Internalizing symptoms (e.g. anxiety and depression) are among the most common psychological symptoms in childhood and adolescence. They are highly stable and associated with severe impairments for those affected. Current scientific approaches discuss the role of various facets of self-regulation in symptom genesis and consider lower capacities for self-regulation to be associated with higher internalizing symptoms. However, there are still some research gaps: First, previous studies have often been limited to individual dimensions of self-regulation. Secondly, the number of studies carried out for adolescents is significantly lower than those carried out for children. Thirdly, there are no studies that have investigated different dimensions of self-regulation as predictors of differential trajectories of internalizing symptoms. In order to fill these research gaps, this project investigates various facets of self-regulation as potential predictors of adverse trajectories (e.g. rising or steady high) of internalizing symptoms.
The project is based on an already existing longitudinal data set with three measurement points in middle childhood (T1: 6-10, T2: 7-11, T3: 9-13 years). A fourth measurement wave is about to start in July 2022 with more than 1000 participants who are now 16 to 20 years old. Measured variables are basal (e.g. executive functioning, emotional reactivity, heart rate variability) and complex (e.g. emotion regulation, planning behavior) facets of self-regulation, internalizing symptoms as well as established risk factors of internalizing symptoms (e.g. socioeconomic status).
The following questions are examined:
These questions are highly relevant given the increase in internalizing symptoms in the course from middle childhood to adolescence and with regards to their risk of becoming chronic. The results can provide starting points for prevention and intervention to promote a healthy psychosocial development.
The research group FOR 5034 includes 6 subprojects. The data will be collected together as part of the PIER-Youth-study of the University of Potsdam. Group members are Prof. Dr. Petra Warschburger (speaker; University of Potsdam), Prof. Dr. Rebecca Bondü (second speaker; Psychological University Berlin), Prof. Dr. Birgit Elsner (University of Potsdam), Dr. Robert Busching (University of Potsdam) and Prof. Dr. Annette Klein (International Psychoanalytic University Berlin).
Original Language: German