Frontal EEG asymmetry moderates the effects of stressful life events on internalizing symptoms in children at familial risk for depression

This study examined whether frontal alpha electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry moderates the association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms in children at familial risk for depression. Participants included 135 children ages 6 to 13, whose mothers had either a history of depression or no history of major psychiatric conditions. Frontal EEG was recorded while participants watched emotion-eliciting films. Symptoms and stressful life events were obtained via the Child Behavior Check List and a clinical interview, respectively. High-risk children displayed greater relative right lateral frontal activation (F7/F8) than their low-risk peers during the films. For high-risk children, greater relative left lateral frontal activation moderated the association between stressful life events and internalizing symptoms. Specifically, greater relative left lateral frontal activation mitigated the effects of stress in at-risk children.