The dlPFC mediates the association between psychological control and externalizing behavior in youth
Poster No:
1319
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Jalmar Teeuw1, Sahasra Vijayanand2, Hilleke Hulshoff Pol2
Institutions:
1Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Sahasra Vijayanand
Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
Hilleke Hulshoff Pol
Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
Introduction:
Harsh and abusive parenting can have detrimental effects on a child's wellbeing and mental health (Mehta et al., 2023), and can have long-lasting effects on brain development (Teicher et al., 2016). The reciprocal relationship between parenting and externalizing behavior in children is well-established (Pinquart, 2017). Brain structures have been implicated in externalizing behaviors (Teeuw et al., 2022). Recent reports indicate that normal variations of parenting can also impact brain development (Cortes Hidalgo, et al., 2022). This raises the question if brain structures mediate the relationship between parenting and externalizing behavior.
Methods:
We analyzed data from the longitudinal YOUth Child & Adolescent cohort at 'Around 9 years' (N=1,303) and 'Around 12 years' (N=385) (Onland-Moret et al., 2020). Externalizing behavior was assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist. Dimensions of parenting behavior were extracted from the Child's Report of Parent Behavior Inventory and the Parental Control questionnaire. Gray matter volumes were extracted from MRI scans using FreeSurfer (Fischl, 2012) (Figure 1). Partial correlation analysis was used to confirm associations of brain structures with parenting and externalizing behaviors, controlling for sex and age. The mediating role of brain structures on the relationship between parenting and externalizing behavior was investigated with the PROCESS Macro (Hayes, 2017). In a post-hoc analysis, results were controlled for the household environment.
·Figure 1. Overview of brain regions used in the analysis.
Results:
The factor analysis of the parenting questionnaires revealed two dimensions: (1) psychological control (accounting for 19% of the total variance) and (2) parental strictness (12% of total variance). Higher psychological control (ρ_9y=+0.16, p=2.03E–06; ρ_12y=+0.34, p=6.20E–05) and less strict parenting (ρ_9y=–0.08, p=1.28E–02) was associated with higher levels of externalizing behavior (Figure 2A). In addition, higher psychological control at 9 years was predictive of externalizing behavior at 12 years (ρ_9y->12y=+0.21, p=4.28E–04). These effects remained significant after controlling for the household environment (p<0.034).
Higher psychological control at age 9 years was associated with lower gray matter volume of the AMY, dlPFC, OFC, and TBV (range ρ_9y=[–0.11,–0.08], p_min=1.84E–03; Figure 2B). Higher levels of externalizing behavior was also negatively associated with lower gray matter volume of AMY, dmPFC, dlPFC, and TBV at age 9 years (range ρ_9y=[–0.10,–0.07], p_min=3.17E–03), and for vmPFC (ρ_12y=–0.31, p=7.37E–03) and ACC (ρ_12y=–0.27, p=2.50E–02) at age 12 years. Moreover, except for the AMY and the vmPFC, lower gray matter volume of brain structures at age 9 years was predictive of externalizing behavior at 12 years (range ρ_9y->12y=[–0.17,–0.11], p_min=1.89E–03), but not reversed. Only the associations for the AMY, dlPFC, and OFC at age 9 years remained significantly associated with psychological control and externalizing behavior at ages 9 and 12 years after controlling for the household environment.
Based on these findings, the dlPFC, OFC and TBV were selected as prime candidates for the main mediation analysis. There was significant mediation of the association between psychological control of parents at age 9 years and externalizing behavior of children at age 12 years by the dlPFC (indirect effect: +0.035, 95%CI [+0.007; +0.072]; 14.7% of total effect), but was not significant for OFC (indirect effect: +0.013, 95%CI [–0.006; +0.037], 6.1% of total effect) or TBV (indirect effect: +0.007, 95%CI [–0.006; +0.028], 3.0% of total effect) (Figure 2C).
Higher psychological control at age 9 years was associated with lower gray matter volume of the AMY, dlPFC, OFC, and TBV (range ρ_9y=[–0.11,–0.08], p_min=1.84E–03; Figure 2B). Higher levels of externalizing behavior was also negatively associated with lower gray matter volume of AMY, dmPFC, dlPFC, and TBV at age 9 years (range ρ_9y=[–0.10,–0.07], p_min=3.17E–03), and for vmPFC (ρ_12y=–0.31, p=7.37E–03) and ACC (ρ_12y=–0.27, p=2.50E–02) at age 12 years. Moreover, except for the AMY and the vmPFC, lower gray matter volume of brain structures at age 9 years was predictive of externalizing behavior at 12 years (range ρ_9y->12y=[–0.17,–0.11], p_min=1.89E–03), but not reversed. Only the associations for the AMY, dlPFC, and OFC at age 9 years remained significantly associated with psychological control and externalizing behavior at ages 9 and 12 years after controlling for the household environment.
Based on these findings, the dlPFC, OFC and TBV were selected as prime candidates for the main mediation analysis. There was significant mediation of the association between psychological control of parents at age 9 years and externalizing behavior of children at age 12 years by the dlPFC (indirect effect: +0.035, 95%CI [+0.007; +0.072]; 14.7% of total effect), but was not significant for OFC (indirect effect: +0.013, 95%CI [–0.006; +0.037], 6.1% of total effect) or TBV (indirect effect: +0.007, 95%CI [–0.006; +0.028], 3.0% of total effect) (Figure 2C).
Conclusions:
Psychological control of parents and externalizing behavior of children are associated with gray matter volumes, and the relationship between the two is mediated by the dlPFC. These findings suggest that normal variation in parenting can influence brain development of children with implications for their behavior, such as externalizing behavior, in adolescence.
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Social Neuroscience Other 2
Lifespan Development:
Normal Brain Development: Fetus to Adolescence 1
Keywords:
Other - longitudinal brain imaging; childhood and adolescent development; externalizing behavior; gray matter volumes; parenting behavior; mediation analysis; household environment
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
·Figure 2. Associations of gray matter volume of brain structures with psychological control and strictness of parents and externalizing behavior of children.
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