Early Neurodevelopment and Self-Reported Adolescent Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in a National Canadian Cohort Study

C Rebecca North,Ian Colman,Lonnie Zwaigenbaum,T Cam Wild,James Bennett Potash

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0056804

C Rebecca North, Ian Colman + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0056804

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Journal: PLoS ONE	Publication Date: Feb 20, 2013
Citations: 12	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Alberta, University of Ottawa

Abstract

ObjectiveLittle is known about the mental health outcomes of young children who experience developmental delay. The objective of this study was to assess whether delay in attaining developmental milestones was related to depressive and anxious symptoms in adolescence.MethodThe sample included 3508 Canadian children who participated in a nationally representative prospective cohort study. The person most knowledgeable about the child reported on attainment of developmental milestones spanning several developmental domains at ages 2–3. The children were followed into adolescence and self-reported depressive and anxious symptoms were used from adolescents ages 12–13. An overall assessment of developmental milestones as well as a supplementary analysis of specific categories of developmental milestones was conducted.ResultsCohort members who displayed delayed developmental milestones in early childhood were more likely to experience higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms as adolescents. However, there was no interaction between delayed developmental milestones and stressful life events. In the supplementary analysis, two developmental domains (self-care and speech/communication) were associated with higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms in adolescence.ConclusionDelay in attainment of early developmental milestones is significantly associated with adolescent depressive and anxious symptoms.

Highlights

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the seventh leading contributor to the burden of disease [1]
Developmental delay is associated with other forms of developmental psychopathology [9] which have been associated with depression [10,11]
In this study of 3508 Canadian adolescents followed from birth, there was a significant association between delay in attaining early developmental milestones and increased odds of higher depressive and anxious symptoms at ages 12–13

Summary

Introduction

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the seventh leading contributor to the burden of disease [1]. The causes of depression and the relationships between causal factors remain unclear. Depression has been associated with cognitive deficits [2,3,4,5,6], it is still uncertain whether these are premorbid traits or are a manifestation of the depressive state. Higher childhood cognitive ability is associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult women [7]. Lower childhood IQ is associated with more persistent adult depression and higher psychiatric comorbidity [8]. Studies far have only examined cognition in school-aged children; it is unclear whether cognitive deficits in younger children may influence risk for depression

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Conclusion