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Updated: Nov 2, 2025
How to Obtain Reliable Visual Event-related Potentials in Newborns
Published on: October 24, 2019
The reliability of visual ERP components in children across the first year of school
Michelle K Jetha1, Sidney J Segalowitz2, Lisa M Gatzke-Kopp3
1Department of Psychology, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Insights
Early visual event-related potentials (ERPs) show good reliability in children aged 5-7 years. These neurophysiological markers reliably track individual differences in attention processing during development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) serve as neurophysiological markers for cognitive processes linked to psychopathology risk.
- Reliability of ERP components during childhood brain maturation is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of early visual ERP components (P1, N170, VPP) in children.
- To determine if these ERPs are stable measures of attentional bias across a two-year period.
Main Methods:
- Examined early visual ERP components (P1, N170, VPP) in 110 children at kindergarten (T1) and first grade (T2).
- Children completed a Go/Nogo task with modified stimuli at both time points.
- Analyzed amplitude and latency retest reliability across the two time points.
Main Results:
- All ERP components showed increased absolute amplitude.
- P1 and VPP components demonstrated decreased latency.
- Retest reliability for amplitude was good to very good (r = .54–.69).
- Retest reliability for latency ranged from low to very good (r = .34–.60).
Conclusions:
- Early visual ERP components exhibit good to very good retest reliability in middle childhood.
- These ERPs are reliable measures of individual differences in attention processing.
- Findings support the use of early visual ERPs as trait-like markers in developmental research.
Abstract:
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are increasingly used as neurophysiological markers of perceptual and cognitive processes conveying risk for psychopathology. However, little is known about the reliability of ERP components during childhood, a time of substantial brain maturation. In the present study, we examine the early visual ERP components (P1, N170, VPP), frequently examined as indicators of attentional bias, for 110 children at kindergarten (T1) and first grade (T2). Children performed a Go/Nogo task at both time points, with exact stimuli changed to reduce habituation. All components showed increases in absolute amplitude and the P1 and VPP also showed decreases in latency. Retest reliability across time was good to very good for amplitude measures (Pearson rs ranging from .54 for N170 to .69 for P1) and low to very good for latencies (rs from .34 for P1 to .60 for N170), despite the change in visual stimuli. Although there was some evidence of moderation by sex, early visual ERP components appear to be a reliable measure of individual differences in attention processing in middle childhood. This has implications for the use of early visual ERP components as trait-like markers for individual differences in perceptual processes in developmental research.
