Child Behavioral Outcomes Research Articles

Short report of an Iranian Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure effect cohort showed DNA methylation alteration of mitochondria function associated genes

BackgroundUse of Methamphetamine during pregnancy is significant public health concern since it affects the development of the brain and poor behavioral outcomes in children. Prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) may cause developmental disabilities and several gene expression and molecular pathways alterations. In the present study, DNA methylation of Propionyl-CoA Carboxylase subunit Beta (PCCB) and Protocadherin Alpha 12 (PCDHA12) genes were assessed in two groups of three-year-old children, those exposed to PME and healthy control children. AimsClarification of PME role in methylation level of two mitochondria function associated genes; PCCB and PCDHA12. Methods and proceduresIn this study, 2629 children with PME (1531male, 1098 female) and 3523(2077male, 1446 female) control children were recruited based on maternal self-report of prenatal exposure. Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood and pyrosequencing was used to determine the association between prenatal MA exposure and methylation in nine CpG sites of PCCB and PCDHA12 genes. Outcomes and resultsPrenatal methamphetamine exposure was associated with significant DNA hypomethylation of four out of five CpG sites in the PCCB gene and three out of four CpG sites in the PCDHA12 gene. Also, significant hypomethylation in the biding site of p53 transcription factor in PCCB gene was detected in children with PME. Conclusions and implicationsPrenatal methamphetamine exposure is related to epigenetic alterations in PCCB and PCDHA12, as important mitochondria function associated genes. Detected hypomethylation in these genes was reported in neurodevelopmental and bioenergetics disabilities. It seems that PME could cause mitochondrial dysfunctions associated with developmental abnormalities.What this paper adds?•Prenatal methamphetamine exposure affects developmental issues in newborns, especially in bioenergetic pathways that in turn may cause neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative problems.•This is the first cohort study on prenatal methamphetamine exposure's role in DNA Methylation of mitochondria functions associated with genes.

Early childhood income instability, food insecurity, and adolescents' behavioral health

AbstractObjectiveThis research examines the associations of early childhood income instability with subsequent behavioral outcomes in adolescence, paying attention to the mediating role of food insecurity.BackgroundExisting research has documented the rise in income instability in recent decades. Yet, few studies have addressed how income instability during early childhood may shape subsequent behavioral health outcomes in adolescence, beyond the effect of income levels. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the longitudinal link remains unexplored.MethodStructural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted with the Fragile Families and Child Well‐being Study, a longitudinal data set following families with children in 20 large cities in the United States (N = 3,422).ResultsIndependent from average income levels, both incidence and frequency of negative income changes were significantly indirectly associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence. Food insecurity operated as a mediator of the association.ConclusionThe results suggest cumulative associations between income instability and children's behavioral outcomes and the substantial role of food insecurity in linking the two.ImplicationsPolicies and programs need to promote economic stability during early childhood and to ensure food security in nurturing children's short‐ and long‐term well‐being.

Environmental Influences on the Behavioural and Emotional Outcomes of Children: A Network Analysis.

Background: Intellectual developmental disorders are a serious source of health morbidity with negative consequences for adults as well as children. However, there is limited evidence on the environmental, trace element, behavioural, and emotional outcomes in children. Here, we investigated whether there is any association between child behaviour and emotional outcomes and micronutrients using network analysis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 9-year-old children within a Pacific Island Families study birth cohort. Elemental concentration was determined in children’s toenails after acid digestion and analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We used network analysis to identify closely associated trace elements and tested the directions and strength of these trace elements. MANCOVA were used to identify the significant associations between individual elements and the behavioural/emotional function of the children using the children behaviour checklist (CBCL). At the final step, quantile regression analysis was used to assess and quantify the identified associations between CBCL function scores and manganese, adjusted by sex, ethnicity, and standardized BMI. Results: Three major nutrient networks were identified. In the Mn network, Mn was strongly positively associated with Al (0.63) and Fe (r = 0.65) and moderately associated with Pb (r = 0.45) and Sb (r = 0.42). Al was also strongly associated with Fe (r = 0.9). Children in the second or third clinical group, with an elevated externalized CBCL score, had a much higher mean and median level of Mn as compared to the normal range group. The aggression score was significantly associated with Mn concentration and sex. Higher Mn concentrations were associated with a higher aggression score. A 1 ug/g unit increase in Mn was associated with a 2.44-fold increase (95% confidence interval: 1.55–4.21) in aggression score, and boys had higher median aggression score than girls (difference: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.9–2.8). Attention and rule breaking scores were both significantly associated with Mn concentration. Higher Mn concentrations were associated with higher attention behaviour problem and rule breaking scores. A 1 ug/g unit increase in Mn was found to be associated with a 1.80-fold increase (95% confidence interval: 1.37–2.82) in attention score, and a 1.46-fold increase (95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.74) in the rule breaking score. Thought score was not significantly associated with Mn concentration (p = 0.13) but was significantly lower in boys (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Exceeding Mn levels is potentially toxic and has been identified to be associated with worse externalized children’s behavioural health and emotional well-being. Future studies are necessary to find the exposure paths so that advice shall be provided to family and care providers in public health and environmental protection.

Elemental analysis of hair provides biomarkers of maternal hardship linked to adverse behavioural outcomes in 4-year-old children: The QF2011 Queensland Flood Study

BackgroundExposure to adverse experiences during pregnancy, such as a natural disaster, can modify development of the child with potential long-term consequences. Elemental hair analysis may provide useful indicators of cellular homeostasis and child health. The present study investigated (1) if flood-induced prenatal maternal stress is associated with altered hair elemental profiles in 4-year-old children, and (2) if hair elemental profiles are associated with behavioural outcomes in children. MethodsParticipants were 75 children (39 boys; 36 girls) whose mothers were exposed to varying levels of stress due to a natural disaster (2011 Queensland Flood, Australia) during pregnancy. At 4 years of age, language development, attention and internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed and scalp hair was collected. Hair was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for 28 chemical elements. ResultsA significant curvilinear association was found between maternal objective hardship and copper levels in boys, as low and high maternal objective hardship levels were associated with the highest hair copper levels. Mediation analysis revealed that low levels of maternal objective hardship and high levels of copper were associated with lower vocabulary scores. Higher levels of maternal objective hardship were associated with higher magnesium levels, which in turn were associated with attention problems and aggression in boys. In girls, high and low maternal objective hardship levels were associated with high calcium/potassium ratios. ConclusionElemental hair analysis may provide a sensitive biomonitoring tool for early identification of health risks in vulnerable children.

Long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes following early exposure to general anesthetics.

Nearly 100 clinical studies have been published evaluating neurodevelopmental outcomes in children following surgery and anesthesia. These studies have reported mixed results, likely attributable at least in part to significant heterogeneity in their study designs, types and numbers of exposures, patient populations evaluated, and most importantly, the outcomes that were assessed. This review aims to summarize the results from clinical studies evaluating behavioral outcomes in children exposed to surgery and anesthesia. Children with early exposure to surgery and anesthesia were found to have limited to no differences in intelligence when compared with unexposed children. However, several studies have reported more behavioral problems in children exposed to general anesthesia. An increased incidence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has also been reported in anesthetic exposed children, particularly after multiple exposures. Nearly all clinical studies of anesthetic neurotoxicity are observational in nature, so the associations between anesthetic exposure and behavioral deficits cannot yet be directly attributed to the anesthetic medication. However, the finding of deficits in some neurodevelopmental domains and not others will help guide the selection of appropriate outcomes in future studies of anesthetic neurotoxicity that can further evaluate whether anesthetic medications have an impact on neurodevelopment in children.

The Role of Parenting Behaviour and Social Support on The Relationship Between Parenting Stress and Behavioural Outcomes of Autistic Children

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is challenging as the parents face many difficulties. In relation to this, parents with ASD children often experience more parenting stress than parents with typically developing children and other developmental disabilities. Studies have reported that parenting stress influences child behaviour problems; however, there is inconsistent research findings on the relationship. This is mainly due to the role of third variables (i.e., parenting behaviour and social support) that reveals variability in the research findings. Parenting behaviour in child rearing practices is closely linked with children behavioural outcomes. Research has suggested that negative parenting behaviour is associated with children behavioural problems and most parents act harshly towards their children when there are under stress. This implies that negative parenting behaviour mediates the relationship between parenting stress and children behavioural problems. However, there are also situations where parents with autistic children who experience stress do not practise negative parenting behaviour, in particular those who receive social support. This entails that social support could moderate the negative influence of parenting stress on parental behaviour. There is only a handful of studies that have been conducted on the role of third variables in the parent-autistic child relationship outside the Western context. Thus, there is a need to conduct more research on the role of third variables in non-Western populations, particularly in the Malaysian context. This paper aims to propose an empirical conceptual framework that investigates the role of parenting behaviour in mediating the relationship between parenting stress and autistic children’s behavioural problems and the moderating role of social support in mitigating the effect of parenting stress on parenting behaviour in the Malaysian context.

Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an App-Based Program for Mothers of Toddlers.

BackgroundFamilies have faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased maternal mental health problems and barriers to accessing care. Innovative programs are needed to support both maternal mental health and parenting, and to buffer the long-term impacts of stress on young children. Using a patient-oriented approach, our research team aimed to co-develop and pilot test an App-based psychoeducation and social-connection platform: Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM).MethodsThe co-development process involved a parent advisory board from conceptualization and design, through to direct participation in the program delivery. The BEAM program includes weekly videos and activities based on Unified Protocol therapy modules and emotion-focused parenting strategies, a weekly telehealth group review session, and access to a private online forum for support from other mothers and clinical coaches. A parallel randomized control trial was conducted across two provinces in Canada. Mothers of preschool children (aged 18–36 months old), with moderate-to-severe depression (Patient Health Questionaire-9 ≥ 10), were recruited online and randomized to either the 10-week BEAM intervention or treatment as usual (TAU) control group. Online surveys (ensuring researcher blinding) included questions about feasibility and acceptability of the program and pre/post self-report measures of mental health, parenting, positive coping and child behavior outcomes. The primary outcome measures were symptoms of depression and parenting stress. Data were analyzed using mixed models and an intention-to-treat approach.Results65 participants were randomized, by an online allocation tool, to the BEAM (n = 33) and TAU (n = 32) groups. Engagement was relatively high at the beginning of the program, with 78.8% starting the BEAM App and 70.6% attending ≥1 telehealth session. Most respondents felt socially supported, satisfied with the App, and found it easy to use. Pre-post results indicated interaction effects with greater reductions in overall mental health problems, and specifically anxiety and sleep symptoms, among BEAM vs. control participants. There were also time effects with reductions in depression symptoms across both groups. No significant treatment effects emerged for the other mental health symptoms, parenting problems, positive coping, or child behavior outcomes. Descriptive data are included to highlight possible areas of promise for future large efficacy trials. Technological difficulties and other challenges that may have led to attrition and impacted outcomes are discussed. There were no adverse events related to study participation.ConclusionsThe BEAM program has promise as a novel, feasible and acceptable intervention for improving mental health among mothers of young children.Clinical Trial Registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04772677].

Parent Stress and Trauma, Autonomic Responses, and Negative Child Behaviors.

Cumulative stress and trauma in parents may alter autonomic function. Both may negatively impact child behaviors, however these links have not been well established. We tested hypotheses that parent stress and trauma are associated with and interact with altered autonomic function during the toy wait task, an acute parent-child interaction challenge, to predict greater negative child behaviors. Sixty-eight parents and their 2-5year old children were enrolled. More parent major and traumatic life events, and more parent recent life events coupled with increased heart rate and decreased heart rate variability (HRV), each related to more child disruptive/aggressive behavior. More major life and traumatic life events coupled with greater HRV predicted more child attention seeking behavior. Our novel approach to assessing parental life stress offers a unique perspective. Interventions mitigating parent stress and regulating physiological coping during parent-child interactions may both promote better parent health and improve child behavioral outcomes.

COVID-19 Induced Environments, Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes and Problematic Behaviors: Evidence from Children with Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders

Between July 2020 and January 2021, 230 principal caregivers completed a questionnaire to measure proxy-assessed health-related quality of life outcomes (HRQoL), behavioral outcomes in children with syndromic autism spectrum disorders and COVID-19 induced changes to lifestyle and environments. HRQoL and behavioral outcomes reported earlier during the pandemic were generally worse compared to those reported later. COVID-19 induced reduction to a caregiver’s mental health appointments, and hours spent watching TV were associated with decreases in HRQoL and increased the likelihood of problematic behaviors. Increasing time outdoors and time away from digital devices were positively associated with HRQoL and behaviors and might protect children from COVID-19 induced restrictions.

Levels of FD&C certified food dyes in foods commonly consumed by children

Studies support a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children. The amount of Food, Drug, & Cosmetic (FD&C) dyes used in commercial food products is proprietary information and can only be determined through the direct analysis of foods. Herein FD&C dyes were quantified in ten categories of foods previously identified as commonly consumed by children. Dyes were isolated using solid phase extraction (SPE) and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Significant in-lot and between-lot variability was observed in some brands. FD&C Red No. 40 was the most prevalent dye identified in all food categories. The maximum exposure levels of FD&C dyes for an average-weight six-year-old to ten-year-old are all below 10 % of the US ADI for each food category based upon one serving per day. Red No. 40 accounted for 7–9 % of the maximum value of the US ADI in the drink categories for one serving. When the azo dyes are considered together, they contribute 10–22 % of the ADI in the drink categories and 8 % in the fruit snack/candy category based upon one serving. For an average weight six-year to ten-year old child, Red No. 40 is the most significant source of food dye in their diet.

Prenatal bisphenol A exposure in relation to behavioral outcomes in girls aged 4–5 and modification by socio-demographic factors in The Infant Development and Environment Study (TIDES)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a polymer used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. An estrogen mimic, prenatal BPA exposure has been associated with several behavioral outcomes in children; however, the impact of maternal demographic and economic factors on associations between BPA and child behavioral outcomes have not been examined. The objective of this study was to examine associations between prenatal maternal urinary BPA and behavior in 4–5 year old girls, and to assess whether socio-demographic factors modify this relationship. Mothers enrolled in The Infant Development and Environment Study (TIDES) provided a single spot urine at enrollment (median gestational age 11 weeks) and completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) when their daughters were 4–5 years of age. Mother-daughter pairs with complete phthalate, BASC-2, SRS-2, and covariate data were included in this analysis (N = 244). BPA was detectable in 93 % of urine samples. We used multivariable linear regression analyses to estimate associations between maternal urinary log10-transformed BPA concentration and BASC-2 subscale and composite scores and SRS-2 Total Score. To examine the role of socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with study site, we stratified by TIDES center, comparing those enrolled at University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), a predominately lower socioeconomic population, and those enrolled elsewhere: University of Washington, University of Minnesota, and University of California San Francisco, whose populations share similar higher socioeconomic demographic characteristics. Across all centers, no associations were seen between BPA and BASC-2 or SRS-2 scores. When stratifying by center, BPA was significantly associated with greater social impairment as measured by the SRS-2 Total Score (β-coefficient [95 % confidence intervals]: 5.1 [1.0, 9.2]) in URMC participants (N = 61). In non-URMC participants (N = 183), BPA was significantly associated with lower BASC-2 Internalizing composite (−3.3 [−6.7, 0.0]) and Depression subscale scores (−3.4 [−6.7, 0.0]) while no associations were seen between BPA and SRS-2 scores. Our findings suggest that sociodemographic factors may modify the impacts of maternal prenatal BPA on developmental endpoints.

EzPreemie study protocol: a randomised controlled factorial trial testing web-based parent training and coaching with parents of children born very preterm

IntroductionChildren born very preterm (VPT; gestational age <32 weeks) are twice as likely to demonstrate behaviour problems such as aggression, non-compliance, temper tantrums and irritability compared with their term-born peers....

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Parental Depression, Antidepressant Usage, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Stress and Anxiety as Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children.

Poor parental mental health and stress have been associated with children's mental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), through social, genetic, and neurobiological pathways. To determine the strength of the associations between parental mental health and child ADHD, we conducted a set of meta-analyses to examine the association of parent mental health indicators (e.g., parental depression, antidepressant usage, antisocial personality disorder, and stress and anxiety) with subsequent ADHD outcomes in children. Eligible ADHD outcomes included diagnosis or symptoms. Fifty-eight articles published from 1980 to 2019 were included. We calculated pooled effect sizes, accounting for each study's conditional variance, separately for test statistics based on ADHD as a dichotomous (e.g., diagnosis or clinical cutoffs) or continuous measurement (e.g., symptoms of ADHD subtypes of inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity). Parental stress and parental depression were significantly associated with increased risk for ADHD overall and both symptoms and diagnosis. Specifically, maternal stress and anxiety, maternal prenatal stress, maternal depression, maternal post-partum depression, and paternal depression were positively associated with ADHD. In addition, parental depression was associated with symptoms of ADHD inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive subtypes. Parental antisocial personality disorder was also positively associated with ADHD overall and specifically ADHD diagnosis. Prenatal antidepressant usage was associated with ADHD when measured dichotomously only. These findings raise the possibility that prevention strategies promoting parental mental health and addressing parental stress could have the potential for positive long-term impacts on child health, well-being, and behavioral outcomes.

0496 Sleep and Behavior Problems in Children with Overweight and Obesity

Abstract Introduction Limited studies have examined sleep variability in children with overweight and obesity, nor do studies focused on its relation with behavior outcomes in this high risk pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to examine sleep duration and its variability in relation to behavior outcomes in school-age children with overweight and obesity. Methods Sleep in 246 children aged 6-9 years with overweight and obesity was assessed using actigraphy for 7 days and through the parent-report Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Children’s behaviors were assessed using parental responses on the Behavior Assessment for Children. Children were categorized into 4 groups based on the median split of the average daily sleep duration and its variability: sufficient-stable, sufficient-variable, insufficient-stable, and insufficient-variable. General linear model (GLM) analyses were performed with the 4 sleep groups as the primary predictor variable and child behavior outcomes as the dependent variable. Results Average daily sleep duration by actigraphy was 7.52 hours, with 84.6% of the children having clinically significant CSHQ sleep disturbance scores and 68.3% having a total behavior problem score in the clinical range. In the unadjusted and adjusted GLM analysis, children in the insufficient-stable sleep duration category had significantly higher emotion problem (p &amp;lt; 0.05), self-control problem (p &amp;lt; 0.01), and total behavior problem scores (p &amp;lt; 0.01) when compared with those in the sufficient-stable sleep duration (reference) category. Children in the insufficient-variable sleep duration category had significantly higher self-control problem scores when compared with those in the reference category (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Conclusion School-age children with overweight and obesity coexist with sleep and behavior problems, with those who have persistent short sleep at the greatest risk for the worst behavior outcomes. Support (If Any) This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, MOST 107 - 2314 - B - 002 - 025 - MY3.

Parameterizing Toxic Stress in Early Childhood: Maternal Depression, Maltreatment, and HPA-Axis Variation in a Pilot Intervention Study.

Adverse experiences superseding a child's capacity to sustain regulation of emotion and adaptive function are theorized to constitute "toxic stressors"when they induce a deleterious biological response within an individual. We ascertained presumptive parameters of toxic stressamong 164 low-income infants and toddlers (ages 4-48months) from 132 families enrolled in Early Head Start (EHS). We randomized a subset of these families into a pilot intervention arm of parenting education (the Incredible Years, TIY), which supplemented the EHS curriculum. Official report child abuse and neglect (CAN) and child behavior were serially ascertained over the course of the study. We observed relatively low associations among maternal depression, CAN, caregiver-child relationship quality, hair cortisol, and adverse child behavioral outcomes. Moreover, despite poverty and thehigh prevalence (51%) of CAN in this sample, the frequency of clinical-level internalizing and externalizing behavior among the children did not exceed that of the general population, by their parents' report. The pilot supplementation of EHS with TIY improved attendance in group meetings but did not significantly reduce adverse behavioral outcomes or CAN. This study revealed marked independence of standard indices of toxic stress (child maltreatment, maternal depression, caregiver emotional unavailability) which have been presumed to be risk factors for the development of psychopathology. That they were weakly inter-correlated, and only modestly predictive of child behavioral outcomes in this EHS sample, caution against presumptions about the toxicity of individual stressors, highlight the importance of ascertaining risk (and compensatory influences) comprehensively, suggest buffering effects of programs like EHS, and demonstrate the need for greater understanding of what parameterizes resilience in early childhood.

Parent report of child behaviour: Findings from the Flint Registry cohort.

BackgroundChildren in Flint, Michigan, have multiple risk factors for behavioural challenges, including exposure to lead during the Flint water crisis. However, their behavioural health status is largely unknown. Robust data from the Flint Registry can help understand the burden of behavioural outcomes and inform the allocation of resources.ObjectivesThis population‐level evaluation of Flint children's behavioural outcomes aims to answer the question: What is the burden of parent‐reported child behaviour problems in Flint Registry enrolled children?MethodsThis cross‐sectional study describes parent‐reported behavioural outcomes of children 2–17 years old who enrolled in the Flint Registry between December 2018 and December 2020. Parents/guardians completed behavioural assessments including the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC‐3) Parent Rating Scale and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF2) Screening Parent Form. Demographics of enrolees were compared with census data. Composite BASC‐3 T scores were compared with national norms. Distributions for clinically relevant categories of BASC‐3 and BRIEF2 scores were examined across age and sex groups.ResultsOf the 3579 children included in this study (mean age 9.73 ± 3.96 years), about half were female and 79.7% were eligible for free or reduced‐price lunch. Almost half of the children were reported to have clinically concerning scores on the BASC‐3 Parent Rating Scale (44.7%) and the BRIEF2 Screening Parent Form (46.7%). Across most age and sex groupings, the reported adaptive skills were relatively low and behaviour symptoms relatively high.ConclusionsResults reveal a substantial burden of parent‐reported behavioural problems in Flint Registry children. This is clinically significant and indicates that a large number of children may require comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and potential medical and/or educational services. Recognising the potential for long‐term manifestations of childhood exposures to environmental hazards, longitudinal surveillance is critical to continue to identify and support participants.

Behavioral Outcomes of Children with Same-Sex Parents in The Netherlands.

Same-sex parents face substantial stressors due to their sexual orientation, such as experiences of prejudice and prohibitive legal environments. This added stress is likely to lead to reduced physical and mental health in same-sex parents that, in turn, may translate into problematic behavioral outcomes in their children. To date, there are only a few nationally representative studies that investigate the well-being of children with same-sex parents. The current study takes a closer look at children’s behavioral outcomes, reported by a parent, using an adapted version of the emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, pro-social, and peer problems subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We take advantage of unique data from the Netherlands based on a probability sample from population registers, whereby findings can be inferred to same-sex and different-sex parent households with parents between the ages of 30 and 65, and with children between the ages of 6 and 16 years (62 children with same-sex, and 72 children with different-sex parents). The findings obtained by coarsened exact matching suggest no significant disadvantages for children with same-sex parents compared to different-sex parents. We contextualize these findings in their wider cultural context, and recommend a renewed focus in future research away from deficit-driven comparisons.

Multidimensional poverty and children’s behavioral trajectories in immigrant families: Beating the odds?

Despite a large body of scholarship examining the relation between poverty and child behavioral outcomes, little is known about how such a relation may differ when poverty is viewed through a multidimensional lens. In addition, the evidence is mixed on the behavioral well-being of children of immigrants relative to their counterparts with U.S.-born parents under various poverty conditions. Using data from the ECLS-K (N ≈ 16,660), this study examines the relation among three dimensions of poverty—depth, volatility, and duration—and internalizing and externalizing behavioral trajectories from kindergarten through eighth grade, paying particular attention to children of immigrants with diverse racial-ethnic backgrounds. Growth-curve analysis results indicate that under the same poverty conditions, children of immigrants received more favorable ratings by teachers on internalizing and externalizing behaviors, but self-reported worse internalizing scores than children with U.S.-born parents. Among children of immigrants, Black and Hispanic children had relatively worse teacher-reported externalizing behaviors, while Hispanic and Asian children reported unfavorable internalizing behaviors. The results shed light on the intersectional forces of poverty, immigration, and race-ethnicity in shaping children’s behavioral trajectories, confirming aspects of the immigrant risk and immigrant paradox stories. The discrepancy between teacher- and youth-reported outcomes highlights the importance of using multiple informants.

Intergenerational transmission of trauma: unpacking the effects of parental adverse childhood experiences

ABSTRACT Background: Existing research documented the connection between individuals’ childhood trauma exposure and adverse health and behavioural health outcomes. However, less attention has been paid to understanding trauma in an intergenerational context. Objective: This study aims to fill this research gap by (1) exploring the association between parents’ trauma histories and child behavioural outcomes; (2) unpacking the effects of different types of parental trauma on child behavioural outcomes; (3) examining whether these associations vary by parental roles. Participants and Setting: This study recruited 202 parents from an online data collection platform – Amazon Mechanical Turk. Methods: We conducted regression analyses to examine the associations between parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their child’s behavioural problems and functioning. Results: Findings showed that only parental childhood maltreatment ACEs, but not family dysfunction ACEs, were significantly associated with child behavioural problems and functioning. The impact of parental child maltreatment ACEs on child behavioural problems was equally significant between fathers and mothers. In contrast, mothers’ childhood maltreatment ACEs exerted a more potent effect on child functioning. Conclusion: Study findings highlighted the need for child behavioural health services to incorporate the screening and treatment of parental ACEs in treatment programmes to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

Family economic hardship and children’s behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes in middle childhood: Direct and indirect pathways

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to examine whether and how family economic hardship would directly or indirectly affect primary school-aged children’s behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes, focusing on the mechanisms of family stress processes. MethodsThis study used four waves of data (kindergarten, first, third, and fourth grade) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K: 2011). The study sample comprised 13,611 American children whose caregivers responded to questions about the household-level poverty status, the indicator of family economic hardship. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test associations among family economic hardship, family stress processes, and child outcomes in the proposed pathway models. ResultsFamily poverty status was significantly and positively associated with economic pressure, which in turn negatively influenced caregiver psychological health and parenting behaviors, sequentially. Harsh, negative parenting significantly and positively predicts poor child behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes, such as greater levels of externalizing and internalizing behaviors and lower levels of self-control and interpersonal skills. In addition, the relationships between family economic hardship and child outcomes were partially or fully mediated through family stress processes, including parental stress and negative parenting practices. ConclusionFamily poverty is indirectly and significantly associated with primary school-aged children’s poor behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes through caregiver functioning. Given that the middle childhood years are a critical developmental stage in developing increased socioemotional skills, family-based interventions supporting family interactions and/or parental mental health support may help reduce the negative impact of disrupted caregiver functioning on child outcomes along with intervention efforts to alleviate economic hardship.