Profile) in the first block, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule total severity scores at age 3 in the second block, and expressive and receptive language scores (from Mullen Scales of Early Learning) at age 3 in the third block for each model. Three main findings were: (1) 4 of 6 IBQ subscales at both 6 and 12 months significantly predicted internalizing and externalizing problems at age 5; (2) 9 and 8 of 13 TBAQ-R subscales at 24 months significantly predicted internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively, at age 5; and (3) a "sticky attention" temperament profile significantly predicted internalizing problems, whereas a "low-focused" profile significantly predicted externalizing problems, both at age 5. The results of this study support the supposition that temperament is a trans-diagnostic risk factor for later mental health conditions. Exploring temperament profiles and trajectories may illuminate early avenues for prevention in siblings of children with ASD who are at an increased likelihood of experiencing mental health problems, regardless of ASD diagnostic status.
气质差异与后期心理健康有关。患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童出现此类问题的可能性增加，包括焦虑、抑郁、注意力缺陷多动障碍和对立违抗障碍；然而，早期气质与后期心理健康之间的关系尚未得到充分理解。在本文中，我们评估了178名被诊断为ASD可能性增加的儿童（即ASD儿童的弟弟妹妹）在婴儿期的气质与5岁时内化和外化行为之间的关系。气质通过父母报告的婴儿行为问卷（IBQ）在6个月和12个月时进行评估，并通过幼儿行为评估问卷修订版（TBAQ-R）在24个月时进行评估。心理健康问题通过父母报告的儿童行为清单（CBCL）在5岁时进行评估。数据使用分层多元回归进行分析，在每个模型的第一个模块中，将个体气质子量表分数作为单一预测变量（子量表分数）或使用验证性因素分析的气质概况（以人为主的概况），在第二个模块中是3岁时的自闭症诊断观察量表总严重程度分数，在第三个模块中是3岁时的表达性和接受性语言分数（来自早期学习穆伦量表）。三个主要发现是：（1）6个月和12个月时IBQ的6个子量表中的4个显著预测了5岁时的内化和外化问题；（2）24个月时TBAQ-R的13个子量表中的9个和8个分别显著预测了5岁时的内化和外化问题；（3）一种“粘性注意力”气质概况显著预测了内化问题，而一种“低注意力集中”概况显著预测了5岁时的外化问题。本研究结果支持这样一种假设，即气质是后期心理健康状况的跨诊断风险因素。探索气质概况和轨迹可能会为ASD儿童的兄弟姐妹提供早期预防途径，这些儿童出现心理健康问题的可能性增加，无论其ASD诊断状态如何。
