January's article of the month: Irritability and parenting practices as mediators between executive functions and oppositional and obsessive-compulsive problems in preschool children

This study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and faculty members from the Faculty of Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), including Dr. Lourdes Ezpeleta and Dr. Núria de la Osa, professors in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, and doctoral student Denisa Elena Zevedei.

The aim of this study, published in Current Psychology, was to examine how early executive functions—specifically children’s ability to regulate impulses and to shift between actions or emotional states—are related to the later emergence of oppositional defiant problems, characterized by irritability and persistent defiance, and obsessive-compulsive problems, defined by intrusive concerns and repetitive behaviors. The study also considered the role of irritability and parenting practices, particularly punitive responses, which may influence the development of these difficulties over time.

The study included 622 preschool-aged children from the community. Participants were assessed at different ages and by different informants. At age 3, teachers assessed inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Subsequently, parents reported on children’s irritability at age 4, on parenting practices at age 6, and on levels of oppositional defiant and obsessive-compulsive problems at age 7.

The main findings showed that irritability acted as a mediator between flexibility and both oppositional defiant and obsessive-compulsive problems, suggesting that children with greater difficulties in shifting emotional or behavioral states may become more easily frustrated, thereby increasing the risk of later difficulties. Punitive parenting practices also played a mediating role, specifically in the pathway linking executive functions to oppositional defiant problems, indicating that harsh parental responses may reinforce defiant behavior. Finally, deficits in inhibitory control were directly involved in both types of problems, albeit with different patterns, pointing to distinct developmental mechanisms.

These findings highlight the importance of early detection of executive function difficulties and irritability, as well as the role of constructive parenting strategies. Understanding these early developmental trajectories may help inform interventions aimed at reducing the emergence of oppositional defiant problems or obsessive-compulsive behaviors in childhood.