Externalizing problems and reward–punishment sensitivity: Testing within-person reciprocal associations in an elementary school sample—A replication of Ramer et al. (2024).

= 2,147) with five annual measurement occasions. Participants were 9 years at the first data collection, with 49% girls and 94% nonimmigrants. Latent curve models with structured residuals were used to examine the reciprocal relationships between BIS/BAS and oppositional and conduct problems. We replicated associations between increased BAS sensitivity and subsequent increases in oppositional problems (i.e., vulnerability effect), and increased conduct problems with subsequent decreases in BIS sensitivity (i.e., scar effect). This could indicate that oppositional and conduct problems are influenced by different temperamental dispositions. We did not replicate oppositional problems influencing BAS sensitivity or BIS sensitivity influencing conduct problems. We discuss potential explanations for similarities and differences in results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).