Hyperactivity-inattention Problems Research Articles

Sleep and internalizing problems in primary school children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Internalizing and externalizing problems have received great attention, and children with ADHD exhibit high rates of comorbid internalizing and externalizing disorders. This study aimed to explore the relationship between sleep and internalizing problems in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the probable mediating role of externalizing problems. A total of 203 primary school children diagnosed with ADHD for the first time were recruited for this study. Children with ADHD were evaluated by Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Internalizing problems were represented by emotional symptoms and peer problems of SDQ, and externalizing problems were represented by conduct problems and hyperactivity-inattention problems of SDQ. Multi-step linear regression analysis was used to investigate the mediating effect of externalizing problems on the relationship between sleep and internalizing problems. Sleep in children with ADHD was associated with emotional problems in internalizing problems, and conduct problems in externalizing problems mediated the association between sleep and emotional problems. For children with ADHD, when it is difficult to identify internalizing problems, especially emotional problems, we can take sleep and externalizing problems as clues to improve our clinical ability to recognize and deal with emotional problems. 1. We first explored the possible mediating role of conduct problems between sleep and emotional problems in primary school children with ADHD. 2. When it is difficult to identify internalizing problems, especially emotional problems, we can take sleep and externalizing problems as clues to improve our clinical ability to recognize emotional problems for children with ADHD. 3. For children with ADHD with potential internalizing problems, especially emotional problems, interventions for their sleep and externalizing problems may be the possible methods to deal with.

Child and Maternal Mental Health Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Social Inequalities in a Brazilian Birth Cohort

ObjectiveThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major stress for families and children, particularly in the context of prolonged school closures. Few longitudinal studies are available on young children’s mental health, including data both before and during the pandemic. This study examined experiences that might increase risk for mental health problems among caregivers and young children during the COVID-19 pandemic and inequalities driven by pre-pandemic disadvantage.MethodThis prospective, population-based birth cohort study in Pelotas, Brazil, analyzed 2,083 children and caregivers with data from before the pandemic in 2019, when children were 4 years old, and again in 2020, when schools were closed for a long period during the pandemic. Child conduct problems, emotional problems, and hyperactivity-inattention problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Family financial hardship, relationship difficulties, caregiver mental health, parenting practices, and child fears and isolation were considered as potential risk factors.ResultsAcross the whole population, the only significant increase in mental health problems from before to during the pandemic was found for maternal depression. However, poorer families were at far greater risk of experiencing serious financial problems, food shortages, increased conflict in adult relationships, parenting problems, and child worries about food availability during the pandemic. In turn, these difficulties were associated with increases in multiple mental health problems for both caregivers and children. Increased child mental health problems were most strongly associated with concurrent maternal anxiety (b > 0.20, p < .001, for each of child conduct, emotional, and hyperactivity problems), maternal depression (b = 0.26, p < .001, for child emotional problems), partner criticism (b = 0.21, p < .001, for child conduct problems), and harsh parenting (b > 0.20, p < .001, for both child conduct and hyperactivity problems). Child worry about COVID-19 was associated with increased emotional problems (b = 0.14, p < .001), but children’s isolation was not associated with their mental health.ConclusionOverall, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is a mixed picture, but for families in poverty, marked material and interpersonal difficulties were associated with increases in mental health problems among children and caregivers.

Child emotional and behavioral difficulties and parent stress during COVID-19 lockdown in Sri Lankan families.

IntroductionUnderstanding parents’ and children’s mental health issues would help design population-specific intervention programs. The present study explored parents’ perceived stress and child emotions and behavior during the COVID-19 lockdown among Sri Lankan families.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among Sri Lankan parents of children aged 11 to 17 years. Validated instruments (Perceived Stress Scale-PSS and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-SDQ) evaluated parental stress, child emotions, and hyperactivity/inattention. Multiple linear regression assessed the predictors of mental health issues, including the interaction between age and gender.ResultsThree hundred fifty-five parents responded to the survey (mothers:76%). One-third of parents experienced difficulties with their children during the pandemic. Emotions and hyperactivity-inattention problems measured via the SDQ scale were high among 38% of children, while the perceived stress was high in 79.2% of parents. Overall, child emotions and hyperactivity-inattention increased with decreasing age, increasing parent stress, having middle-income compared to high-income, and having a family member/close relative tested positive for COVID-19. Hyperactivity-inattention (29.3%) was more than the emotional problems (22%) among children. The emotional problems were reported more with increasing parent stress, while child hyperactivity-inattention alone was reported more with decreasing age, middle-income compared to high-income families, and increasing parent stress. Also, the interaction effect of age and gender indicated that higher age was related to greater parent-reported hyperactivity-inattention problems in males.ConclusionsThe findings highlight how the COVID-19 crisis and social isolation have contributed to increased parental stress and child emotional and hyperactivity-inattention problems. In addition to cautioning the healthcare workers, socio-culturally appropriate preventive and supportive mental health programs may help deal with further waves of COVID-19 or any other adverse circumstances.

Examining socioeconomic disparities in changes in adolescent mental health before and during different phases of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

This study examined socioeconomic disparities in changes in adolescent mental health between fall 2019 (pre‐COVID‐19), spring 2020 (initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) phase), and fall 2020 (prevailing COVID‐19 phase). Using data from 1429 adolescents (M age = 17.9) from tertiary vocational schools in the Netherlands with n = 386 participating in all three waves, linear and latent basis growth curve models were assessed and multigroup analyses conducted. Results showed a small but significant decrease in life satisfaction and small but significant increases in emotional problems, peer relationship problems, conduct problems, and hyperactivity‐inattention problems. For emotional problems and peer relationship problems, increases between pre‐COVID‐19 and the initial COVID‐19 phase were more pronounced than increases between the initial and prevailing COVID‐19 phase. In contrast, linear decreases were found for life satisfaction and linear increases for conduct problems and hyperactivity‐inattention problems over the course of the study. Mental health patterns were largely comparable for adolescents from families with varying socioeconomic status.

Mental health among unaccompanied refugee minors after settling in Norway: A matched cross-sectional study.

Aims: To describe the mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) settled in Norway and compare their responses to an age- and sex-matched sample of Norwegian young people. Methods: The data were from the Pathways to Independence study of URMs aged 15-20 years (n = 81; 82.7% male; response rate 80%) conducted in 2018-2019 in the Bergen municipality, Norway. The data from the URMs were linked to an age- and sex-matched group of young people from the Norwegian youth@hordaland study conducted in 2012 (n = 324). Mental health was assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: URMs were more likely to agree with most items pertaining to emotional problems, peer problems and prosocial subscales than Norwegian young people. Few differences were found for items on the conduct problems and hyperactivity-inattention problems scales. Poor psychometric properties, including weak factor loadings and low internal consistency, were detected for the SDQ subscales among URMs, except for the emotional problems subscale, indicating that the originally proposed five-factor model fitted the data poorly. Conclusions: URMs appear to have moderately more emotional problems than Norwegian young people. They are more likely to report being alone, getting along better with adults than with their peers and being bullied, but also report being more helpful and sharing with others. Studies with larger samples of URMs should determine the most appropriate factor structure of the SDQ when administered to URM samples.

Independent associations between residential neighbourhood and school characteristics and adolescent mental health in the Netherlands.

This study examined associations between characteristics of the residential neighbourhood and the school and adolescent mental health, including the moderating role of family socioeconomic status (SES) and family support. Nationally representative Dutch data from adolescents aged 12-16 (N=6422) were analysed through cross-classified multilevel models. Findings showed that school characteristics are more strongly linked to adolescent mental health than residential neighbourhood characteristics. More specifically, higher levels of school SES were associated with more hyperactivity-inattention problems, while higher levels of school social disorder were related to more conduct problems and more peer relationship problems. Further, higher levels of school SES were associated with more emotional symptoms only for adolescents with a relatively low family SES. Higher levels of neighbourhood SES were associated with fewer peer relationship problems. Overall, there was little evidence for the moderating role of family SES or family support.

Children’s Diet at 2 Years and Trajectories of Hyperactivity-Inattention Symptoms and Conduct Problems Between 3 and 8 Years: The EDEN Cohort

BackgroundAlthough the role of diet is increasingly acknowledged in psychiatry, data are still scarce regarding its early impact on the most significant behavioral disorders of childhood (i.e., hyperactivity-inattention and conduct problems). ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to explore the relation between children’s dietary patterns at 2 years and developmental trajectories of hyperactivity-inattention and conduct problems between 3 and 8 years. MethodsWe recruited 1432 mother-child dyads from the French EDEN (etude sur les déterminants pré- et postnatals du développement et de la santé de l’enfant) mother-child cohort to conduct the analyses. Three dietary patterns, labeled guidelines, processed and fast foods, and baby foods, were identified using an FFQ in children aged 2 years in a previous study. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess hyperactivity-inattention and conduct problems at 3, 5, and 8 years of age and build related trajectories from 3 to 8 years. The relation between children’s dietary patterns at 2 years and the worst developmental trajectories of hyperactivity-inattention and conduct problems were determined with multivariable logistic regressions adjusted for potential socioeconomic, maternal, and child confounders. ResultsThe score on the guidelines dietary pattern was negatively associated with the risk of hyperactivity-inattention problems (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60–0.94), contrary to adherence to the baby foods dietary pattern (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.16–1.71). ConclusionsDistinct patterns of children’s diet at 2 years were predictive of developmental trajectories of hyperactivity-inattention problems between 3 and 8 years. These results highlight the relevance of conducting further studies to clarify the mechanisms involved.

Strengths and difficulties in children with specific learning disabilities.

The study aims to investigate the social, emotional, and behavioral challenges in children with a specific learning disability (SLD) and to identify the factors that accompany these problems by screening with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The descriptive study was conducted on 278 children with SLD. Strengths and difficulties in children were evaluated by the SDQ applied to their mothers. The percentage of cases above the cut-off limits of the SDQ was calculated. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for analysis. The mean (SD) total SDQ score was 15.8 (6.5). The percentage of scores of abnormal total difficulties in SLD was 47.8%. Multivariate analysis revealed that cases exposed to antenatal smoking had higher odds ratio of abnormal emotional symptoms and abnormal total difficulties; cases with poor familial income and the presence of a history of antenatal smoking exposure showed considerably higher odds ratio of conduct problems; cases with younger age at the diagnosis of SLD, dyscalculia, extreme duration of preschool screen time (≥4h), and history of hospitalization had significantly higher odds ratio for hyperactivity-inattention problems; and cases having shorter breastfeeding duration had higher odds ratio of peer problems compared to counterparts. Children with SLD have a high score on the SDQ. Practitioners could especially give guidance and support to families with financial problems and those having a child with an early age at diagnosis, exposure to antenatal smoking, short breastfeeding period, early age of the first screen use, and long screen exposure duration during the preschool period.

Psychological and behavioral complications in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Sohag

BackgroundType 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease mainly diagnosed in children and adolescents. It has multiple psychiatric comorbidities. Our aim in this study was to determine the prevalence of psychological and behavioral problems in children and adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and to find if there is a strong correlation between these problems and different epidemiological- and disease-related factors such as age of the child, duration of diabetes, and other risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study and compared between 564 children diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1 (who attended Specialized Health Insurance Clinic in Sohag City, Upper Egypt, during the year 2018/2020) and 564 non-diabetic children matched with the diabetic children for age, sex, and socio-economic status. We used “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)” to screen for behavioral, social, and emotional problems in diabetic and control children. “SDQ” is a 25-item brief behavioral screening questionnaire that consists of five subscales which are emotional problems, hyperactivity-inattention problems, conduct problems, peer problems, and prosocial behavior subscales. It generates total score and individual score for each subscale.ResultsIn our study, we found that diabetic children had significantly higher prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems than control children (92.37% of diabetic children versus 20.2% of control children had abnormal total SDQ score with P value < 0.001). All subscales of SDQ except prosocial subscale were significantly affected in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus than control children with P value < 0.001. Certain factors were significantly associated with impaired subscales of SDQ scale. We found a positive correlation between age and emotional, hyperactivity and conduct problems as these problems were more frequent in older children. Female children had more hyperactivity and conduct problems than male children (68.6%, 71.7% vs. 58.0%, 62.0%, P 0.002 and 0.003, respectively) while male children were more affected by emotional problems than female children (68% vs. 57.4%, P 0.003). Peer problems were more prevalent in children of parents with higher educational level. Children with positive family history of diabetes were less affected by emotional problems than children with negative family history (50% vs.64.3%, P 0.04). Longer duration of disease was associated with increased prevalence of peer and emotional problems. Poor control of diabetes increased the prevalence of conduct and emotional problems (P 0.007 and 0.022, respectively).ConclusionChildren with type 1 diabetes mellitus have more emotional, hyperactivity, conduct, and peer problems than non-diabetic children. These findings indicate a need to screen diabetic children and adolescents for behavioral and emotional problems and treat these problems if found.

Twin Study of the Relationship between Childhood Negative Emotionality and Hyperactivity/Inattention Problems.

The present study aimed to determine the genetic and environmental etiology of the association between childhood negative emotionality (NE) and hyperactivity/inattention problems (HIP) using South Korean elementary school twins (mean age = 10.19 years, SD = 1.79 years). Telephone interviews were given to mothers of 919 twins (229 monozygotic males: 112 pairs and 5 individuals; 148 dizygotic males: 73 pairs and 2 individuals; 180 monozygotic females: 87 pairs and 6 individuals; 103 dizygotic females: 50 pairs and 3 individuals; 259 opposite-sex dizygotic twins: 127 pairs and 5 individuals) to assess their children's NE and HIP. Consistent with prior studies, the phenotypic correlation between NE and the HIP was moderate (r = .29; 95% CI = .24, .34). Model-fitting analysis revealed that additive genetic and nonshared environmental influences on NE were .45 (95% CI [.34, .54]) and .55 (95% CI [.46, .66]), respectively, and that additive and nonadditive genetic, and nonshared environmental influences on HIP were .08 (95% CI [.03, .26]), .41 (95% CI [.21, .51]) and .51 (95% CI = .42, .61), respectively. In addition, the additive genetic correlation between NE and HIP was 1.0 (95% CI [.52, 1.00]), indicating that additive genetic factors are entirely shared between the two phenotypes. Nonadditive genetic influences were unique to HIP and not responsible for the NE-HIP association. Nonshared environmental correlation was significant but modest (re = .18, 95% CI [.06, .30]).

Night-sleep Duration Trajectories and Behavior in Preschoolers: Results from a Prospective Birth Cohort Study

ABSTRACT Background: Short sleep duration is associated with concomitant behavioral difficulties, but the longitudinal association between sleep duration and later behavior in early childhood remains unclear. The aim was to study the association between sleep duration trajectories throughout preschool and behavior at age 5–6 years. Participants: 1021 children of the French birth-cohort EDEN were included in this study. Methods: Night-sleep duration trajectories were modeled on the basis of repeated measures collected at age 2, 3 and 5–6 years by parental questionnaires. Behavior was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), with five subscales measuring conduct problems, emotional symptoms, peer relation problems, antisocial behavior, and hyperactivity-inattention problems. The subscales were dichotomized by the 25th percentile. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for baseline behavior, and assessment of multiple confounding factors allowed for studying the independent association between night-sleep duration trajectories from age 2 to 5-6 and behavior at age 5–6. Results: Five distinct sleep-duration trajectories were identified. At age 5–6 years, probability of hyperactivity-inattention problems was increased for boys belonging to the “short sleep” and “medium-low sleep” duration trajectory and girls belonging to the “changing sleep” duration trajectory as compared with children with the medium-high sleep duration trajectory (boys: OR 2.69 [95% CI 1.18–6.16], p = .03 and 1.95 [1.25–3.03], p = .003, and girls: OR 2.79 [1.09– 7.17], p = .03). No associations were observed with the other SDQ subscales. Conclusion: The persistence of short night-sleep durations in preschool years as well as a sudden decrease at age 3 are risk factors of hyperactivity-inattention problems at school start. Abbreviations: SS: short-sleep duration trajectory; MLS: medium-low-sleep duration trajectory; MHS: medium-high-sleep duration trajectory; LS: long-sleep duration trajectory; CS: changing-sleep duration trajectory

Reliability and validity of the self-report version of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire - Revised (EATQ-R) Short Form in a Turkish sample.

This paper presents the first study to examine the psychometric qualities of a Turkish translation and adaptation of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire - Revised (EATQ-R). Participants included 1,109 Turkish adolescents (48.7% females) aged 11 to 15 years. Results showed that internal consistency of the broad EATQ-R factors ranged from .65 to .74, internal consistency of the 11 fine-grained scales was comparable to that reported for the original English instrument, and test-retest stability of EATQ-R scales ranged from .60 to .70. Principal axis factoring of the scales revealed a three-factor structure (Effortful Control, Surgency, and Affiliativeness) that roughly reflected the structure obtained in U.S. samples. Item-level factor analysis revealed and confirmed eight factors consistent with a priori scales. Concurrent validity, assessed through correlations between EATQ-R and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales, found that Effortful Control was negatively correlated with Total Difficulties and Hyperactivity-Inattention Problems; Effortful Control, Affiliativeness, and Surgency were positively correlated with Prosocial Behaviors; and Frustration was linked to Emotional, Conduct, Hyperactivity-Inattention, and Total Difficulties. Our results suggest that the EATQ-R is a useful questionnaire to measure reactive and regulative temperamental traits in Turkish children and adolescents.

Revising the self-report strengths and difficulties questionnaire for cross-country comparisons of adolescent mental health problems: the SDQ-R

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been used in many epidemiological studies to assess adolescent mental health problems, but cross-country comparisons of the self-report SDQ are scarce and so far failed to find a good-fitting, common, invariant measurement model across countries. The present study aims to evaluate and establish a version of the self-report SDQ that allows for a valid cross-country comparison of adolescent self-reported mental health problems. Using the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, the measurement model and measurement invariance of the 20 items of the self-report SDQ measuring adolescent mental health problems were evaluated. Nationally representative samples of 11-, 13- and 15-year old adolescents (n = 33 233) from seven countries of different regions in Europe (Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia) were used. In order to establish a good-fitting and common measurement model, the five reverse worded items of the self-report SDQ had to be removed. Using this revised version of the self-report SDQ, the SDQ-R, partial measurement invariance was established, indicating that latent factor means assessing conduct problems, emotional symptoms, peer relationships problems and hyperactivity-inattention problems could be validly compared across the countries in this study. Results showed that adolescents in Greece scored relatively low on almost all problem subscales, whereas adolescents in Poland scored relatively high on almost all problem subscales. Adolescents in the Netherlands reported the most divergent profile of mental health problems with the lowest levels of conduct problems, low levels of emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems, but the highest levels of hyperactivity-inattention problems. With six factor loadings being non-invariant, partial measurement invariance was established, indicating that the 15-item SDQ-R could be used in our cross-country comparison of adolescent mental health problems. To move the field of internationally comparative research on adolescent mental health forward, studies should test the applicability of the SDQ-R in other countries in- and outside Europe, continue to develop the SDQ-R as a cross-country invariant measure of adolescent mental health, and examine explanations for the found country differences in adolescent mental health problems.

Mental health problems and school performance in first graders: results of the prospective cohort study ikidS.

We aimed to estimate unbiased effects of mental health problems (MHPs) on school performance in first graders, with an emphasis on rigorous adjustment for potential confounders. A population-based prospective cohort study was performed in the area of Mainz-Bingen (Germany). In 2015, all preschoolers were approached, and the presence and type of MHP (externalising/internalising) and other physical chronic health conditions were identified by the preschool health examination and study-specific questionnaires. At the end of the first grade, school performance (reading, writing, numeracy, and science) was assessed by the class teacher and rated on a four-item scale ranging from - 8 to + 8. Of 3683 children approached, 2003 (54%) were enrolled. School performance was available for 1462 children (51% boys, mean age 7.3years). Of these, 41% had signs of at least one MHP. Compared to children without indications of mental and physical chronic health conditions, children with MHPs had lower school performance scores [adjusted mean difference - 0.98, 95% CI (- 1.35; - 0.61); P < 0.001]. Regarding the type of MHP, externalising MHPs were associated with poor school performance [adjusted mean difference - 1.44, 95% CI (- 1.83; - 1.05); P < 0.001], while internalising MHPs were not. Children with hyperactivity inattention problems were most affected [adjusted mean difference - 1.96, 95% CI (- 2.36; - 1.56); P < 0.001]. Externalising MHPs and in particular hyperactivity inattention problems may already affect school performance in early primary school. Identification of children with externalising MHPs prior to school entry may help to prevent impaired academic achievement in affected children.

Sleep problems and mental health among young Norwegian adolescents

Purpose: The present study investigated the associations between the aspects of sleep problems and mental health in Norwegian young adolescents.Materials and methods: Adolescents (12–13 years) were recruited from the primary schools in Telemark County, Norway. Sleep related problems were assessed by asking parents three questions related to their childrens’ sleep quality, sleep sufficiency, and daytime sleepiness. Parents reported data on mental health by the extended version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and information on the child’s physical activity, screen time, eating pattern, gender, and background variables. Height and weight were objectively measured. Complete data were obtained for 690 adolescents.Results: Multiple logistic regressions were used. Bivariate analyses indicated important associations between the sleep aspects and mental health. When adjusting the sleep variables for each other, lifestyle factors and background variables, sleep quality problems were associated with any psychiatric problem (ORadj: 4.0, CI: 2.0-8.2), emotional problems (ORadj: 15.1, CI: 3.4-66.8), and hyperactivity-inattention problems (ORadj: 5.1, CI: 2.2-12.1). Daytime sleepiness problems were associated with any psychiatric problem (ORadj: 2.3, CI: 1.2-4.4), and hyperactivity-inattention problems (ORadj: 2.5, CI: 1.1-5.5). Bivariate associations between problems with sufficient sleep and mental health problems lost the significance when adjusted for other sleep variables.Conclusions: The results indicate that different aspects of sleep problems may be important underlying factors for mental health problems in adolescents, independently of lifestyle factors, BMI-category, gender, and background variables. This highlights the importance of examining specific sleep problems when investigating associations between sleep and mental health.

Language Difficulty at School Entry and the Trajectories of Hyperactivity-Inattention Problems from Ages 4 to 11: Evidence from a Population-Representative Cohort Study.

Latent growth curve modelling was used to contrast the developmental trajectories of hyperactivity-inattention (H-I) problems across childhood for children with a language difficulty at the start of school and those with typical language and to examine if the presence of a language difficulty moderates the associations of child, parent and peer predictors with these trajectories. Unconditional and language-status conditional latent growth curves of H-I problems were estimated for a large nationally representative cohort of children, comprising 1627 boys (280 - language difficulty) and 1609 girls (159 - language difficulty) measured at age 4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9 and 10 to 11. Multiple regression tested interaction between language status and predictors of the level and slope of the trajectory of H-I problems. On average, boy's H-I behaviours showed temporal stability while for girls H-I decreased over time with a slower rate of decrease with age. For both boys and girls, the levels of H-I problems were persistently elevated for those with a language difficulty compared to their peers. Neither the shape nor rate of change of H-I problems were associated with language status. Child sociability predicted the rate of growth in H-I for boys with a language difficulty but not for other boys. Child prosocial behaviours and parental psychological distress predicted the rate of growth in H-I for girls with a language difficulty but not for other girls. Parental hostility was associated with the rate of growth only for boys with typical language. The findings indicate that having a language difficulty at school entry is associated with persistently higher levels of H-I problems across childhood and moderates the rate of their growth in some circumstances.

Medical benefits in young adulthood: a population-based longitudinal study of health behaviour and mental health in adolescence and later receipt of medical benefits

ObjectivesTo examine the extent to which smoking, alcohol, physical activity and mental health problems in 15–16-year-olds are associated with receipt of medical benefits in young adulthood, after adjustment for confounders.DesignProspective...

Does the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - self report yield invariant measurements across different nations? Data from the International Child Mental Health Study Group.

This study evaluated the measurement invariance of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) self-report among adolescents from seven different nations. Data for 2367 adolescents, aged 13-18 years, from India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Croatia were available for a series of factor analyses. The five-factor model including original SDQ scales emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention problems, peer problems and prosocial behaviour generated inadequate fit degree in all countries. A bifactor model with three factors (i.e., externalising, internalising and prosocial) and one general problem factor yielded adequate degree of fit in India, Nigeria, Turkey and Croatia. The prosocial behaviour, emotional symptoms and conduct problems factor were found to be common for all nations. However, originally proposed items loaded saliently on other factors besides the proposed ones or only some of them corresponded to proposed factors in all seven countries. Due to the lack of a common acceptable model across all countries, namely the same numbers of factors (i.e., dimensional invariance), it was not possible to perform the metric and scalar invariance test, what indicates that the SDQ self-report models tested lack appropriate measurement invariance across adolescents from these seven nations and it needs to be revised for cross-country comparisons.

Psychological and Socio-Cultural Adaptation of Immigrant and National Adolescents in Australia: A Test of the Acculturative Stress Hypothesis

Purpose: The first aim of this study was to test the acculturative stress hypothesis within the Australian context predicting that immigrant adolescents are more prone to psychological and socio-cultural adaptation problems than their national Australian peers. The second aim of the study was to profile the socio-demographic factors underlying adaptation problems. Methods: The study utilised stratified surveys conducted by the New South Wales Ministry of Health during the years 2005-2008. The surveys collected information on socio-demographics, and psychological problems (i.e. emotional problems) and socio-cultural problems (i.e. hyperactivity-inattention, peer problems, and conduct problems). Adolescents aged 11-15 years (n = 5,779 for the total sample; n = 638, n = 5054, for immigrants and nationals, respectively) were included. Logistic regression analyses, taking observations’ weights into account, were used for the adaptation problems outcomes. Results: The two groups differed in socio-cultural adaptation problems only (specifically in hyperactivity-inattention), with nationals having greater odds for this than immigrants even after adjusting for socio-demographics (adjusted OR = 2.23; 95% CI = 1.23—4.06). While immigrant adolescents’ sex was associated with hyperactivity-inattention problems only, sex was associated with emotional problems, hyperactivity-inattention problems, and conduct problems among national adolescents. In addition, mothers’ education was associated with conduct problems and household income was associated with peer problems among national adolescents only. Conclusions: Contrary to the acculturative stress hypothesis, this study shows that immigrant adolescents do not seem maladaptive. In addition, certain socio-demographic factors play a differential role in the emergence of adaptation problems among immigrant and national adolescents.

The Association of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 and D2 with Behavioural Problems in Childhood

BackgroundHigher serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), an indicator of vitamin D synthesis and intake, have been associated with better mental health and cognitive function. Concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (the active vitamin D3 metabolite) have been associated with openness and extrovert behaviour, but 25(OH)D concentrations have not been associated with behavioural problems in humans.MethodsWe investigated the prospective association between the different forms of 25(OH)D - 25(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D2– and childhood behavioural problems in Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Serum 25(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D2 concentrations were assessed at mean age 9.9 years. Incident behavioural problems were assessed with Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention problems, peer relationship problems and pro-social behaviour subscales and total difficulties score) at mean age 11.7. Sample sizes varied between 2413-2666 depending on the outcome.ResultsHigher 25(OH)D3 concentrations were weakly associated with lower risk of prosocial problems (fully adjusted odds ratio: OR (95% confidence interval: CI) 0.85 (0.74, 0.98)). Serum 25(OH)D3 or 25(OH)D2 concentrations were not associated with other subscales of SDQ or total difficulties score after adjusting for concfounders and other measured analytes related to vitamin D.ConclusionsOur findings do not support the hypothesis that 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in childhood has important influences on behavioural traits in humans.