Lau, Jennifer Y. F.; Belli, S.R.; Gregory, Alice M. and Eley, Thalia C.. 2014. Interpersonal cognitive biases as genetic markers for pediatric depressive symptoms: Twin data from the Emotions, Cognitions, Heredity and Outcome (ECHO) study. Development and Psychopathology, 26(4pt2), pp. 1267-1276. ISSN 0954-5794 [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Childhood depressive symptoms may arise from genetic and environmental risks, which act to bias the ways in which children process emotional information. Previous studies show that several “cognitive biases” are heritable and share genetic and environmental risks with depressive symptoms. Past research suggests that many cognitive biases only reflect genetic risks for depressive symptoms from adolescence. The present study sought to identify (a) when interpersonal cognitions mature as risk factors for depressive symptoms by examining whether these factors are stable and predict symptoms across time in childhood, and (b) the extent to which interpersonal cognitions reflect inherited/environmental risks on children's depressive symptoms. Results showed that there was some stability for interpersonal cognitive biases from age 8 to 10 years (rs = .32–.43). Only the absence of positive self/other perceptions, and negative peer and mother expectations at age 8 predicted depressive symptoms at age 10 (after controlling for depressive symptoms at age 8). The absence of positive self/other perceptions shared genetic influences with depressive symptoms within and across time. Across middle to late childhood, interpersonal cognitions begin to operate as vulnerability-trait factors for depressive symptoms, gradually reflecting distal genetic risks on symptoms.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579414001011
Additional Information:	This research was supported by Medical Research Council fellowships and studentships to TE, JL and AG. The second author was supported by a studentship from the Economic and Social Research Council.
Keywords:	twins, genetics, depression, children, cognitive bias
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Dates:	Date Event 1 November 2014 Published 25 November 2014 Published Online
Item ID:	10521
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2014 09:13
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2020 16:00
Peer Reviewed:	Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/10521

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