There is strong evidence for a general psychopathology dimension which captures covariance among all forms of psychopathology, yet its nature and underlying association with personality remain unclear. This study examined the co-development of general psychopathology and four high-risk personality traits: anxiety sensitivity, negative thinking, sensation seeking, and impulsivity. Data from two large Australian school-based randomised controlled trials of substance use prevention programs were analysed (N = 2,083, mean age at baseline = 13.49 years). Adolescents completed self-report measures of psychopathology symptoms and personality at baseline, one-, two-, and three-years post-baseline. Latent curve models with structured residuals, were used to examine the co-development of general psychopathology (extracted from a higher-order model) and personality traits from 13 to 16 years of age, controlling for age, sex, and cohort. Higher than usual levels of anxiety sensitivity and impulsivity were associated with higher than usual levels of general psychopathology at subsequent time points, and higher than usual levels of general psychopathology were associated with higher than usual levels of negative thinking at later time points. Sensation seeking was unrelated to general psychopathology. These findings enhance our understanding of the meaning and validity of general psychopathology, highlighting potential personality-based prevention and intervention targets.

Although new mothers are at risk of heightened vulnerability for depressive symptoms, there is limited understanding regarding changes in maternal depressive symptoms over the course of the postpartum and early childhood of their child’s life among rural, low-income mothers from diverse racial backgrounds. This study examined distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms among rural low-income mothers during the first five years of their child’s life, at 6, 15, 24, and 58 months, using data from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). Latent class growth analysis identified four distinct trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms, including Low-decreasing (50%; n = 622), Low-increasing (26%; n = 324), Moderate-decreasing (13%; n = 156), and Moderate-increasing (11%; n = 131) trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression demonstrated that higher perceived financial strain and intimate partner violence, and lower social support predicted higher-risk trajectories (Low-increasing, Moderate-decreasing, and Moderate-increasing) relative to the Low-decreasing trajectory. Compared to the Low-decreasing trajectory, lower neighborhood safety/quietness predicted to the Low-increasing trajectory. Moreover, lower social support predicted the Moderate-increasing trajectory, the highest-risk trajectory, compared to those in Moderate-decreasing. The current analyses underscore the heterogeneity on patterns of depressive symptoms among rural, low-income mothers, and that the role of both proximal and broader contexts contributing to distinct trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms over early childhood.

Imaging genetics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates neuroimaging and genetic data to improve behavioral prediction and investigate the genetic bases of brain structure and function. It aims to identify associations between genetic markers and brain imaging phenotypes, with a behavioral or clinical trait as the outcome of interest. Since its emergence nearly 30 years ago, the field has advanced substantially, fueled by rapid developments in molecular-genetic and neuroimaging techniques. These advances have opened new avenues for exploring individual differences in cognitive and socio-emotional development and their links to neurodevelopmental disorders. This systematic review examined studies published between 2020 and 2024, focusing on developmental psychopathology. We screened 769 articles from PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO and selected 42 publications that met specific inclusion criteria for review. The studies were categorized into three groups based on the developmental ages in which conditions typically develop: birth/early childhood, late childhood or early adolescence, and late adolescence. Although the field has seen considerable progress, multiple challenges in data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation remain. Larger sample sizes and novel analytical techniques are crucial for the continued advancement of imaging genetics, with animal studies offering potential complementary insights.

We present a theory of atypical development based on a developmental theory of the typical mind integrating developmental, cognitive, and psychometric theory and research. The paper comprises three parts. First, it outlines the theory of typical development. The theory postulates central cognitive mechanisms, such as relational integration, executive and inferential processes, and domain-specific processes underlying different environmental relations, such as visuospatial or quantitative relations. Cognitive development advances in cycles satisfying developmental priorities in mastering these systems, such as executive control from 2–6 years, inferential control from 7–11 years, and truth control from 12–18 years. Second, we discuss atypical development, showing how each neurodevelopmental disorder emerges from deficiencies in one or more of the processes comprising the architecture of the mind. Deficiencies in relational integration mechanisms, together with deficiencies in social understanding, yield autism spectrum disorder. Deficiencies in executive processes yield attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Deficiencies in symbolic representation yield specialized learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. Finally, we discuss clinical and educational implications, suggesting the importance of early diagnosis of malfunctioning in each of these dimensions and specific programs for their remediation.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence indicates that the error-related negativity (ERN) increases across adolescence. However, there are no longitudinal studies of ERN development which traverse all of adolescence. In addition, anxiety (e.g., generalized and social anxiety) and depression have been associated with a larger and smaller ERN, respectively, but it is unknown whether childhood psychopathology is associated with adolescent development of the ERN. In the present study, 317 8 to 14-year-old girls completed a flanker task at baseline and approximately 2-year and 5-year follow-ups. Multilevel growth modeling was used to examine ERN trajectory across adolescence and test whether self-reported childhood generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and depression symptoms at baseline predicted ERN trajectory. On average, the ERN demonstrated a linear increase from late childhood to early adulthood. Additionally, participants with high baseline anxiety (generalized anxiety, social anxiety) and low depression symptoms had the steepest ERN trajectory across adolescence. The present study provides longitudinal support for an increase in the ERN spanning adolescence and demonstrates that childhood psychopathology is associated with error-related neural development into early adulthood.

Early childhood trauma has been linked to neurocognitive and emotional processing deficits in older children, yet much less is known about these associations in young children. Early childhood is an important developmental period in which to examine relations between trauma and executive functioning/emotion reactivity, given that these capacities are rapidly developing and are potential transdiagnostic factors implicated in the development of psychopathology. This cross-sectional study examined associations between cumulative trauma, interpersonal trauma, and components of executive functioning, episodic memory, and emotion reactivity, conceptualized using the RDoC framework and assessed with observational and performance-based measures, in a sample of 90 children (ages 4–7) admitted to a partial hospital program. Children who had experienced two or more categories of trauma had lower scores in episodic memory, global cognition, and inhibitory control as measured in a relational (but not computerized) task, when compared to children with less or no trauma. Interpersonal trauma was similarly associated with global cognition and relational inhibitory control. Family contextual factors did not moderate associations. Findings support examining inhibitory control in both relationally significant and decontextualized paradigms in early childhood, and underscore the importance of investigating multiple neurocognitive and emotional processes simultaneously to identify potential targets for early intervention.

There is substantial evidence that personality traits, in particular neuroticism and extraversions predict depressive and anxiety episodes as well as suicidal ideation. However, little research has examined whether these traits predict the first onset of depressive and anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation. Moreover, the few studies to date have not adjusted for pre-existing subthreshold symptoms, assessed dimensionally. In this study, 144 adolescents were assessed at baseline, 9-, and 18-month follow-ups. Neuroticism and extraversion were assessed via self-report, and depressive and anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation were assessed with diagnostic interviews. Adjusting for age, sex, and baseline symptoms, logistic regression analyses showed that neuroticism predicted the first onset of depressive disorders. However, neither neuroticism nor extraversion predicted first onsets of anxiety disorders, extraversion did not predict depressive disorders, and neither trait predicted suicidal ideation onset or severity after adjusting for baseline symptoms. Neuroticism and extraversion may respectively predispose youth to depressive or anxiety disorders but not to suicidal ideation over and above pre-existing symptoms. Results have implications for the early identification of at-risk youth and prevention of depressive and anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation.

There is a lack of longitudinal data on the relationship between upward social comparison on social network sites (SNSs) and depression and its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between upward social comparison on social network sites and depression and analyze the mediating effects of self-concept clarity and self-esteem in this relationship. We employed a two-wave longitudinal design among 1179 Chinese middle school students. The results indicated that : upward social comparison on SNSs predicted middle school students’ depression; Self-concept clarity and self-esteem sequentially mediated the relationship between upward social comparison on SNSs and middle school students’ subsequent depression. These results suggested that three types of interventions could be effectively used to decrease the risk of depression among middle school students.

Anxiety and depression symptoms and disorders are the leading child mental health problems in western societies. This systematic review evaluated how parental emotion socialization (ES) relates to children’s internalizing problems (from birth to age 18 years). Three meta-analyses, evaluating supportive (k = 50, N = 10,698), nonsupportive ES behaviors (k = 47, N = 10,970), and elaboration (k = 6, N = 867) were conducted. Supportive ES behaviors had a very small negative association with children’s internalizing problems (r = −.06), nonsupportive ES behaviors had a medium positive association with internalizing problems (r = .18), and elaboration had a small negative association with internalizing problems (r = −.11). Very few significant moderators emerged, and no differences based on parent gender were found. The results suggest that incorporating an ES framework in intervention and preventive efforts might be beneficial for children at risk of experiencing internalizing problems.

The present study investigated the cross-national measurement invariance of a 10-item Youth Externalizing Problems Screener (YEPS) on a sample of 17,489 adolescents from 32 countries. The original one-factor and two-factor models of YEPS were found to provide a poor fit to the data in most countries. Following the removal of two semantically overlapping items and the inclusion of correlated error terms, adequate model fit was obtained in 31 of 32 countries. Measurement invariance testing of an abbreviated 8-item YEPS (YEPS-SF) supported configural invariance. Partial scalar invariance was achieved only after freely estimating numerous parameters. The alignment analysis revealed that 22% of parameters were non-invariant across countries. South Africa, Hungary, and India showed the largest number of non-invariant parameters, whereas the lowest number was detected in several European countries. These findings highlight the potential of the YEPS-SF for use within individual countries and the challenge of developing cross-culturally comparable measures, suggesting that cultural adaptations may be necessary.