Heterogeneity of Depressive and Anxious Symptoms in Early Childhood: Influence by Self-Regulation and Classroom Climate

• Author / Creator

  Zatto, Brenna R

• Depressive and anxious symptoms can emerge as early as preschool, though heterogeneity in these early symptoms is unclear. Examination of whether variation in the patterns of change in depressive symptoms diverge from those of anxious symptoms can help to better identify concerning symptom experiences. Examination of heterogeneity can also aid in identifying developmental tasks and contextual experiences that differentiate between symptom experiences, including self-regulation and classroom climate. Self-regulation allows for management of emotion, cognition, and behavior, though young children may vary in these abilities. Such variability in self-regulation may differentiate between depressive and anxious symptom experiences. Climate of the preschool classroom, including interactional and organizational quality, may also differentiate between symptom experiences, as preschool is a prominent context for development. To examine heterogeneity in depressive and anxious symptoms, growth mixture modeling was first used. Second, latent profile analysis was used to determine profiles of self-regulation. Third, multinomial logistic regression was used to examine whether the self-regulation profiles and classroom climate domains (emotional support, organization, instructional support) discriminate between depressive and anxious symptoms trajectories. Participants were 443 children (47.9% girls, Mage = 4.08 years, SD = 0.35) assessed in the fall and spring of preschool and kindergarten. Depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed by teachers at each wave. In the fall of preschool, self-regulation was assessed by teachers, caregivers, trained observers, and behavioral assessment and classroom climate was assessed by trained observers. Multiple trajectories were identified for depressive (low with decelerated growth, 92.81%; moderate with accelerated growth, 7.19%) and anxious symptoms (low and stable, 84.40%; moderate and decreasing, 8.66%; low and increasing, 6.94%). Multiple self-regulation profiles were also identified (typically-regulated, 69.65%; behaviorally-overregulated, 20.84%; emotionally-dysregulated, 9.50%). Children in the emotionally-dysregulated and behaviorally-overregulated profiles were more likely to follow the moderate with accelerated growth depressive symptoms trajectory. Children in the emotionally-dysregulated profile and in more emotionally supportive and organized classrooms were more likely to follow the moderate and decreasing anxious symptoms trajectory. Children vulnerable to elevated depressive symptoms may benefit from prevention and intervention efforts related to emotional and behavioral aspects of self-regulation. Children experiencing elevated anxious symptoms at the start of preschool may benefit from efforts related to emotional self-regulation and emotional and organizational qualities of the classroom.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • self-regulation
  • classroom climate
  • preschool
  • kindergarten

• Graduation date

  Spring 2023

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-mwnm-jz55

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.