Abstract
BackgroundCommon negative events can precipitate the onset of internalizing symptoms. We studied whether their occurrence in childhood is associated with mental health trajectories over the course of development.MethodsUsing data from the TEMPO study, a French community-based cohort study of youths, we studied the association between negative events in 1991 (when participants were aged 4–16 years) and internalizing symptoms, assessed by the ASEBA family of instruments in 1991, 1999, and 2009 (n = 1503). Participants' trajectories of internalizing symptoms were estimated with semi-parametric regression methods (PROC TRAJ). Data were analyzed using multinomial regression models controlled for participants' sex, age, parental family status, socio-economic position, and parental history of depression.ResultsNegative childhood events were associated with an increased likelihood of concurrent internalizing symptoms which sometimes persisted into adulthood (multivariate ORs associated with > = 3 negative events respectively: high and decreasing internalizing symptoms: 5.54, 95% CI: 3.20–9.58; persistently high internalizing symptoms: 8.94, 95% CI: 2.82–28.31). Specific negative events most strongly associated with youths' persistent internalizing symptoms included: school difficulties (multivariate OR: 5.31, 95% CI: 2.24–12.59), parental stress (multivariate OR: 4.69, 95% CI: 2.02–10.87), serious illness/health problems (multivariate OR: 4.13, 95% CI: 1.76–9.70), and social isolation (multivariate OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.00–5.08).ConclusionsCommon negative events can contribute to the onset of children's lasting psychological difficulties.
Highlights
Internalizing symptoms, defined as a range of emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depressive symptoms [1, 2] affect up to 15% of children and adolescents by the age of 16 [3, 4]
Using data from the Trajectoires Epidemiologiques en Population (TEMPO) study, a French community-based cohort study of youths, we studied the association between negative events in 1991 and internalizing symptoms, assessed by the ASEBA family of instruments in 1991, 1999, and 2009 (n51503)
In 40% of cases, internalizing symptoms persist into adulthood and can lead to clinically significant psychopathology [2, 5,6,7,8] resulting in long-term health problems [9], difficulties in social adjustment [10], unemployment [11], and premature mortality [12]
Summary
Internalizing symptoms, defined as a range of emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depressive symptoms [1, 2] affect up to 15% of children and adolescents by the age of 16 [3, 4]. Neglect [13,14,15], or sexual abuse [16, 17] are at high risk of having psychological problems including symptoms of depression and anxiety These severe negative events are infrequent, and a much higher burden of internalizing difficulties can be attributed to common negative events, such as high parenting stress [18] and parental divorce [19, 20]. Our study, based on the community-based French Trajectoires Epidemiologiques en Population (TEMPO) sample, examines the association between common negative events in childhood and trajectories of internalizing symptoms from childhood to young adulthood, adjusting for characteristics of individuals (sex, age) and their families (parental family status, socio-economic position, and parental history of depression) which can be associated with youths’ internalizing symptoms [4, 21, 22]. Specific negative events most strongly associated with youths’ persistent internalizing symptoms included: school difficulties (multivariate OR: 5.31, 95% CI: 2.24–12.59), parental stress (multivariate OR: 4.69, 95% CI: 2.02–10.87), serious illness/health problems
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