Targeting the ERN Computerized Intervention Targeting the Error-related Negativity in Young Children

Summary

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of psychopathology, frequently begin in childhood, and are often associated with substantial lifelong impairment2. Thus, there is a critical need and opportunity to identify neural markers of risk that distinguish anxious from healthy trajectories early in development that may serve as novel targets for intervention - especially if they are evident before symptoms have become impairing. One promising neural marker of anxiety is increased brain activity in response to mistakes, as reflected by the error-related negativity (ERN). Considering that the ERN is elevated before anxiety symptoms become impairing, it is critical to identify environmental factors that may shape the ERN early in life - so that those factors can be manipulated to reduce the ERN and potentially mitigate risk. In a sample of 295 six-year old children, the investigators found that both observational and self-report measures of harsh parenting style related to an increased ERN in offspring. A similar pattern of results was reported by another lab among 4 year-old children. Moreover, results suggested that the ERN mediated the relationship between harsh parenting and child anxiety disorders.

Based on these data, the investigators propose to develop a novel psychosocial intervention to be administered to both parents and children, which aims to normalize the ERN in children (i.e., reduce over-reactivity to making errors). The proposed Mentored Career Development Award (K01) is designed to extend the investigator's previous work on the ERN, parenting, and risk for anxiety in young children to test the extent to which the ERN can be modulated. Specifically, the investigators will recruit 100 parent/child dyads, high in error sensitivity, and randomize 75 to an intervention condition and 25 to an active control condition. The investigators will measure the ERN in children pre and post intervention, as well as baseline anxiety symptoms. At a six-month follow-up, the investigators will assess children's ERN, as well as anxiety symptoms, to examine to what extent intervention-related changes in the ERN relate to decreases in anxiety symptoms. Moreover, this training plan builds on the investigator's expertise on the ERN and anxiety, and integrates expertise in the design and implementation of computerized interventions, as well as advanced statistical analyses related to intervention outcomes.

Conditions

• Anxiety

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Psycho-social, computerized intervention targeting error sensitivity

A psycho-social, computerized intervention for parents and children targeting error sensitivity. This intervention will be based on the constructs in the Child Error Sensitivity Index, as well as other constructs, that relate to the error-related negativity - for example, perfectionism, fear of evaluation from others, and over-valuation of the negative consequences of errors. The parent version of the intervention will include these same basic concepts, but will also target parenting style and provide psychoeducation on the negative impact of over-reacting to children's mistakes. The parent version will also include examples of how to model appropriate reactivity to mistakes, and provide video vignettes and examples of both critical and adaptive parenting reactions to mistakes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• Florida State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Alexandria Meyer, PhD · Florida State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

5 Years

Max Age

7 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-01-01

Primary Completion

2024-05-01

Completion

2024-05-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations