Abstract
Multisource network and latent variable models were used to examine the construct validity of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms relative to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattentive (ADHD-IN) and depressive symptoms. The five objectives were to determine the (1) distinctiveness of SCT, ADHD-IN, and depressive symptom communities, (2) similarity of the three symptom communities across mother, father, and teacher ratings, (3) individual symptoms with the strongest influence on other symptoms, (4) individual symptoms with the strongest relations to academic and social impairment, and (5) similarity between network and latent variable model results. Mothers, fathers, and teachers rated SCT, ADHD-IN, and depressive symptoms for 2,142 Spanish children (49.49% girls, ages 8–13 years, third to sixth grade). Walktrap community analysis resulted in SCT, ADHD-IN, and depressive symptom communities with three SCT symptom communities within the overall SCT symptom community (daydreams, mental confusion, and hypoactive communities). The symptom networks were also similar across mothers, fathers, and teachers, especially mothers and fathers. Finally, for all three sources, the same two SCT and two ADHD-IN symptoms showed unique relations with academic impairment and the same depressive symptom showed unique relations with social impairment. A latent variable model yielded equivalent results. Both models thus supported the validity of SCT symptoms relative to ADHD-IN and depressive symptoms. Complexities are noted in the selection of network and latent variable models to study child and adolescent psychopathology with recommendations for their selection.
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Notes
Bringmann and Eronen (2018) describe different versions of a latent variable model (i.e., there is no single latent variable model). The version described in the first paragraph is the one most often used for research on psychopathology. In addition, although the identification of internal and external correlates of the common variance in the syndrome constitutes a type of explanation, the identification of causal processes is much more complex.
The Spanish data has been used in a series of studies to investigate the reliability and construct validity of scores from the scales of the Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (Burns et al., 2020, 2021, 2021; Sáez et al., 2019; Servera et al., 2018). These earlier studies used the latent variable model. Aspects of the findings from these earlier studies provide the framework for the comparison of the network and latent variable models in the current study.
Given our focus on the SCT, ADHD-IN, and depression symptoms, the complexity of this NM, especially across the three sources, and the clear separation of the ADHD-hyperactive/impulsive, and inattentive symptoms in earlier NM studies (Goh et al., 2020; Martel et al. in press; Preszler & Burns, 2019; Preszler et al., 2020), this study did not include the hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
The item lacks motivation to complete tasks, originally considered an SCT item, was expected to be part of the ADHD-IN symptom community due to its stronger relation with the ADHD-IN than SCT factor (Sáez et al., 2019).
The SCT factor was not separated into the three SCT subfactors for the exploratory structural regression analyses Additional research is required to determine the best SCT items to represent each subfactor and if the three SCT subfactors have unique and different associations with impairment relative to ADHD-IN and depression.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the discussions with Alexander P. Christensen on network and latent variable models. These discussions were helpful in the revisions of this paper.
Funding
This research was supported by two grants from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spanish Government under award numbers PSI2014-52605-R and PSI2017-82550-R (AEI/FEDER, UE), and a predoctoral fellowship co-financed by MINECO (Spanish Government) and the European Social Fund (BES-2015–075142). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Spanish Government. We thank Cristina Trias for assistance with the study.
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad,PSI2014-52605-R PSI2017-82550-R, Mateu Servera, National Institutes of Health, K23MH108603, Stephen Becker.
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Burns, G.L., Preszler, J., Ahnach, A. et al. Multisource Network and Latent Variable Models of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, ADHD-Inattentive, and Depressive Symptoms with Spanish Children: Equivalent Findings and Recommendations. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 50, 881–894 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00890-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00890-1