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Temperament, Evolving Emotions, and Neuroscience Study (TEENS)

Temperament, Evolving Emotions, and Neuroscience Study (TEENS)

Headshot of Kristin Buss
PI: Kristin Buss

NIH R01MH114974
Administrative Supplement
Diversity Supplement
Administered in: College of the Liberal Arts

http://emotiondev.la.psu.edu/

Abstract:

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is among the most common forms of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. SAD symptoms peak in adolescence making this developmental transition an important period to study. Broad profiles of fearfulness and anxious behavior first emerge in childhood, impacting functioning across a broad spectrum not limited to discrete diagnoses of anxiety. Extreme fearful temperament is the strongest individual differences predictor of anxiety. Considerable heterogeneity in symptomatology, risk factors, and biomarkers exists across anxious adolescents which has implications for (1) understanding the developmental etiology of who is at highest risk, (2) identifying individual patterns of symptom course. The proposed study will address these two gaps in the literature.  

This study will follow adolescents (N = 240) annually across the transitions from early to mid- adolescence. We will capture a wide range of anxiety symptom presentation (i.e., low risk, temperamental risk, and clinical anxiety) and implement a rich prospective assessment of symptoms, temperament, attention bias, endocrine (cortisol), physiological (RSA) and neurobiological (ERP markers of attention) processes. In addition, we will examine moderators, including sex differences, which are commonly observed in adolescent anxiety, the social/peer context, parenting, and pubertal development.  

Additional Faculty:

Headshot of Lorah Dorn
Lorah Dorn
Nursing
Headshot of Sarah Myruski
Sarah Myruski
Psychology
Headshot of Koraly Perez-Edgar
Koraly Pérez-Edgar Psychology
Headshot of Nilam Ram
Nilam Ram
Stanford Univ.
Headshot of Martha Wadsworth
Martha Wadsworth
Psychology

Research Staff:

Headshot of Bridget Cahill
Bridget Cahill
Headshot of Stacey LeVan
Stacey LeVan
Headshot of Alina Hoff
Alina Hoff

Postdoctoral Researchers:

Headshot of Michelle Ramos
Michelle Ramos Psychology

Graduate Students:

Headshot of Maddie Politte-Corn
Maddie Politte-Corn
Psychology
Headshot of Jianing Sun
Jianing Sun
Psychology