Risk Factor For Child Development Research Articles

Auditory chaos classification in real-world environments.

Household chaos is an established risk factor for child development. However, current methods for measuring household chaos rely on parent surveys, meaning existing research efforts cannot disentangle potentially dynamic bidirectional relations between high chaos environments and child behavior problems. We train and make publicly available a classifier to provide objective, high-resolution predictions of household chaos from real-world child-worn audio recordings. To do so, we collect and annotate a novel dataset of ground-truth auditory chaos labels compiled from over 411 h of daylong recordings collected via audio recorders worn by infants in their homes. We leverage an existing sound event classifier to identify candidate high chaos segments, increasing annotation efficiency 8.32 relative to random sampling. Our best-performing model successfully classifies four levels of real-world household auditory chaos with a macro F1 score of 0.701 (Precision: 0.705, Recall: 0.702) and a weighted F1 score of 0.679 (Precision: 0.685, Recall: 0.680). In future work, high-resolution objective chaos predictions from our model can be leveraged for basic science and intervention, including testing theorized mechanisms by which chaos affects children's cognition and behavior. Additionally, to facilitate further model development we make publicly available the first and largest balanced annotated audio dataset of real-world household chaos.

Интеркогортный анализ родительских факторов риска развитию ребенка на первом году жизни

Children develop rapidly in the first year of life and this period should create a solid ground for their health in future. Diseases of the nervous system, mental and behavioral disorders occupy leading places among causes of childhood disability. Given that, the aim of this study was to search for parental risk factors endangering physical and neuropsychic development of infants. Infants living in Vologda region were selected as a research object. Our informational basis was represented by sample data of the prospective monitoring over children’s health (894 children from five different cohorts born in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014 and 2020); statistical and sociological data on prevalence of risk factors in Russia and in the region. The information was provided by healthcare workers (obstetrician-gynecologist, neonatologist, and pediatrician) and children’s mothers. The applied methodology included inter- and intra-cohort sociological analysis; calculation of relative risk (RR) to assess a correlation between developmental delay and parental factors. Child development was assessed by a pediatrician using abnormal psychology and adaptation approaches. We analyzed Russian and foreign studies that focused on the same research subject. We calculated relative risks of various social-demographic, socioeconomic, biomedical and environmental factors for the development of children who participated in the cohort monitoring. This allowed us to identify those with prognostic value including young age of parents (RR = 1.40); a single-parent family (RR = 1.46), bad relationships between spouses (RR = 1.36); low purchasing ability of a family (RR = 1.59), poor living conditions (RR = 1.66); a future mother being exposed to chemicals and toxic substances (RR = 1.31), gas pollution (RR = 2.02), hand high temperatures (RR = 1.56) at her workplace one year prior to childbirth; a smoking mother (RR = 1.56); a father having a sexually transmitted disease (RR = 3.23); abnormal pregnancy. The identified risk factors for child development occur prior to childbirth and are manageable. Awareness about them makes it possible to neutralize their negative influence when a pregnancy is being planned. Our analysis of statistical and sociological data has revealed a descending trend for prevalence of practically all the analyzed risk factors. Still, some factors cause certain concern including high prevalence of smoking among women, future mothers included; prevalence of anemia in pregnant women; unresolved financial issues and poor living conditions of a considerable share of families who are expecting a child; effects produced on women by harmful working conditions. The results of this study can be used for developing programs aimed at protecting child’s health at any level, from an individual to the national one.

Inter-cohort analysis of parental risk factors for development of infants

Children develop rapidly in the first year of life and this period should create a solid ground for their health in future. Diseases of the nervous system, mental and behavioral disorders occupy leading places among causes of childhood disability. Given that, the aim of this study was to search for parental risk factors endangering physical and neuropsychic development of infants. Infants living in Vologda region were selected as a research object. Our informational basis was represented by sample data of the prospective monitoring over children’s health (894 children from five different cohorts born in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014 and 2020); statistical and sociological data on prevalence of risk factors in Russia and in the region. The information was provided by healthcare workers (obstetrician-gynecologist, neonatologist, and pediatrician) and children’s mothers. The applied methodology included inter- and intra-cohort sociological analysis; calculation of relative risk (RR) to assess a correlation between developmental delay and parental factors. Child development was assessed by a pediatrician using abnormal psychology and adaptation approaches. We analyzed Russian and foreign studies that focused on the same research subject. We calculated relative risks of various social-demographic, socioeconomic, biomedical and environmental factors for the development of children who participated in the cohort monitoring. This allowed us to identify those with prognostic value including young age of parents (RR = 1.40); a single-parent family (RR = 1.46), bad relationships between spouses (RR = 1.36); low purchasing ability of a family (RR = 1.59), poor living conditions (RR = 1.66); a future mother being exposed to chemicals and toxic substances (RR = 1.31), gas pollution (RR = 2.02), hand high temperatures (RR = 1.56) at her workplace one year prior to childbirth; a smoking mother (RR = 1.56); a father having a sexually transmitted disease (RR = 3.23); abnormal pregnancy. The identified risk factors for child development occur prior to childbirth and are manageable. Awareness about them makes it possible to neutralize their negative influence when a pregnancy is being planned. Our analysis of statistical and sociological data has revealed a descending trend for prevalence of practically all the analyzed risk factors. Still, some factors cause certain concern including high prevalence of smoking among women, future mothers included; prevalence of anemia in pregnant women; unresolved financial issues and poor living conditions of a considerable share of families who are expecting a child; effects produced on women by harmful working conditions. The results of this study can be used for developing programs aimed at protecting child’s health at any level, from an individual to the national one.

Mental-Health Trajectories of U.S. Parents With Young Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Universal Introduction of Risk.

Parents of young children were a subgroup of the population identified early in the pandemic as experiencing significant mental-health symptoms. Using a longitudinal sample of 3,085 parents from across the United States who had a child or children age 0 to 5, in the present study, we identified parental mental-health trajectories from April to November 2020 predicted by pre-COVID-19 cumulative risk and COVID-19-specific risk factors. Both growth-mixture modeling and latent-growth-curve modeling were used to test the relationship between risk factors and parent mental health. Pre-COVID-19 cumulative risk and COVID-19-specific risks of financial strain, decreased employment, and increased family conflict were salient risk factors predicting poor mental-health trajectories across both modeling approaches. These finding have public-health implications because prolonged exposure to mental-health symptoms in parents constitutes a risk factor for child development.

Association of regional socioeconomic deprivation and rurality with global developmental delay in early childhood: Data from mandatory school entry examinations in Germany

From birth to young adulthood, health and development of young people are strongly linked to their living situation, including their family's socioeconomic position (SEP) and living environment. The impact of regional characteristics on development in early childhood beyond family SEP has been rarely investigated. This study aimed to identify regional predictors of global developmental delay at school entry taking family SEP into consideration.We used representative, population-based data from mandatory school entry examinations of the German federal state of Brandenburg in 2018/2019 with n=22,801 preschool children. By applying binary multilevel models, we hierarchically analyzed the effect of regional deprivation defined by the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (GISD) and rurality operationalized as inverted population density of the children's school district on global developmental delay (GDD) while adjusting for family SEP (low, medium and high).Family SEP was significantly and strongly linked to GDD. Children with the highest family SEP showed a lower odds for GDD compared to a medium SEP (female: OR=4.26, male: OR=3.46) and low SEP (female: OR=16.58, male: OR=12.79). Furthermore, we discovered a smaller, but additional and independent effect of regional socioeconomic deprivation on GDD, with a higher odds for children from a more deprived school district (female: OR=1.35, male: OR=1.20). However, rurality did not show a significant link to GDD in preschool children beyond family SEP and regional deprivation.Family SEP and regional deprivation are risk factors for child development and of particular interest to promote health of children in early childhood and over the life course.

Maternal depression and child development: A prospective analysis of consequences, risk and protective factors

Maternal depression and child development: A prospective analysis of consequences, risk and protective factors Abstract. Objective: Maternal stress, specifically maternal mental health problems, are considered risk factors for child development. The literature suggests that prenatal depressive symptoms as well as depressive symptoms are a widespread phenomenon during the further development of the child and have repeatedly been shown to have adverse effects on child mental health outcomes. The present study examined the longitudinal relationships between maternal depression (prenatal, postnatal, during childhood and adolescence) and child mental health from childhood to adolescence. Possible risk and protective factors were also considered. Method: N = 112 mothers were assessed for depressive symptoms via a questionnaire at four different timepoints (prenatal, T1; postnatal, T2; during childhood, T3; during adolescence, T4). Children's externalizing and internalizing symptoms (50.9 % girls) were assessed by their mothers both during childhood (M = 7.68, SD = 0.76 years) and during adolescence (M = 13.23, SD = 0.27 years). We evaluated the relationships between maternal depressive symptoms and children's externalizing/internalizing symptoms using multiple regression models and analyzed possible risk and protective factors using moderation analysis. Results: Externalizing/Internalizing symptoms were not directly associated with maternal depressive symptoms, while associations between such symptoms and maladaptive behavior were found in adolescents. The socioeconomic status of families showed a different risk profile for prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms. The IQ of the children proved to be a risk factor for internalizing symptoms. Conclusions: Maternal depressive symptoms at any time during child development - in combination with further risk factors - have an impact on child mental health. The early identification of maternal symptoms followed by interventions to differentiate between prenatal and postnatal depression - especially in the context of socioeconomic status - are highly relevant for child development.

Risk and protective factors to early childhood development during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To analyze the risk and protective factors to the development of children under three years of age during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional, quantitative study carried out in three early childhood education centers in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in October 2020. The data were collected with an online questionnaire. Risk and protection factors were measured with the Primeira Infância Para Adultos Saudáveis (Early Childhood For Healthy Adults) instrument and the children's development status was measured using the Caregiver Reported Early Development Instruments - CREDI. The study included 108 parents and guardians of children up to three years of age. Living with grandparents and participating in cash transfer programs were protective factors for child development. The family being headed by a woman posed a significant risk factor for child development. Intersectoral actions to support families headed by women and access to cash transfer programs are essential for promoting equity opportunities for the development in early childhood.

Parents' Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence as a Risk Factor for Early Childhood Development: Testing an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model Using UNICEF MICS.

Purpose: While the importance of domestic violence has been examined in relation to parenting behaviors and child development, less is known about the link between justifying attitudes toward wife beating and parenting, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This study employs an actor-partner interdependence mediation model to examine how parents' justifying attitudes toward violence against women relate to their own (actor effects) and their partners' (partner effects) level of parental involvement, which then influence their preschool children's early development. Method: Using data from mothers, fathers, and children in 16,010 families residing in LMIC that participated in UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Waves 4-5-6 and a dyadic mediation modeling approach, we have examined the associations between maternal and paternal justification of violence against women, parental involvement, and children's early development. Results: Results revealed that mothers' greater justification of violence against themselves were associated with decreased level of maternal (actor effect) and paternal (partner effect) involvement, while fathers' greater justification of violence against their wives was related to decreased paternal involvement (actor effect). Furthermore, mediation tests indicated that paternal justification of violence was negatively and indirectly associated with early childhood development through paternal involvement. Moreover, maternal justification of violence was negatively and indirectly associated with early childhood development through both maternal and paternal involvement. Conclusion: Mothers' and fathers' justifying attitudes toward domestic violence emerge as a possible risk factor for child development that can be addressed by preventive interventions.

The impact of postpartum depression and bonding impairment on child development at 12 to 15 months after delivery

• This study provides findings on postpartum depression and bonding impairment among a low-income sample. • The prevalence of child developmental delay among low-income women with depression is high. • Not all women who report depression also report bonding impairment. • Bonding impairment is significantly associated with later child developmental delay after controlling for antenatal and postnatal depression. Background: We evaluated the association between mother-child bonding and maternal depression at 6–8 months after birth, isolated and conjoined, with child developmental delay (CDD) at 12–15 months in a sample of vulnerable mothers. Methods: A prospective cohort study with 358 low-income postpartum women with antenatal depression. All participants were enrolled in a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the impact of a depression management program. The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire were used at 6–8 months postpartum to assess mother-infant bonding impairment (BI) and postpartum depression (PPD). The Denver Developmental Screening Test was used at 12–15 months after delivery to assess the child's neurodevelopment. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using logistic regression. Results: Among 216 participants who received the CDD evaluation at 12–15 months, 158 (73.1%) had no symptoms of PPD or BI, while 11 (5.1%) had PPD and BI at the same time. CDD was observed in 15.3% (95% CI 10.4:20.1). CDD was associated with BI (OR:1.07; 95% CI 1.02:1.13), non-White skin color (OR: 3.40; 95% CI 1.10:10.39), masculine gender of the baby (OR: 4.71; 95% CI 1.66:13.37), and premature delivery or low birth weight (OR: 4.99; 95% CI 1.74:14.29). Conclusions: BI, but not PPD, at 6–8 months, is associated with CDD at 12–15 months. The assessment of BI, a modifiable risk factor for child development, should be included as part of proper maternal mental health care.

Pathways to stronger futures? The role of social protection in reducing psychological risk factors for child development in Haiti

Abstract It is widely recognised that poverty undermines early childhood development (ECD). In turn, poor childhood development reinforces the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Social protection could break this negative cycle by reducing poverty and addressing biological and psychosocial risk factors. In this study, we examine the effects of a relatively new wave of social protection and anti-poverty interventions – so-called ‘graduation programmes’ – on psychosocial risk factors in a context of widespread poverty and poor outcomes for children in rural Haiti. Using a mixed-methods approach, we find positive effects on maternal mental health and on children’s exposure to harsh corporal punishment. We find no discernible impact on exposure to violence inside and outside of the home, attitudes to child disciplining practices or child stimulation practices. Greater ability to meet children’s basic needs and positive support from programme staff contribute to positive effects. The ubiquity of violence, notions of play being replaced with a focus on discipline as babies turn toddlers and women struggling to combine child care with paid work and domestic chores serve as explanations for lack of impact. Findings point to the potential and limitations of social protection and anti-poverty interventions to address pernicious issues such as poor ECD outcomes and highlight the importance of a multi-sectoral approach.

Association of Salt Iodization and Urine Iodine Concentration in Schoolchildren from Public Schools in Northeast of Brazil.

Iodine deficiency (ID) is recognized as a leading risk factor for child development. Universal salt iodization (USI) is an effective and well-established intervention strategy for the prevention of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). To evaluate the levels of iodine in household salt samples and the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in schoolchildren aged 6 to 14years in public schools in Bahia, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1231 students (6 to 14years old) from 17 public schools in Bahia. The iodine concentration was evaluated in salt and UIC samples. The adapted Sandell-Kolthoff reaction was used to determine urinary iodine levels. A spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) was used to examine the reduction of ceric ammonium sulfate. A standard iodine solution using a potassium iodate was used to extrapolate the iodine concentrations. The total of 665 salt samples had a median iodine concentration of 24mg/kg (25th-75th percentile 17.0 to 28.5mg/kg). The largest proportion (79.6%) of salt samples had iodine concentration in the recommended range, 17.6% of the samples presented iodine at a salt concentration below the established level (<15mg/kg) and a small proportion was above it (2.8%). The general mean urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) was 217.53 ± 28.30μg/L and median was 205.50μg/L. The students evaluated and the salt samples analyzed showed satisfactory results, as recommended by Brazilian legislation and nutritional recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

A tiered approach to cumulative risk assessment for reproductive and developmental toxicity of food contaminants for the austrian population using the modified Reference Point Index (mRPI)

Through our daily diet, we are exposed to a variety of food contaminants. Yet, assessing the cumulative health risk of chemical mixtures remains a challenge. Using a recently developed method, the modified Reference Point Index (mRPI), the cumulative risks posed by contaminant mixtures were assessed for their effects on reproduction and development. Since these effects can be quite diverse, a tiered approach was adopted to elucidate the risks at a more detailed level based on specific toxicological endpoints. An additional analysis was performed using the modified Maximum Cumulative Ratio (mMCR), which provides the determination of risk-dominating substances in the mixture. Our method represents a novel useful tool to screen and prioritise contaminant mixtures regarding their potential health risks.We found, that in the majority of the calculated scenarios a single substance dominates the cumulative risks. Lead was found to be the primary factor for adverse effects on reproduction and neuronal development of children. Perchlorate was identified as the most prominent risk factor for child development in generalCumulative risks of trichothecenes were dominated by deoxynivalenol. Concerning the impact on pre- and neonatal development, the co-exposure of several substances resulted in increased risks, with none of the considered contaminants dominating substantially.

The association between prenatal alcohol consumption and preschool child stress system disturbance.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is considered a risk factor for child development; however, child biomarkers of prenatal alcohol exposure have been rarely studied. We examined whether a meconium alcohol metabolite (ethyl glucuronide, EtG) was associated with child cortisol concentrations at primary school age. For 137 children, prenatal alcohol exposure was operationalized by the meconium biomarker EtG and by maternal self-reports during pregnancy. Two EtG cut-offs (EtG ≥10ng/g and EtG ≥112ng/g) were applied. Cortisol concentrations were measured in saliva and hair samples. Children with EtG ≥10ng/g showed significantly reduced hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) (p=.050, =0.042). For children with EtG ≥112ng/g, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) was significantly decreased (p=.025, =0.070). These effects were also present in correlational analyses with continuous EtG data, speaking for partly dose-dependent effects. Especially, within the EtG ≥112ng/g group, the basal (CAR: rp =-.642, p=.120) and cumulative (HCC: rp =-.660, p=.107) cortisol parameters were associated with child emotional symptoms at medium effect size. The present study showed both the biological association of intrauterine alcohol exposure with the cortisol stress system, partly dose-dependent, and the functional association with emotional and behavioral symptoms.

Developing a Screening Tool for Young Children Using an Ecological Framework.

Young children from impoverished backgrounds experience high levels of family and environmental stress, adversely impacting developmental functioning. Early identification provides a pathway to solutions, but many children are never assessed. In addition, the child-serving workforce lacks resources and expertise to use traditional measures. Furthermore, existing measures do not account for the substantial influence of a child's ecology. To bridge these gaps, we developed the Neurodevelopmental Ecological Screening Tool (NEST) and conducted a pilot study (n=60) to test its feasibility for use with caregivers of children ages 3-5 in low-resource settings. We developed an item pool across three domains (child, caregiver, environment), vetted it with experts, and conducted cognitive interviewing with parents (n=15) and case managers (n-10). Simultaneously, we built an online, user-friendly delivery platform. We used a one parameter Item Response Model and a Rasch-based Rating Scale Model (RSM) and fit confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models to test for unidimensional and construct validity. The results support the feasibility of screening children from low SES populations within low-resource settings using an ecological perspective and supports the work of child-serving paraprofessionals in identifying and addressing risks in the lives of young children.

Correction: Expectant Mothers Maximizing Opportunities: Maternal Characteristics Moderate Multifactorial Prenatal Stress in the Prediction of Birth Weight in a Sample of Children Adopted at Birth

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141881.].

ATTACHMENT STYLE IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC DISEASES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW.

ABSTRACTObjective: To investigate how attachment style has been studied in children with chronic disease in the scientific literature, and what repercussions this attachment has on this population.Data sources: An integrative review of the literature was carried out from a survey in the LILACS, MEDLINE and SciELO databases, including original national and international publications in Portuguese, Spanish and English from 2007 to 2018, using the descriptors “apego” and “criança” in the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS), and “attachment” and “children” for the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Sixteen (16 articles) were obtained for the sample analysis.Data synthesis: The chronic diseases found in the research were neurobehavioral disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, childhood obesity, and chronic migraine. The predominant attachment style was insecurity, which could compromise the biopsychosocial development of the child.Conclusions: The type of attachment between child and primary caregiver may be considered a protective or risk factor for child development. Considering this premise, it is important to equip/inform families based on dialogic educational practices, in which professionals create opportunities and means for families to develop their skills and competencies, and acquire resources which meet the child’s needs. It is important that this professional helps the family to build secure bases for their child with chronic disease, understanding that the main focus for promoting child development is in the family unit.

Research performance and trends in child sexual abuse research: a Science Citation Index Expanded-based analysis

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious public health problem (Gilbert et al. in Lancet 373(9658):167–180, 2009a. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61707-9; Singh et al. in J Fam Med Prim Care 3(4):430–435, 2014. https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.148139; Veenema et al. in Int J Nurs Stud 52(4):864–881, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2014.10.017) and a risk factor for child development (Barth et al. in Int J Public Health 58(3):469–483, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0426-1). The present bibliometric analysis evaluated research performance and trends of CSA research from 1991 to 2017. The analysis was based on data extracted from Science Citation Index Expanded. The results revealed a progressive increase in the volume of indexed articles that sharply grows between 2009 and 2017. The majority of the papers analyzed were in the area of psychiatry. In total, these articles were published mostly in English and in 777 journals, the largest volume of articles were in the field of pediatrics. The journal authors come from 105 countries, with the United States ranking on the top in all bibliometrics indicators assessed, including number of articles produced by institution. Three thousand seven hundred and fourteen articles (3714) articles on CSA were utilized to calculate the Y-index for authors. From the authors, J.D. Bremner and G. Hornor have the highest contributions with a Y-index of 24 (0.7854). Other findings indicated that the peak of citations per publication occured in the 5th year. The most frequently cited and most impactful article was from Felitti et al. (Am J Prev Med 14(4):245–258, 1998. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8). Six of the ten highly cited papers maintained their impact according to the 2017 citations. Data also revealed that research trends in the field of CSA can be clustered into 11 categories, with violence being the one that concentrates the greatest number of terms used in the papers. The three main hotspots are sexual abuse, maltreatment and sexual development. Lastly, this article discusses the type of research that contributes to the body of knowledge about CSA and the challenges this poses for the projection of future studies.

Perinatal maternal mental health and infant socio-emotional development: A growth curve analysis using the MPEWS cohort

Pregnancy and the early post partum period are widely understood as a critical period for the infant’s emotional development and the earliest influence shaping social interaction. The present study aims to understand the potential influence of both antenatal and postnatal maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms on socio-emotional outcomes in offspring aged 12 months. The study used longitudinal data from a prospective cohort study on Australian pregnant women and their children. Data were available for 282 mothers and their children. Maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured in early pregnancy, trimester three of pregnancy, six and 12 months postpartum. Social and emotional development in children was measured using the Brief Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) at 12 months. Using growth curve analysis of 4 waves of repeated measurement to examine intercept and slope, we found that both initial maternal depression and anxiety symptom levels, and the growth of these symptoms over time, predicted more problems with children’s social and emotional development. In the final model anxiety accounted for 19% of the variance in child socio-emotional problems and depression 23% of variance. The results emphasise the importance of perinatal maternal mental health as a potential risk factor for child development. This carries important implications for policy development, such as the need to build early identification and early intervention models in to the current clinical practice for perinatal care, specifically, to develop targeted screening, assessment and interventions to address maternal mental health issues for at-risk parents during pregnancy, and continuing monitoring of young children whose mothers have experienced perinatal mental health difficulties.

Effects of prenatal alcohol consumption on cognitive development and ADHD-related behaviour in primary-school age: a multilevel study based on meconium ethyl glucuronide.

Alcohol intake during pregnancy is considered to be a risk factor for child development. Child biomarkers of intrauterine alcohol exposure have been rarely studied. We investigated whether a meconium alcohol metabolite (ethyl glucuronide, EtG) was associated with cognitive development, ADHD-related behaviour and neurophysiological markers of attention and executive control of children at primary-school age. Mothers provided self-report on prenatal alcohol consumption during their 3rd trimester. Meconium samples were collected at birth. A total of 44 children with a meconium EtG above the detection limit (≥10ng/g) and 44 nonexposed matched controls were compared. A second threshold (≥154ng/g) was applied to study the dose effects. When children reached primary-school age, mothers rated ADHD-related behaviour, child cognitive development was measured using an IQ test battery, and event-related potentials were recorded during a cued go/nogo task. Children in both EtG-positive groups allocated fewer attentional resources than controls to the go/nogo task (reduced P3 component in go-trials). Children with a meconium EtG above 154ng/g were also found to have an IQ that was six points lower than the other groups. Within the EtG≥154ng/g group, there was a positive correlation between EtG value and ADHD-related behaviour. These significant effects were not observed in relation to the maternal self-report data. Associations between EtG and cognitive deficits, attentional resource capacity and ADHD-related behaviour could be documented with effects that were partially dose-dependent. In addition to maternal self-reports, this biomarker of intrauterine alcohol exposure may be considered as a predictor of child development.

Maternal depressive symptom trajectories and psychosocial functioning in young adults: A 27-year longitudinal study

IntroductionMaternal depression is a well-known risk factor for child development. Longitudinal studies extending from pregnancy to adulthood, however, are rare.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal high depressive symptom trajectories (chronic or intermittent depressive symptom patterns) from pregnancy to the adolescence of the children predict lower adaptive functioning or higher levels of emotional or behavioural symptoms in young adults.MethodsThe sample comprised 329 first-time mothers from maternity centres in Tampere, Finland. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) antenatally and at two months, six months, 4–5 years, 8–9 years and 16–17 years after delivery. A model including four symptom trajectories (very low, low-stable, high-stable and intermittent) was selected to describe the symptom patterns over time. Adaptive functioning and problems of the children (n = 144) were assessed by the Adult Self Report forms (Achenbach &amp; Rescorla) at the age of 27 years.ResultsHigh maternal depressive symptom trajectories did not predict self-reported lower adaptive functioning of the children in adulthood. However, children of mothers with chronic or intermittent depressive symptom patterns reported higher levels of internalising problems as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adulthood than the children of mothers with very low or low stable symptom patterns.ConclusionsHigh maternal depressive symptom trajectories predict higher levels of emotional symptoms of children in young adulthood. The mechanisms of intergenerational transmission are important topics for further research.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.