Andrew J Flannery1, Stephen P Becker2, Aaron M Luebbe1. 1. Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA. 2. Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA stephen.becker@cchmc.org.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Studies demonstrate an association between sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and social impairment, although no studies have tested possible mechanisms of this association. This study aimed to (a) examine SCT in relation to college students' social functioning; (b) test if SCT is significantly associated with emotion dysregulation beyond depressive, anxious, and ADHD symptoms; and (c) test if emotion dysregulation mediates the association between SCT symptoms and social impairment. METHOD: College students (N = 158) completed measures of psychopathology symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and social functioning. RESULTS: Participants with elevated SCT (12%) had higher ADHD, depressive, and anxious symptoms in addition to poorer emotion regulation and social adjustment than participants without elevated SCT. Above and beyond other psychopathologies, SCT was significantly associated with social impairment but not general interpersonal functioning. SCT was also associated with emotion dysregulation, even after accounting for the expectedly strong association between depression and emotion dysregulation. Further analyses supported emotion dysregulation as a mediator of the association between SCT and social impairment. CONCLUSION: These findings are important for theoretical models of SCT and underscore the need for additional, longitudinal research.
OBJECTIVE: Studies demonstrate an association between sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and social impairment, although no studies have tested possible mechanisms of this association. This study aimed to (a) examine SCT in relation to college students' social functioning; (b) test if SCT is significantly associated with emotion dysregulation beyond depressive, anxious, and ADHD symptoms; and (c) test if emotion dysregulation mediates the association between SCT symptoms and social impairment. METHOD: College students (N = 158) completed measures of psychopathology symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and social functioning. RESULTS:Participants with elevated SCT (12%) had higher ADHD, depressive, and anxious symptoms in addition to poorer emotion regulation and social adjustment than participants without elevated SCT. Above and beyond other psychopathologies, SCT was significantly associated with social impairment but not general interpersonal functioning. SCT was also associated with emotion dysregulation, even after accounting for the expectedly strong association between depression and emotion dysregulation. Further analyses supported emotion dysregulation as a mediator of the association between SCT and social impairment. CONCLUSION: These findings are important for theoretical models of SCT and underscore the need for additional, longitudinal research.
Authors: Stephen P Becker; Daniel R Leopold; G Leonard Burns; Matthew A Jarrett; Joshua M Langberg; Stephen A Marshall; Keith McBurnett; Daniel A Waschbusch; Erik G Willcutt Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2015-12-23 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: Stephen P Becker; Amanda R Withrow; Laura Stoppelbein; Aaron M Luebbe; Paula J Fite; Leilani Greening Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2016-06-01 Impact factor: 8.982