Objective: We examined behavioral and neural markers of emotion competence in young children as predictors of psychopathology, and as mediators of the relation between hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I) and psychopathology. Method: At Time 1 (T1), children (n = 49; ages 4-7 years) with and without H/I symptoms completed a frustration task. Frustration, observed emotion, and neural activity (P1, N2, and P3 event-related potentials) were measured. Symptoms of psychopathology were collected 18 months later (Time 2; T2). Results: T1 lability, negative affect, and frustration predicted T2 depression and aggression symptomatology, controlling for T1 symptoms. Children with difficulty allocating neural resources during and after frustration were at risk for depression, aggression, and anxiety symptoms, controlling for earlier symptoms. P3 amplitudes during recovery mediated the relation between H/I and later depression. Conclusion: Markers of emotion competence contribute to psychopathology symptoms, particularly in children at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Emotion competence skills may be useful intervention targets.
Keywords: aggression; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; depression; emotion; neuroimaging.