Mood symptoms and emotional responsiveness to threat in school-aged children

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2011;40(2):220-32. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2011.546047.

Abstract

Clinical accounts of depression underscore its relation to negative emotional experiences; yet few empirical studies examine emotional experiences in adults with depression, with even less work on depression and emotion in children. Using a nonclinical sample of school-aged children (n = 89) ages 8 to 12, this study evaluated whether greater mood symptoms were associated with more or less intense emotional reactions (measured via psychophysiology, subjective report, and behavior) in response to a threat paradigm. Results indicated that greater negative mood symptoms were associated with larger startle magnitude responses during threat, increased self-reports of negative emotion, and greater likelihood of crying and stopping the paradigm prematurely.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Child
  • Child Behavior / psychology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Electromyography
  • Emotions / physiology*
  • Fear / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Reflex, Startle
  • Regression Analysis
  • Surveys and Questionnaires