Early predictors of the childhood dysregulation profile from ages 5 to 8

Background: Childhood dysregulation profile (DP) is characterised by difficulties in regulating emotions, behaviour and cognitions, and is associated with adverse long-term outcomes. However, its early-life predictors remain less well understood. Aim: This thesis aimed to investigate child- and family-related predictors of childhood DP symptoms. Methods: Participants were N=3,467 children from the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Parents reported on child-related factors during the first year (i.e., regulatory problems) and age 3 (i.e., negative affect, impatience, impulsivity, regularity, screen media exposure). Family-related factors included prenatal variables (i.e., smoking, alcohol use during pregnancy) and postnatal family characteristics (i.e., maternal and paternal psychological distress, stimulating home environment). Parents also reported on childhood DP symptoms at ages 5 and 8. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the contribution of child- and family-related predictors to borderline and clinical DP symptoms at ages 5 and 8, as well as the persistence of these symptoms over time. Results: Negative affect at age 3 was consistently associated with an increased likelihood of borderline and persistent dysregulation profile symptoms at ages 5 and 8, as well as with symptom persistence across time. Additional child-related predictors included impulsivity, impatience and irregularity. In contrast, family-related factors were not consistent predictors of dysregulation profile symptoms. Conclusion: These findings highlight the important role of early child temperament, particularly negative affect, in the development and persistence of dysregulation symptoms across early childhood. Identifying temperament-based risk factors early in life may help guide targeted prevention efforts that strengthen children’s self-regulation skills before difficulties with dysregulation become more persistent and harder to change.