Behavioral assessment of research domain criteria positive and negative valence systems in children

Author / Creator

Moore, Mollie, author

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Online

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Summary

In 2009, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) proposed a new classification system for research aimed at providing a dimensional understanding of mental health based on behavioral symptom...

In 2009, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) proposed a new classification system for research aimed at providing a dimensional understanding of mental health based on behavioral symptoms and biological markers, known as the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative. Unfortunately, RDoC is limited by a lack of developmental sensitivity in proposed measures. The present study proposes the use of a highly structured and well-validated child temperament assessment tool as a developmentally-appropriate measure of the RDoC positive and negative valence system constructs reward expectation, reward response, frustrative nonreward, loss, and fear. Using a large and well-characterized longitudinal sample, we created RDoC behavioral composites and latent profiles, which were then examined for concurrent and longitudinal associations with parent- and self-reported temperament, problem behaviors, and mental health concerns. We found significant age- and sex-effects on RDoC constructs. Latent profile analyses revealed evidence for a five-profile solution which included "typical," high positive affect, high approach, low approach, and high distress profiles. In concurrent analyses, similar patterns of associations emerged for the positive valence constructs. Impulsivity, smiling/laughing, and opposition/defiance were all strongly associated both with RDoC constructs and with probability of profile membership. RDoC constructs were also associated with DSM-IV diagnostic status in theoretically-consistent ways. We found relatively few significant longitudinal associations, although observed frustrative non-reward emerged as associated with a variety of adolescent measures. Overall we found limited evidence for strong delineation between positive and negative valence constructs, and suggest further consideration of motivational tendencies as potentially important in understanding relationships among constructs. Strengths of this study include the adaptation of a highly structured behavioral measure and inclusion of both idiographic and nomothetic approaches. Future work may benefit from incorporation of multiple levels of analyses including neurobiological measures and investigation of the temporal relationships between positive and negative valence domain responses.

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