Emotional lability in children and adolescents: Living on an emotional rollercoaster

Emotional lability in children and adolescents: Living on an emotional rollercoaster

Supervisors: Prof. dr. Nady Van Broeck, Prof. dr. Marina Danckaerts, Prof. dr. Saskia van der Oord

Emotional lability (EL) is an important trans-diagnostic concept that is associated with significant functional impairment in multiple mental disorders of children and adolescents, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The following four aims were set for this doctoral dissertation. As little research is done on the ecological validity of EL ratings in children and adolescents, the first aim was to examine the relationship between questionnaire EL ratings and real-time reports of emotional experiences and expressions in daily life and experimental settings. Because EL is often seen in children and adolescents in ADHD but research using a multi-method approach is limited in this area, the second aim was to investigate the relations between ADHD symptoms and EL ratings and real-time reports of emotional experiences and expressions in daily life and experimental settings. The third aim of this doctoral dissertation was to explore the role of neuropsychological processes in the relation between EL and ADHD symptoms using a multi-method approach given little research on this has been done in children. A fourth aim, the development of a new rating measure of ADHD-related neuropsychological impairment in children and adolescents, was set to be able to address aim three.

The present doctoral dissertation consists of five chapters. In Chapter 1, a general introduction to EL is given by (i) defining EL and related concepts; (ii) discussing the link between EL in psychopathology in general and in ADHD specifically, and (iii) discussing possible links with neuropsychological dysfunctioning implicated in ADHD. Chapter 2 elaborates on the first two aims by presenting the results of two studies, one in children and one in adolescents, investigating how questionnaire-based ratings of EL relate to experienced and observed emotion in everyday life and experimental settings (Aim 1) and ADHD symptomatology (Aim 2). Chapter 3 focuses on the development and psychometric properties of the Cognition and Motivation in Everyday Life (CAMEL) Scale, a new rating measure of ADHD-related neuropsychological impairment in children and adolescents (Aim 4). Chapter 4 addresses if certain neuropsychological dysfunctions are linked to both EL and ADHD symptoms in children (Aim 3). Finally, chapter 5 provides a general summary and discussion of our findings. The strengths and limitations of the three empirical studies will be addressed as well as suggestions for future research and implications for clinical practice.