Youth irritability as consequence and predictor of family conflict from late childhood to early adolescence

Child irritability is a transdiagnostic symptom of multiple psychopathologies and prospectively predicts negative outcomes into adolescence and adulthood. Previous research has reported associations between child irritability and family conflict (FC) but has failed to consider bidirectional relations between these variables. The current study assessed child irritability as both predictor and consequence of FC during late childhood/early adolescence using longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognition Development (ABCD) study. Participants (N= 11,868 youth, Mage at Time 1 = 9.48, SD = 0.51 years, 47% female, 49.5% White) and one of their parents (85.3% mothers) completed annual assessments of FC (Family Environment Scale-conflict subscale; child report) and child symptoms (Child Behavior Checklist; parent report). Using latent growth curve models with structured residuals (LCMs-SR), we found that child irritability declined from ages 9/10 to 13/14, but irritability slopes and intercepts varied by child gender. Specifically, boys’ irritability was initially higher than girls but decreased over time, whereas girls’ irritability remained stable. FC also declined over time, but boys reported higher initial FC that decreased more rapidly than girls’ reports of FC did. In the bivariate models, boys’ reports of FC at Time 1 were prospectively associated with irritability at Time 2. Furthermore, for girls, irritability at Time 2 predicted elevations in FC at Time 3, but for boys, irritability at Time 3 was associated with less FC at Time 4. The current results support consideration of family dynamics as both a cause and a consequence of youth psychiatric disorders featuring irritability.