Early emotion regulation developmental trajectories and ADHD, internalizing, and conduct problems symptoms in childhood

Emotion dysregulation is considered a transdiagnostic factor with importance for a range of neurodevelopmental and mental health issues, including ADHD symptoms, internalising problems, and conduct problems. Emotion regulation skills are acquired from early in life and are thought to strengthen gradually over childhood. Children, however, acquire these skills at different rates and slower acquisition may serve as a marker for neurodevelopmental and mental health issues. The current study uses the UK Millennium Cohort Study, a large longitudinal study to evaluate whether developmental trajectories of emotion regulation across ages 3,5, and 7 predict levels of ADHD symptoms, internalising problems, and conduct problems at age 7. Both higher initial levels and slower reductions in emotion dysregulation from age 3, 5, and 7 predicted higher ADHD symptoms, conduct problems, and internalising problems at age 7 in both male and female children. Our findings suggest that monitoring trajectories of emotion regulation over development could help flag at-risk children. Additionally, supporting the acquisition of emotion regulation skills in this critical period could be a promising transdiagnostic preventive intervention.