Psychiatric Problems in Adolescence Mediate the Association Between Childhood Learning Disabilities and Later Well-Being

Anna-Kaija Eloranta,Elisa Korhonen,Timo P S Ahonen,Vesa M Närhi,Tuija I Aro,Asko J Tolvanen,Joona S Muotka

doi:10.1177/07319487211012019

Anna-Kaija Eloranta, Elisa Korhonen + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/07319487211012019

Copy DOI

Abstract

This follow-up study investigated the associations of childhood learning disabilities (LDs) with adult-age anxiety, depression, and unemployment. Psychosocial problems in childhood and psychiatric diagnoses and lack of education in adolescence were studied as potential mediators, and gender and mother’s education were studied as potential moderators of these associations. Data on childhood clinical neuropsychological assessments and lifelong register data on individuals with childhood LD ( n = 430; 301 [70%] males; 20–39 years of age) and matched controls ( n = 2,149) were applied. Mediation analyses were performed using structural equation modeling. Childhood LDs exerted a significant, but relatively small effect on psychiatric diagnoses in adolescence, which predicted adult-age depression and anxiety. Learning disabilities were related to unemployment both directly and via psychiatric diagnoses in adolescence. Examination of differences in the effects on adult-age outcomes of subtypes of LDs revealed mathematical disability to be more strongly associated with psychosocial problems in childhood and psychiatric problems in adolescence and adulthood than reading disability. Our findings show that LD has small and mostly indirect effects on the risk for later well-being problems. The findings emphasize the importance of adolescence in predicting adult-age psychiatric and employment problems and call for more holistic support for individuals with LDs.

Highlights

Developmental learning disabilities (LDs), such as reading disability (RD) or mathematical disability (MD), are likely to be persistent
We addressed the following specific research questions: Research Question 1: To what extent does childhood LD predict the presence of adult-age depression, anxiety, and unemployment, and is this association mediated by a lack of education after comprehensive school or psychiatric problems in adolescence? is it moderated by gender and/or mother’s educational level? Research Question 2: To what extent does the subtype of childhood LD (RD, MD, RD + MD) predict adult-age depression, anxiety, and unemployment, and is the association mediated by childhood psychosocial problems, individual’s educational qualification after comprehensive school, or psychiatric problems during adolescence?
In the present longitudinal study, we first examined the extent to which childhood LDs predicted the presence of adult-age depression, anxiety, and unemployment, and whether this association was mediated by a lack of education after comprehensive school or psychiatric problems in adolescence or was moderated by gender or mother’s educational level

Summary

Introduction

Developmental learning disabilities (LDs), such as reading disability (RD) or mathematical disability (MD), are likely to be persistent M. Wilson et al, 2009), less is known of the relation of the little empirical evidence exists on the effects of childhood LD on the association of psychosocial problems in childhood and adolescence with adult-age psychiatric and employment problems. Hakkarainen and her colleagues (2015) discovered that MD has been found to be a stronger predictor than RD of postsecondary education dropout (Hakkarainen et al, 2015) and, among women, to predict adult-age unemployment and depression (Parsons & Bynner, 2005) It is still unclear whether childhood psychosocial problems and/or psychiatric problems in adolescence or postsecondary education have an effect on the association between MD and adult-age well-being. Studies on the linkages of different subtypes of LDs, low educational level, and well-being are, to our knowledge, non-existent

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion