The development of temperament and character during adolescence: The processes and phases of change

AbstractWe studied the pattern of personality development in a longitudinal population-based sample of 752 American adolescents. Personality was assessed reliably with the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory at 12, 14, and 16 years of age. The rank-order stability of Junior Temperament and Character Inventory traits from age 12 to 16 was moderate (r = .35). Hierarchical linear modeling of between-group variance due to gender and within-group variance due to age indicated that harm avoidance and persistence decreased whereas self-directedness and cooperativeness increased from age 12 to 16. Novelty seeking, reward dependence, and self-transcendence increased from age 12 to 14 and then decreased. This biphasic pattern suggests that prior to age 14 teens became more emancipated from adult authorities while identifying more with the emergent norms of their peers, and after age 14 their created identity was internalized. Girls were more self-directed and cooperative than boys and maintained this advantage from age 12 to 16. Dependability of temperament at age 16 was mainly predicted by the same traits at earlier ages. In contrast, maturity of character at age 16 was predicted by both temperament and character at earlier ages. We conclude that character develops rapidly in adolescence to self-regulate temperament in accord with personally valued goals shaped by peers.</jats:p

Examining associations between genetic and neural risk for externalizing behaviors in adolescence and early adulthood

BACKGROUND: Researchers have identified genetic and neural risk factors for externalizing behaviors. However, it has not yet been determined if genetic liability is conferred in part through associations with more proximal neurophysiological risk markers. METHODS: Participants from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism, a large, family-based study of alcohol use disorders were genotyped and polygenic scores for externalizing (EXT PGS) were calculated. Associations with target P3 amplitude from a visual oddball task (P3) and broad endorsement of externalizing behaviors (indexed via self-report of alcohol and cannabis use, and antisocial behavior) were assessed in participants of European (EA; RESULTS: The EXT PGS was significantly associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors among EA adolescents and young adults as well as AA young adults. P3 was inversely associated with externalizing behaviors among EA young adults. EXT PGS was not significantly associated with P3 amplitude and therefore, there was no evidence that P3 amplitude indirectly accounted for the association between EXT PGS and externalizing behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Both the EXT PGS and P3 amplitude were significantly associated with externalizing behaviors among EA young adults. However, these associations with externalizing behaviors appear to be independent of each other, suggesting that they may index different facets of externalizing

Heritability of risk-taking in adolescence: A longitudinal twin study

Adolescents are prone to risk-taking behaviors leading to adverse consequences such as substance abuse, accidents, violence, and victimization. However, little is known about the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual differences in the propensity for risk-taking. This study investigated developmental changes, longitudinal stability, and heritability of risk-taking using data from 752 adolescent twins including 169 MZ and 203 DZ pairs. The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), an experimental behavioral measure of risk taking, was administered to the twins at age 12 and then re-administered to a part of this sample at age 14. Risk-taking increased with age, but individual differences showed a significant longitudinal stability. Genetic model fitting showed that at age 12, heritability of risk-taking was modest but significant in both sexes, whereas at age 14, heritability increased to 55% in males and became non-significant in females. The findings suggest that propensity for risk-taking as measured by BART can be a useful endophenotype for genetic studies of adolescent externalizing psychopathology, however, the utility of this measure may be limited by sex differences in heritability

Familial influences on the full range of variability in attention and activity levels during adolescence: A longitudinal twin study

AbstractTo investigate familial influences on the full range of variability in attention and activity across adolescence, we collected maternal ratings of 339 twin pairs at ages 12, 14, and 16, and estimated the transmitted and new familial influences on attention and activity as measured by the Strengths and Weaknesses of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Normal Behavior Scale. Familial influences were substantial for both traits across adolescence: genetic influences accounted for 54%–73% (attention) and 31%–73% (activity) of the total variance, and shared environmental influences accounted for 0%–22% of the attention variance and 13%–57% of the activity variance. The longitudinal stability of individual differences in attention and activity was largely accounted for by familial influences transmitted from previous ages. Innovations over adolescence were also partially attributable to familial influences. Studying the full range of variability in attention and activity may facilitate our understanding of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder's etiology and intervention.</jats:p

Age-related changes and longitudinal stability of individual differences in ABCD Neurocognition measures

Temporal stability of individual differences is an important prerequisite for accurate tracking of prospective relationships between neurocognition and real-world behavioral outcomes such as substance abuse and psychopathology. Here we report age-related changes and longitudinal test-retest stability (TRS) for the Neurocognition battery of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which included the NIH Toolbox (TB) Cognitive Domain and additional memory and visuospatial processing tests administered at baseline (ages 9-11) and two-year follow-up. As expected, performance improved significantly with age, but the effect size varied broadly, with Pattern Comparison and the Crystallized Cognition Composite showing the largest age-related gain (Cohen\u27s d:.99 and.97, respectively). TRS ranged from fair (Flanker test: r = 0.44) to excellent (Crystallized Cognition Composite: r = 0.82). A comparison of longitudinal changes and cross-sectional age-related differences within baseline and follow-up assessments suggested that, for some measures, longitudinal changes may be confounded by practice effects and differences in task stimuli or procedure between baseline and follow-up. In conclusion, a subset of measures showed good stability of individual differences despite significant age-related changes, warranting their use as prospective predictors. However, caution is needed in the interpretation of observed longitudinal changes as indicators of neurocognitive development

Pathways to post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependence: Trauma, executive functioning, and family history of alcoholism in adolescents and young adults

INTRODUCTION: Family history (FH) of alcohol dependence is likely to increase the risk of trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol dependence. FH of alcohol dependence and trauma has been separately shown to adversely affect planning/problem-solving aspects of executive function. However, few studies have examined these risk factors in an integrated model. METHODS: Using data from trauma-exposed individuals from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism prospective cohort (N = 1,860), comprising offspring from alcohol-dependent high-risk and comparison families (mean age [SE] = 21.9 [4.2]), we investigated associations of trauma (nonsexual assaultive, nonassaultive, sexual assaultive) with DSM-IV PTSD and alcohol dependence symptom counts, and planning/problem-solving abilities assessed using the Tower of London Test (TOLT). Moderating effects of family history density of alcohol use disorder (FHD) on these associations and sex differences were explored. RESULTS: Family history density was positively associated with PTSD in female participants who endorsed a sexual assaultive trauma. Exposure to nonsexual assaultive trauma was associated with more excess moves made on the TOLT. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study demonstrate associations with PTSD and alcohol dependence symptom counts, as well as poor problem-solving ability in trauma-exposed individuals from families densely affected with alcohol dependence, depending on trauma type, FHD, and sex. This suggests that having a FH of alcohol dependence and exposure to trauma during adolescence may be associated with more PTSD and alcohol dependence symptoms, and poor problem-solving abilities in adulthood

О теоретических основах аэролимнологии: изучение пресных водоемов и прибрежных территорий с применением воздушных робототехнических средств

Интеграция методологического базиса нескольких разных наук при междисциплинарных исследованиях является характерной чертой новых механизмов решения современных прикладных задач. Формируемые теоретические основы аэролимнологии, как нового научного направления, рассматриваются с точки зрения вклада в нее трех ключевых наук: лимнологии, информатики и робототехники. Приведены классификации методов и способов лимнологических исследований, воздушных робототехнических средств, информационных технологий, перспективных для решения задач в области аэролимнологии. Задача научного направления аэролимнологии формулируется как изучение возможностей и ограничений комбинированных способов дистанционного сенсорного измерения, роботизированного пробоотбора и аналитического исследования параметров экосистем пресных водоемов для мониторинга и предсказания динамики их развития. Среди основных направлений аэролимнологических исследований выделены: построение ортофотопланов и фотограмметрических пространственных моделей рельефа дна и отдельных элементов донного ландшафта и прибрежной зоны разного масштаба; геолого-геофизическое картирование подводной части береговой зоны; изучение фитопланктона, в частности «цветения» воды, вызванного цианобактериями; исследование распределения и миграций крупных представителей гидрофауны; изучение температурных полей и процессов перераспределения водных масс. Обсуждаются ограничения, накладываемые на использование беспилотных летательных аппаратов (БпЛА) при пробоотборе и мониторинге прибрежных водных территорий, прежде всего погодно-климатические, временные, пространственные, технические. Преимущество использования беспилотных летательных аппаратов в аэролимнологии обосновывается увеличением скорости получения данных, возможностью подлета к труднодоступным и территориально удаленным объектам, снижением влияния человеческого фактора. Научная новизна представленного исследования состоит в попытке интеграции междисциплинарных знаний при использовании беспилотных летательных аппаратов и обработке полученных данных на основе технологий искусственного интеллекта при изучении лимнологических объектов и процессов. Отмечается важная роль геоинформационных систем и приводятся примеры карт типизации берегов и геоморфологии Ладожского озера, размещенные на сайте Центра коллективного пользования научным оборудованием «Северо-Западный центр мониторинга и прогнозирования развития территорий» СПБ ФИЦ РАН. Рассматриваются основные этапы методологии проведения аэролимнологических исследований с применением междисциплинарных подходов на основе лимнологии, информатики и робототехнических средств, функционирующих в разных средах

Predicting alcohol-related memory problems in older adults: A machine learning study with multi-domain features

Memory problems are common among older adults with a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Employing a machine learning framework, the current study investigates the use of multi-domain features to classify individuals with and without alcohol-induced memory problems. A group of 94 individuals (ages 50-81 years) with alcohol-induced memory problems (the memory group) were compared with a matched control group who did not have memory problems. The random forests model identified specific features from each domain that contributed to the classification of the memory group vs. the control group (AUC = 88.29%). Specifically, individuals from the memory group manifested a predominant pattern of hyperconnectivity across the default mode network regions except for some connections involving the anterior cingulate cortex, which were predominantly hypoconnected. Other significant contributing features were: (i) polygenic risk scores for AUD, (ii) alcohol consumption and related health consequences during the past five years, such as health problems, past negative experiences, withdrawal symptoms, and the largest number of drinks in a day during the past twelve months, and (iii) elevated neuroticism and increased harm avoidance, and fewer positive uplift life events. At the neural systems level, hyperconnectivity across the default mode network regions, including the connections across the hippocampal hub regions, in individuals with memory problems may indicate dysregulation in neural information processing. Overall, the study outlines the importance of utilizing multidomain features, consisting of resting-state brain connectivity data collected ~18 years ago, together with personality, life experiences, polygenic risk, and alcohol consumption and related consequences, to predict the alcohol-related memory problems that arise in later life