Investigation of P300 evoked by Stroop Color Word Task in children with emotional neglect

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the P300 evoked by Stroop Color Word Task in children with emotional neglect, and to explore their implication for inhibition control.MethodsA cluster sampling was conducted for the first grade students of a middle school in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province. The students from 3 classes were assessed by standard Raven reasoning test and Child Neglect Scale (CNS), and a total of 147 eligible students were screened out. Children were divided into the emotional neglect group (n=40) and the control group (n=40) according to the 27% before and after the score of CNS emotional neglect factor. Both groups completed the Stroop Color word task, and EEG data were collected to compare the response time, accuracy, amplitude and latency of P300 between the two groups.ResultsThe CNS total score and the scores of safety neglect, communication neglect, physical neglect and emotional neglect factors in the emotional neglect group were significantly higher than those in control group (t=15.003, 4.301, 11.495, 4.803, 23.957, P<0.01). The average reaction time in the incongruent task of emotional neglect group was significantly longer than that in the control group [(879.02±101.52) ms vs. (756.93±113.91) ms, t=5.061, P<0.01]. Under incongruent task, the average amplitude of P300 in emotional neglect group was lower than that of the control group [(3.97±1.12) μV vs. (8.71±1.24) μV, t=-17.976, P<0.01]. The average latency of P300 of emotional neglect group was longer than that of the control group [(361.81±39.69) ms vs. (301.35±33.67) ms, t=7.346, P<0.01].ConclusionUnder incongruent task, children with emotional neglect had longer response time, longer latency and lower amplitude of P300， which suggested that children with affective neglect may have inhibition and control disorder.

Keywords

• children
• event related potential p300
• emotional neglect
• inhibition control