# "Psychophysiology and Social Processes in Very Young Children with Externalizing Problems."

> **NIH NIH K23** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2020 · $103,999

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
 The candidate’s long-term goal is to develop an independent research career to understand risk factors
for the development of externalizing behavior over the lifespan. The proposed training plan outlines four
objectives critical to achieving this goal: 1) extend expertise in the acquisition and analysis of
psychophysiological variables, 2) obtain research experience with young children, 3) obtain training in
statistical techniques to test for mediation/moderation, and 4) gain practical skills for research independence.
 Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is prevalent in preschool age children, and its presence
substantially increases the risk of developing a full range of other psychiatric disorders. Prior work has
differentiated dimensions of ODD (irritability, defiance, vindictiveness) that show differential relationships with
later psychopathology; however, the dimensions are highly correlated. Thus, children with oppositionality have
similar phenotypic presentations despite being a heterogeneous group with differing longitudinal trajectories. It
is proposed that phenotypic symptoms mask the underlying processes that carry differential risks, and that
opposing processes in arousal/regulation and social processes systems can lead to both phenotypically similar
presentations and explain differences in longitudinal development. Three specific aims are proposed: 1)
Identify opposing arousal/regulation processes that differentiate irritability and vindictiveness. 2) Identify
opposing social processes that differentiate irritability and vindictiveness. 3) Examine the combined effects of
arousal/regulation and social processes in predicting irritability and vindictiveness. It is expected that defiance
will be highly correlated with both irritability and vindictiveness, explaining phenotypic similarity.
 The applicant will accomplish these aims by assessing 175 4-6 year-old children in the greater New
Orleans area identified as having behavioral problems. Assessments will include indices of arousal/regulation
(pre-ejection period, heart rate variability, and electrodermal response) during baseline or an emotion induction
task, and indices of social processes (accuracy and bias in facial emotion recognition). The proposed research
will take place at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA and the Child Counseling Associates clinic in Metairie,
LA. The anticipated outcome is that irritability will be related to high physiological arousal and an attentional
bias toward negative emotional stimuli, whereas vindictiveness will be related to low physiological arousal and
deficient emotional recognition abilities. It is expected that these opposing processes will account for the
differential relationships with comorbid psychopathology. These results would have the potential to aid the
development of individualized interventions to reduce risk for later psychopathology associated with childhood
oppositionality. Thus, the proposed rese...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9896843
- **Project number:** 5K23HD096052-02
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Amy Jeanette Mikolajewski
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $103,999
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9896843

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9896843, "Psychophysiology and Social Processes in Very Young Children with Externalizing Problems." (5K23HD096052-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9896843. Licensed CC0.

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