Competence and psychopathology: Cascade effects in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development

Effectiveness of second step program in fostering social-emotional skills in young children: a study in Japan

BACKGROUND

Interest in social-emotional skills in the context of school maladjustment is growing, and social-emotional learning can help develop such skills. Second Step is a social-emotional skills approach prevalent in several countries. In Asian countries, including Japan, preventive interventions for school maladjustment in young children are scarce, and their effectiveness is not adequately validated. This study examines the effectiveness of the social-emotional learning "Second Step program" among children aged 4 to 5 years.

METHODS

In 2022, the Second Step program was implemented on a class-by-class basis for children aged 4 to 5 years enrolled in middle grades of a kindergarten in Japan. The program included 25 sessions, each lasting one hour on average, approximately once a week. To test the effectiveness of the program, kindergarten teachers assessed the children's social skills. Parents assessed their children's behaviors. Data of 73 children in the intervention group and 91 in the control group were analyzed. The intervention group participated in the Second Step program, while the control group did not participate in any program. Evaluations were conducted before and after the intervention program.

RESULTS

Children in the intervention group displayed significantly greater assertiveness, self-control, and cooperation scores following program implementation compared with those in the control group. They also showed significantly lower scores on behavioral problems compared with those in the control group and before the program. The intervention had a meaningful impact on both social competencies and behavioral outcomes. Specifically, the effect sizes for social competencies in the intervention group were moderate to large, reflecting substantial improvements.

CONCLUSIONS

The social-emotional learning Second Step program implemented on a classroom basis may be effective in early childhood. An early approach targeting kindergarten-aged children is necessary to prevent school maladjustment.

Within-person Relations Between Social Skills and Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder from Preschool to Adolescence - A Birth Cohort Study

Effective treatment of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) is dependent on etiological knowledge about what factors contribute to their development and maintenance. Previous research points to a role for social skills in this process, but findings are mixed, possibly due to methodological factors. A sample drawn from two birth cohorts (n = 1,079, 50.1% girls) in the city of Trondheim, Norway, was assessed biennially from age 4 to 16 years. Social skills were rated by teachers and parents and measures of symptoms of ODD and CD were obtained through diagnostic interviews of parents and children (from age 8). Bidirectional relations between within-person changes in social skills and symptoms of ODD and CD, respectively, were assessed by a random intercept cross-lagged model. Increased parent-reported social skills predicted reduced symptoms of both ODD and CD from preschool to adolescence, while teacher-rated social skills predicted reduced symptoms of ODD from 4 to 14 years but predicted reduced symptoms of CD from 6 to 8 years only. Symptoms of ODD and CD predicted reduced teacher-rated social skills on two occasions (6 to 8 years for CD and 8 to 10 years for ODD), but there were no reciprocal paths involving parent-rated social skills. Findings provide support for including social skills training in the prevention and treatment of symptoms of ODD and CD.

Relations Between Academic and Behavioral Adaptations: The Antecedent Effects of Executive Function

Using a large sample (n = 1163) from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model was employed to unpack the between-person and within-person aspects in the relations between children's academic performance and externalizing/internalizing behaviors during primary school and examined the predictive role of early executive function. Results showed that the reciprocal relations between state-level fluctuations in children's behavioral problems and academic performance were largely unsupported. Children with more advanced early executive function were found to have better academic performance and fewer behavioral problems throughout primary school, supporting the antecedent role of early executive function. These findings suggest that fostering executive function skills early on could be a key strategy for improving both academic outcomes and behavioral adjustment in children.

A family systems investigation on couple emotional intimacy, parent-child relationships, and child social skills in middle childhood

This study investigated familial attachment-based processes in middle childhood, using 788 families (50.6% boys; 84.4% White), assessed six times from 4.5 years old to Grade 6. An adapted Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model revealed between-family associations among couple emotional intimacy, relationships with both parents, and child social skills (β = .18-.66). Within-family increases in child assertion and self-control prospectively predicted relationships with parents (βs = .13), and parent-child relationships predicted various child social skills (βs = .13-.17). Couple emotional intimacy predicted child cooperation, assertion, and responsibility (βs = .12-.24) and father-child relationships in Grade 6 (βs = .20-22) at the within-family level. Findings underscore a systemic consideration of attachment-based processes in the family.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and bullying victimization from childhood to adolescence - A within-person cross-lagged approach

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subclinical symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness coincide with an increased risk of peer victimization. What remains unclear are the developmental dynamics of these associations. In a sample drawn from two Norwegian birth cohorts (n = 872; 49.94 % girls), assessed biennially from age 6 to age 14, reciprocal relations between ADHD symptoms and victimization were examined while controlling for symptoms of anxiety and depression. ADHD symptoms were assessed through clinical interviews with parents, whereas victimization was reported by teachers using questionnaires. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling revealed a consistent reciprocal within-person effect of increased ADHD symptoms on victimization, and vice versa. Analyses of subdimensions of ADHD projected a consistent cross-lagged bidirectional relationship between victimization and inattentiveness symptoms only, whereas no such reciprocity was found for hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. Results did not differ by gender. Findings suggest that the social context may constitute a vulnerability factor in the etiology of the inattentive subtype of ADHD, and at the same time, that inattentiveness symptoms pose a risk for becoming victimized.

Longitudinal Association and Mediating Mechanism Between Externalizing and Internalizing Problems Among Children: A Within-Person Analysis

OBJECTIVE

In this multi-informant, 3-year longitudinal study, the bidirectional relations between externalizing and internalizing problems were investigated, along with whether peer victimization and academic achievement mediated their relations after separating between-person effects from within-person effects.

METHOD

A sample of 3238 Chinese children (55.02% boys; Mage T1 = 9.89 years) reported semiannually on peer victimization and both externalizing and internalizing problems, and parents reported on their children's externalizing and internalizing problems. Students' objective academic achievement data (i.e. final exam scores) were obtained from school records.

RESULTS

Random intercepts cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM) revealed that neither academic achievement nor peer victimization mediated the relations between externalizing and internalizing problems in both self and parent reports at the within-person level. The cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) results supported that peer victimization (but not academic achievement) mediated the relations from internalizing to externalizing problems or externalizing to internalizing problems, whether self-reported or parent-reported. This study also identified meaningful sex differences in focal relations among children.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings illustrate the importance of distinguishing within-person and between- person associations, with within- person findings failing to support the hypothesized mediating pathways of the Dual Failure or Acting Out Models among children.

Relations among parenting, academic performance, and psychopathology: An investigation of developmental cascades and their interplay with maternal and paternal parenting

Little effort has been made to integrate developmental cascades with maternal/paternal parenting in a single investigation. The present study seeks to test cascading effects among academic and internalizing/externalizing symptoms and their associations with maternal/paternal parenting across three time points from 8 to 10 years. Data for this investigation came from a nationally representative prospective cohort study of children born in April through July of 2008 in South Korea who were followed up annually. The sample included 1,598 families (48.5% girls). Parents rated their parenting and teachers rated children's internalizing/externalizing problems and academic performance. Structural equation modeling showed that externalizing problems were negatively related to academic performance. Academic performance was negatively related to internalizing problems and positively related to maternal/paternal authoritative parenting, which in turn led to children's higher academic performance. Bidirectional relations were found between academic performance and externalizing problems and between paternal authoritative parenting and children's internalizing problems. Findings suggested cascading effects and their associations with parenting were not attributable to child gender, intelligence, or socioeconomic differences. These findings lend support to adjustment erosion and academic incompetence models and underscore the need for greater attention to the role that fathering may play in children's development and mothering.

Associations between teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors among Chinese rural adolescent

The primary objective of this study is to present a fresh perspective on the correlation between teacher-student relationships and externalizing problem behaviors among adolescents. While previous research has examined this connection, there is still an insufficient understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Moreover, the crucial role of peer relationships, mental health, and parental knowledge has been overlooked. In this study, a total of 6,919 Chinese rural adolescents aged 13-19 years participated by completing an anonymous self-report questionnaire. The results show that: (1) teacher-student relationship has a protective effect against the development of externalizing problem behaviors; (2) peer relationship and mental health both have a mediating role in the relationship between teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors; (3) teacher-student relationship can indirectly affect externalizing problem behaviors through the chain mediation of peer relationship and mental health; (4) parental knowledge plays a moderating role between the teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors. As the level of parental knowledge increases among rural adolescents, the impact of the teacher-student relationship on externalizing problem behaviors becomes more pronounced; and (5) the impact of teacher-student relationship on externalizing problem behaviors has no significant gender differences. Given the study's empirical outcomes, we discuss potential explanations and advocate for a comprehensive pedagogical approach to mitigate rural adolescent externalizing behaviors. This entails nurturing teacher-student relations, fostering inclusive peer environments, emphasizing mental health literacy, and synergizing with caregivers for a holistic home-school intervention.

Functional outcomes across development in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

Whereas the risk and course of psychopathology in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BD) have been the primary focus of high-risk offspring studies to date, functional outcomes have not been given much attention. We present a systematic review of functional outcomes and quality of life (QoL) across development in offspring of parents with BD and aim to explore the role of offspring psychopathology in these outcomes.

METHOD

We searched Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar from inception to June 24, 2022, for studies referring to functional outcomes (global, social, academic or occupational) or QoL in offspring of parents with BD.

RESULTS

From the 6470 records identified, 39 studies were retained (global = 17; social = 17; school = 16; occupational = 3; QoL = 5), including 13 studies that examined multiple domains. For all domains, high heterogeneity was found in study methods and quality. Only 56 % of studies adjusted for offspring psychopathology, impeding interpretation. Global and social functioning generally seemed to be impaired among older offspring (>16 years). Academic performance appeared to be unaffected. School behavior, occupational functioning, and QoL showed mixed results. Offspring psychopathology is associated with social functioning, but the relationship of offspring psychopathology with other domains is less clear.

CONCLUSION

Studies on functional outcome in offspring of parents with BD show predominantly mixed results. Inconsistent adjustment of psychopathology and age limits conclusive interpretation. Functional outcomes should be prioritized as research topics in high-risk studies and the potential associations between familial risk status, offspring psychopathology, and age may inform prevention strategies.

Longitudinal associations between academic competence-building and depression symptoms in early adolescence

The longitudinal associations between academic competence-building and depression symptoms were investigated among 741 early adolescents in Singapore. Extending from past studies on academic achievement and depression, the current research tested two competing hypotheses - the academic incompetence hypothesis versus the adjustment erosion hypothesis using a 3-wave longitudinal study over an academic year. The former hypothesis suggests that prior deficits in academic competence-building lead to subsequent depression symptoms, whereas the latter posits that previous depression leads to subsequent deficits in competence-building. Longitudinal associations between a higher-order competence-building factor (operationalized using multiple constituent motivational variables) and depression were examined using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Results indicated that within-individual decreases in competence-building prospectively predicted subsequent within-individual increases in depression symptoms, but the opposite effect was not observed. Within-individual fluctuations in competence-building also predicted end-of-year grades and teacher-reported adjustment problems. Overall, the current findings were consistent with the academic incompetence hypothesis, suggesting that interventions aimed at sustaining academic competence-building could offer protection against the worsening of depression. These results clarified the within-individual developmental dynamics between academic competence-building and depression symptoms in adolescents over time.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a social and emotional learning program among preschool children in Japan: an experimental cohort study

BACKGROUND

Research on school maladjustment has increasingly focused on social skills, such as the ability to control emotions, collaborate with others, and achieve goals. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is one approach to nurturing social skills. However, few preventive interventions to promote SEL have been conducted among young children, particularly in Asian countries, including Japan. Therefore, this study examined the effectiveness of an SEL program-Fun FRIENDS-among children in Japan.

METHODS

In mid-2022, the Fun FRIENDS program was administered to 115 children aged 4-5 years, who were enrolled in two kindergartens. The program was administered to the entire class as part of their kindergarten activities. The control group included 93 children in three kindergartens. This study included 94 participants (81.7%) in the intervention group and 66 (71.0%) in the control group, whose parents agreed with the assessment of their skills. Fun FRIENDS is a support program based on a cognitive-behavioral approach. The program aims to teach children how to cope with anxiety and stress and develop resilience and confidence to face difficulties. The program includes 10 sessions, each lasting approximately 1 h and conducted once per week. To examine the program's effectiveness, teachers evaluated these children's social skills before and after program implementation using the Social Skill Scale.

RESULTS

Results showed significant post-intervention improvements in self-control and cooperation scores among children in the intervention group, compared with pre-intervention. Further, post-intervention self-control and cooperation scores were significantly higher among children in the intervention group than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

SEL implemented on a class-wide basis could be effective in early childhood. An early approach targeting preschool-aged children is necessary to prevent school maladjustment. A universal approach implemented on a whole-class basis could contribute to improving children's social skills.

Transactional associations between vocabulary and disruptive behaviors during the transition to formal schooling

This study investigated the transactional relations between vocabulary and disruptive behaviors (DB; physical aggression and opposition/rule breaking/theft and vandalism), during the transition to formal schooling, using a community sample of 572 children. Cross-lagged panel model analyses were used to examine bidirectional relationships, comparing physical aggression to non-aggressive DB. Transactional associations between vocabulary and DB were observed, coinciding with school entry. Lower vocabulary in preschool (60mo.) was predictive of higher physical aggression scores in kindergarten. In turn, higher physical aggression in kindergarten was predictive of lower vocabulary in 1st grade. For non-aggressive DB, recurrent associations were found. Lower verbal skills in preschool (42mo.) and kindergarten predicted higher non-aggressive DB scores later in preschool and in 1st grade respectively. In turn, higher non-aggressive DB in kindergarten predicted lower vocabulary scores in 1st grade. In contrast to transactional paths from vocabulary to DB, transactional paths from DB to vocabulary observed after the transition to elementary school remained significant after controlling for comorbid hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention behaviors, suggesting these links were specific to aggressive and non-aggressive DB. Practical implications for prevention are discussed.

Personality Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorder from a Maternal Perspective: A Brief Report

The present study assessed the personality characteristics of children and adolescents with anxiety disorder from a maternal perspective. A total of 48 children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years participated in this study, which was organized as follows: a clinical group (24 children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and their respective mothers) and a control group (24 children and adolescents without psychiatric diagnosis and their mothers). The participants were submitted to the WASI, CBCL, MASC-2, and EPQ-J tests and their mothers to the SRQ-20 and PIC-2 tests. The results showed higher rates of internalizing symptoms in the clinical group. In addition, patients showed less interest in hobbies, less adherence to social organizations, impairment in social activities, and commitment to school performance compared to the control group. There was a positive correlation between the mothers' symptoms and each of the following PIC-2 domains: somatic concern (p < 0.01) and psychological discomfort (p < 0.01). In conclusion, youths with AD showed a withdrawn and reserved personality profile, involving distrust of impulses and avoidance of interactions with peers. Furthermore, psychoemotional problems of mothers adversely influenced the perception followed by anxiety and adjustment characteristics. More studies are needed to assess the maternal personality in youths with anxiety.

Developmental cascades of behavior problems and cognitive ability from toddlerhood to middle childhood: A 9-year longitudinal study

Little is known about the direction, ordering, and uniqueness of longitudinal associations between behavior problems and cognitive ability, from toddlerhood to middle childhood. A developmental cascade model was tested in the present study to examine the transactional processes in 103 Chinese children at the ages of 1, 2, 7, and 9 years. Behavior problems were assessed using the maternal reported Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment at the ages of 1, 2 and parental reported Children Behavior Checklist at the ages of 7, 9. Cognitive ability was measured using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at the ages of 1, 2 and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children at the ages of 7, 9. The results revealed the stability of behavior problems and cognitive ability from age 1 to age 9 years and concurrent associations between externalizing and internalizing problems. Unique longitudinal associations were identified between (1) age 1 cognitive ability and age 2 internalizing problems, (2) age 2 externalizing problems and age 7 internalizing problems, (3) age 2 externalizing problems and age 7 cognitive ability, (4) age 7 cognitive ability and age 9 externalizing problems. The results indicated essential targets for future interventions aimed at reducing children's behavior problems at 2 years old and promoting cognitive ability at 1 year old and 7 years old.

Associations between early childhood adversity and behavioral, substance use, and academic outcomes in childhood through adolescence in a U.S. longitudinal cohort

BACKGROUND

Childhood adversity is strongly associated with adolescent substance use, but few epidemiologic studies have investigated early childhood adversity (ECA) before age 5. This study investigated pathways by which ECA is associated with adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and high school completion through childhood behavioral and academic mediators and their reciprocal effects.

METHODS

Data were from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979-Child/Young Adult Cohort which surveyed children born 1984-1999 and followed through 2016 (n = 5521). Outcomes included alcohol and cannabis use frequency at ages 15-18, and high school completion by age 19. ECA at ages 0-4 was a cumulative score of maternal heavy drinking/drug use, low emotional support, low cognitive stimulation, and household poverty. Multilevel path models were conducted with ECA, childhood mediators (behavioral (externalizing and internalizing problems) and academics (reading and math scores), accounting for demographics and confounders.

RESULTS

ECA was indirectly associated with adolescent cannabis frequency through mediators of externalizing/internalizing problems, low academics, and early cannabis onset before age 14. ECA was also indirectly associated with alcohol frequency via the same mediators, but not early alcohol onset. Greater behavioral problems elevated substance use risk; whereas, low academics reduced risk. Reciprocal effects were evident between childhood behavioral problems and cannabis frequency to high school completion.

CONCLUSION

Adversity from birth to age 4 is associated with childhood behavioral problems and lower academics, which increased adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and lowered high school completion. Early childhood interventions with parents and preschools/daycare may reduce early onset and adolescent substance use.

The relationship between childhood adversity and problem behavior of new street corner youth on campus: A moderate mediation model

To explore the impact mechanism of childhood adversity on problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus, we surveyed 637 new street corner youth on campus and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Childhood Environment Scale, the Life History Strategies Scale, and the Dark Triad Scale. After controlling for gender and age of new street corner youth on campus, results revealed that childhood adversity was significantly and positively associated with problem behaviors. Mediation analysis showed that life history strategy mediated the association between childhood adversity and problem behaviors. Moreover, moderated mediation analysis further indicated that dark triad moderated the association between childhood adversity and life history strategy, as well as the association between life history strategy and problem behaviors. These findings suggest that interventions of life history strategy and dark triad may be effective means to affect problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus.

Is It OK If Mommy Dates? The Influence of Mother's Post-Divorce Dating Transitions for Children's Behaviors

Despite many mothers' interest in establishing romantic relationships following divorce, some worry about the impacts of dating transitions, such as starting or ending a dating relationship, for their children's adjustment. The literature illustrates that transitions in and out of relationships could hinder children's post-divorce adjustment, but a supportive relationship between children and mothers could buffer the damaging effects. Prior research mostly focused on repartnering (i.e., cohabitation and remarriage) whereas a comparative form of romantic experience, post-divorce dating, is understudied. Post-divorce dating, a critical precondition for cohabitation and remarriage, is assumed to have the power to shape family stability and functioning. The goal of this study is to examine the impact of mothers' post-divorce dating transitions for children's adjustment. Additionally, we test child-mother rapport as a moderator for the relationship between dating transitions and children's adjustment. Longitudinal data for this study comes from mothers of elementary-aged children who were within three months of filing for divorce (N = 316). Results from hierarchical linear models show that mothers' dating transitions exert little direct effect on children's adjustment. However, child-mother rapport moderated the relationships between the time in mothers' dating relationships and children's prosocial behaviors, and between mothers' romantic breakups and children's externalizing behaviors. This adds further support that high child-mother rapport benefits children's adjustment within the context of divorce. Overall, the results suggest that the post-divorce dating relationship transitions may influence children's well-being via indirect pathways and the moderation effect of child-mother rapport on children's behavior are inconsistent across dating transitions. Implications for family adjustment and future research are discussed.

Examining the validity of the Early Identification System - Student Version for screening in an elementary school sample

As many as 1 in 5 youth in the United States experience social, emotional, and behavioral problems. However, many students with mental health concerns are unidentified and do not receive adequate care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure, measurement invariance, and the concurrent and predictive validity of the Early Identification System-Student Report (EIS-SR), a screener for social, emotional, and behavioral problems, using a sample of over 5000 students from Grades 3 to 5. The EIS-SR was developed by using extant literature on the risk indicators that lead to social, emotional, and behavioral challenges among children and youth. As expected, seven subscales were identified as having adequate factor loadings. Furthermore, the measure was determined to be invariant across grade level (n = 5005), gender (n = 5005), and between Black and White students (n = 1582). The concurrent validity of the Internalizing Behavior, Attention and Academic Issues, Emotion Dysregulation, and School Disengagement subscales was supported by correlations with comparable subscales of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-3rd Edition (BASC-3; n = 382). Additionally, the EIS-SR subscales administered in the fall of the school year were predictive of important outcomes in spring, including attendance (n = 4780), disciplinary referrals (n = 4938), bully victimization (n = 4670), math academic achievement scores (n = 4736), and reading (n = 4772) academic achievement scores. The EIS-SR holds promise as a feasible and technically adequate screening tool for use in elementary schools.

The role of school enjoyment and connectedness in the association between depressive and externalising symptoms and academic attainment: Findings from a UK prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Previous research on the relationship between children's depressive and externalising symptoms, experience of school, and academic attainment is inconclusive. The aims of this study were (i) to test bidirectional associations between children's school experience and depressive and externalising symptoms at age 10-11 and 13-14, (ii) to ascertain whether school experience age 13-14 is associated with academic attainment age 16, and (iii) to test whether school experience mediates the relationship between depressive or externalising symptoms and attainment.

METHODS

Data was used from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n=6,409). A cross-lagged model was used to investigate bidirectional associations between school experience (enjoyment and connectedness) and depression and externalising at age 10-11 and 13-14. The same framework was used to test if school experience aged 13-14 mediated associations of depressive and externalising symptoms with later attainment.

RESULTS

Depressive and externalising symptoms at 10-11 were negatively associated with school connectedness (depressive: standardised β=-0.06, CI: -0.11, 0.01; externalizing: β=-0.13, CI: -0.17, -0.08), and school enjoyment at 13-14 (depressive β=-0.04, -0.08, 0.03; externalising: β=-0.08, CI: -0.13, -0.03). School enjoyment at 13-14 was positively associated with attainment at 16 (β=0.10, CI: 0.04, 0.15), and partially mediated associations between depressive and externalising symptoms at 10-11 and attainment at 16 (depressive: proportion mediated 2.2%, CI: -1.5, 5.9; externalising: proportion mediated; 4.7%, CI: 0.7, 10.1,).

LIMITATIONS

Results may be subject to residual confounding.

CONCLUSIONS

School enjoyment is a potentially modifiable risk factor that may affect educational attainment of adolescents with depressive or externalising symptoms.

Is there a social gradient in how youth with mental disorder perform academically? Findings from a Swedish longitudinal register-based study

Background

It is well established that academic achievement and other school-related outcomes are associated with mental health status in children and youths. However, few studies have examined the influence of socioeconomic background on the relationship between poor childhood/adolescent mental health and school performance. From an equity perspective, it is important to explore how school-related outcomes are affected for young people with mental disorder and if these outcomes differ depending on gender and socioeconomic background. This study aimed to investigate social gradients in the prospective association between childhood/adolescent mental disorder and academic achievement.

Methods

This register based study used data from the Umeå SIMSAM Lab of linked Swedish registers on all children born between 1990 and 1994 and their parents (N = 642 558). The outcome was school grades achieved upon compulsory school graduation (age 15/16). Mental disorder was indicated by number of hospitalisations due to ICD classified mental disorders and prescription of psychoanaleptic drugs. Indicators of socioeconomic position were parental level of education and family income in four categories respectively. Parental history of mental disorder was controlled for. Linear regressions, including interaction analyses, were performed.

Results

Mental disorder in childhood/adolescence was related to lower grades, particularly in boys. The drop in academic achievement among youth with mental disorder was more pronounced among girls in mid SEP categories than among their less and more advantaged peers. A less clear interaction pattern was identified in boys.

Conclusions

Based on theory and existing research we expected a typical social gradient in the strength of the association between mental disorder and academic achievement. However, we identified a U-shaped social gradient among girls. Analyses of the links between mental health and academic outcomes need to take both gender and social position into account. More research is needed to investigate these patterns further.

Interparental Hostility Interacts with Interparental Cooperative Conflict to Predict Adolescent Social Competence Through Parent-Child Relationship Quality

An emerging (yet still scant) body of research has linked interparental hostility to youth compromised social competence over time among adolescents. Moreover, little is known about the conditions under which and the processes through which this association might occur. Using prospective data from 878 youth (50.23% females) and their parents and teachers, this study examined how interparental hostility and cooperative conflict might work in conjunction with each other to predict youth social competence over time via parent-child relationship quality. Results demonstrated that interparental cooperative conflict at grade 5 buffered the negative association between interparental hostility at grade 5 and mother-child but not father-child relationship quality at grade 6. Mother-child relationship quality, in turn, was associated positively with youth social competence at age 15. As such, interparental hostility at grade 5 was negatively related to youth social competence at age 15 via mother-child relationship quality at grade 6 only when interparental cooperative conflict at grade 5 was low. This study represents a more nuanced and specific examination of the implications of interparental hostility for child later social development by highlighting underlying moderating and mediating mechanisms. Relevant implications for the development of more targeted and effective interventions are also discussed.

Neural bases of social feedback processing and self-other distinction in late childhood: The role of attachment and age

Attachment plays a key role in how children process information about the self and others. Here, we examined the neural bases of interindividual differences in attachment in late childhood and tested whether social cognition-related neural activity varies as function of age. In a small sample of 8-year-old to 12-year-old children (n = 21/19), we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure neural responses during social feedback processing and self–other distinction. Attachment was assessed using child self-report. The social feedback processing task presented smiling and angry faces either confirming or disconfirming written information about participant performance on a perceptual game. In addition to observing main effects of facial emotion and performance, an increase in age was related to a shift from negative (i.e., angry faces/bad performance) to positive (i.e., smiling faces/good performance) information processing in the left amygdala/hippocampus, bilateral fusiform face area, bilateral anterior temporal pole (ATP), and left anterior insula. There were no effects of attachment on social feedback processing. The self–other distinction task presented digital morphs between children’s own faces and faces of their mother or stranger females. We observed differential activation in face processing and mentalizing regions in response to self and mother faces versus morphed faces. Furthermore, left ATP activity was associated with attachment anxiety such that greater attachment anxiety was related to a shift from heightened processing of self and mother faces to morphed faces. There were no effects of age on self–other distinction. We discuss our preliminary findings in the context of attachment theory and previous work on social evaluation and self–other processing.

Examining Longitudinal Associations between Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior Problems at Within- and Between-Child Levels

Externalizing and internalizing behavior problems are known to often co-occur, but mechanisms underlying this co-occurrence remain unclear: whether the associations are due to causal influences of one domain on the other or due to common risk processes influencing both domains. This study aimed to better understand the sources of co-occurring behavior problems by disentangling within- and between-child levels of associations between the two across the five years of childhood, from pre-kindergarten to Grade 3. We analyzed a longitudinal sample of 1060 children from non-urban settings in the U.S. using random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) as an alternative to the commonly-used standard CLPMs. Results indicate that co-occurring externalizing and internalizing problems can be explained partly by a unidirectional influence from externalizing to internalizing problems operating within children and partly by stable differences between children that influence both domains of problems. Further analyses indicate that an executive function deficit in early childhood is an important shared risk factor for both problems, suggesting the utility of executive function interventions in preventing or addressing externalizing and internalizing problems in childhood.

The Cascading Effects of Externalizing Behaviors and Academic Achievement Across Developmental Transitions: Implications for Prevention and Intervention

Children's behavior and achievement problems are interrelated causes of distress for individuals, schools, and families, and generate long-term individual and societal costs. Yet, little is known about how the timing and direction of relationships involving achievement and problem behaviors (1) varies by standardized versus teacher ratings of achievement and (2) changes as students enter adolescence and begin secondary school. Using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1048, 50.05% female), we employed longitudinal structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between externalizing behaviors and two forms of achievement from third through ninth grade. Results revealed that externalizing behaviors in grades three, five, and six directly and indirectly influenced teacher ratings of school achievement in grades 5, 6, and 9, and indirectly influenced standardized assessments of achievement over time. The reciprocal relationships involving externalizing behaviors and school achievement were especially strong from grade 6 to grade 9with their contemporaneous association peaking in grade 9. Demographic and maturational factors influenced the average levels of externalizing behaviors and achievement scores over development, but none altered the timing and direction of these relationships. Our findings highlight early adolescence as an important period for implementing evidence-based interventions related to the reduction of externalizing behaviors and improvements in achievement. Implications for prevention research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Within-person analysis of developmental cascades between externalising and internalising problems

BACKGROUND

In a large body of previous research, cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) have been used to provide empirical support for developmental models that posit a cascade from externalising-to-internalising problems. These developmental models, however, arguably refer to within-person processes whereas CLPMs provide a difficult-to-interpret blend of within- and between- person effects.

METHODS

We used autoregressive latent trajectory models with structured residuals (ALT-SR) to evaluate whether there is evidence for externalising-to-internalising cascades at the within-person level when disaggregating between- and within- person effects. We used eight waves of data (age 7-15) from the Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso).

RESULTS

ALT-SR fit better than the corresponding CLPMs. Using an ALT-SR, we found evidence for externalising-to-internalising cascades, consistent with previous CLPM studies. However, we also found some evidence for effects in the ALT-SR that were not apparent in the CLPM, including a negative effect of externalising on internalising problems in adolescence. In addition, a negative effect of internalising on externalising problems in adolescence was found in both the CLPM and ALT-SR.

CONCLUSIONS

Within-person results were largely consistent with previous evidence from CLPMs; however, at the within-person level, externalising and internalising may negatively influence one another in adolescence.

Impact of Low Social Preference on the Development of Depressive and Aggressive Symptoms: Buffering by Children's Prosocial Behavior

Holding a low social position among peers has been widely demonstrated to be associated with the development of depressive and aggressive symptoms in children. However, little is known about potential protective factors in this association. The present study examined whether increases in children’s prosocial behavior can buffer the association between their low social preference among peers and the development of depressive and aggressive symptoms in the first few school years. We followed 324 children over 1.5 years with three assessments across kindergarten and first grade elementary school. Children rated the (dis)likability of each of their classroom peers and teachers rated each child’s prosocial behavior, depressive and aggressive symptoms. Results showed that low social preference at the start of kindergarten predicted persistent low social preference at the start of first grade in elementary school, which in turn predicted increases in both depressive and aggressive symptoms at the end of first grade. However, the indirect pathways were moderated by change in prosocial behavior. Specifically, for children whose prosocial behavior increased during kindergarten, low social preference in first grade elementary school no longer predicted increases in depressive and aggressive symptoms. In contrast, for children whose prosocial behavior did not increase, their low social preference in first grade elementary school continued to predict increases in both depressive and aggressive symptoms. These results suggest that improving prosocial behavior in children with low social preference as early as kindergarten may reduce subsequent risk of developing depressive and aggressive symptom.

Differential effects of internalizing behaviors on academic functioning for girls versus boys: An analysis of developmental cascades from elementary to high school

Youth's academic and emotional functioning are closely related, yet little is known about the timing and direction of relationships involving internalizing problems, which are characterized by over control of emotions, anxiety, and depression as well as multiple aspects of academic achievement. This study addresses these gaps using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N= 1,048) to examine the processes by which problems in one domain of functioning lead to problems in another, known as a “cascade effect.” Results of longitudinal structural equation modeling indicate (a) a direct and indirect negative cascade effect from girls’ internalizing problems to their school achievement in high school, (b) a positive contemporaneous association of 9th grade boys’ internalizing problems with their cognitive achievement; and (c) ways in which demographic characteristics and adolescent social and maturational processes account for variation in functioning yet do not alter the processes by which the emotional and academic functioning interact. Results are discussed with regard to identifiying adolescents’ internalizing problems, gender differences in the effects of internalizing problems on academic functioning, timing of evidence-based interventions, and implications for mental health promotion among girls.

Profiles of individual assets and mental health symptoms in at-risk early adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Few studies investigated the combined patterns of individual assets (e.g., social competence, positive identity) and mental health symptoms (MHS) in adolescents. This study examined the patterns of early adolescents' individual assets and MHS and whether identified patterns were associated with later adolescents' outcomes.

METHODS

Participants were 352 (164 boys, 188 girls) adolescents who were primarily African-American and from low socioeconomic status families, participating in a prospective study of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure from birth in the Midwest United States. Individual assets, using the Developmental Assets Profile, and MHS, using the Youth Self-Report, were assessed at age 12. Substance use, via self-report and biologic assays, early (before age 15) sexual behaviors, and behavioral adjustment were assessed at age 15.

RESULTS

Latent profile analysis indicated four distinctive profiles: low assets with elevated MHS (P1, n = 54, 15.3%); adequate assets with thought and social problems (P2, n = 84, 23.9%); low assets without MHS (P3, n = 101, 28.7%); and high assets without MHS (P4, n = 113, 32.1%). Children in the profile with high assets without MHS (P4) were more likely to have a higher IQ and to be in a more optimal environment (higher parental monitoring and less family conflict) than those in other profiles. Although profiles with MHS were associated with adolescent risk behaviors, this relationship was more pronounced for girls than for boys.

CONCLUSIONS

Girls in the low assets with elevated MHS (P1) should be a primary concern for preventive intervention. Our study demonstrates the heterogeneity of individual patterns of adaptation and maladaptation.

Developmental cascades of social competence, achievement in school, and achievement on standardized assessments during the transition to adolescence and secondary school

INTRODUCTION

Social and academic functioning are cornerstones of positive youth development and important to later educational and health outcomes. Yet, little is known about how the timing and direction of relationships between social and academic functioning vary by the type of achievement assessed and how the transition to adolescence influences these relationships.

METHOD

This study employs longitudinal structural equation modeling to examine the interrelationships of children's social competence, teacher ratings of school achievement, and standardized assessments of cognitive achievement in a cohort of 1048 children in the United States.

RESULTS

& Conclusions: Results identify 1) direct and indirect pathways from children's social competence in grades three and five to their school achievement in grades five and six; 2) significant pathways between school and cognitive achievement across all assessment points that decline in magnitude as students enter high school; 3) the magnitude of pathways between social competence and school achievement far exceed those between social competence and cognitive achievement; and 4) social and maturational factors account for variation in these functions but do not confound the timing and direction of the pathways from one to the other function. Given the importance of social competence and academic achievement to positive development, these findings demonstrate elementary school as an optimal and foundational period to implement universal interventions to optimize social functioning and prevent later academic difficulties in secondary school.

Developmental changes in longitudinal associations between academic achievement and psychopathological symptoms from late childhood to middle adolescence

BACKGROUND

Research reveals longitudinal bidirectional associations between changes in academic achievement and psychopathological symptoms. However, little is known about developmental changes in the magnitude of these associations, from childhood to adolescence.

METHODS

Participants were 648 Chinese children (347 males) who were followed from Grade 5 (mean age: 11.18 years) to Grade 9. Academic achievement and two types of symptoms (externalizing, depressive) were assessed annually. Structural equation modeling was used to examine longitudinal bidirectional associations between achievement and psychopathological symptoms, and developmental changes in effect sizes. Models were estimated using cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM), as well as random intercepts cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM).

RESULTS

The data supported the hypothesized academic incompetence and adjustment erosion effects, as well as the hypothesized developmental change in the academic incompetence effect whereby prior achievement's effects on subsequent externalizing increased with age. Results were similar for both genders and unaffected by inclusion of common risk factors as covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

There are bidirectional associations between symptoms and achievement that change markedly across the transition into adolescence. Interpreting the effects using a developmental perspective, changes in reciprocal effects may be dynamic. The findings suggest that targeting both psychopathology and low academic achievement is worthwhile, but that distinct treatment effects will be found in childhood versus adolescence.

Children's cortisol response to the transition from preschool to formal schooling: A review

This review examines the current state of knowledge regarding children's biological stress response during the transition from preschool to compulsory formal schooling, focusing on longitudinal studies that include repeated measures of cortisol concentrations in saliva or scalp hair. In all, eight independent studies (ten publications) were found and their results support the hypothesis that the transition from preschool to formal schooling coincides with an increase in cortisol concentration in both saliva and hair. Evidence of recovery (i.e. decrease in stress response over time) is more limited and suggests that it could take as many as 3-6 months before kindergarten children's cortisol concentration returns to baseline levels. However, important individual differences are observed. Potential predictors that have received some empirical support include child temperament (fearfulness/inhibition or surgency/extroversion) and prenatal maternal stress or anxiety. Very few studies, however, have examined whether there are actual functional consequences of individual differences in children's cortisol response associated with this transition. Finally, current methodological limitations and avenues for future studies are discussed.

Investigating multilevel pathways of developmental consequences of maltreatment

The impact of maltreatment spreads across many developmental domains and extends across the entire life span. Identifying unidirectional or bidirectional drivers of developmental cascades of the effects of maltreatment experiences is critical to efficiently employing interventions to promote resilient development in maltreated children. This 1-year longitudinal study utilized a multiple-levels approach, investigating "bottom-up" and "top-down" cascades using structural equation modeling between cortisol regulation, externalizing behavior, and peer aggression. Neither a bottom-up model driven by cortisol regulation nor a top-down model driven by peer aggression fit the data well. Instead, lower rates of externalizing behavior at Year 1 most strongly predicted improvements at all levels of analysis (reduced cortisol, externalizing behavior, and peer aggression) at Year 2. These results provide initial indication of a mechanism through which interventions for maltreated children may be most effective and result in the most substantial positive changes across developmental domains.

Cognitive Performance in Adolescence: Links With Early Maternal Stimulation and Children's Anxious Behaviors

This study tested a developmental model of cognitive performance in adolescence and explored potential mechanisms explaining the relations of early maternal stimulation and children's anxious behaviors with adolescents' cognitive performance. We utilized the NICHD SECCYD dataset (n = 1,112). Measures included questionnaires, coded observations, and self-report measures from infancy to adolescence. Results revealed that children who experienced greater early maternal stimulation and less anxious behaviors had better cognitive performance at age 15. Children's English self-efficacy, the quality of child-teacher relationships, and children's behavioral classroom engagement in middle childhood mediated the relation between early maternal stimulation and adolescent cognitive performance. Identifying pathways from earlier maternal and children's characteristics to children's later cognitive performance is an important step toward further understanding why early precursors have a long lasting impact on cognitive performance, and has implications for educational settings.

Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and child behavior: Current findings and future directions

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are recognized neurotoxicants, but the extent to which PBDEs influence various domains of behavior in children is not fully understood. As such, we reviewed epidemiologic studies published to date to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on PBDEs' potential role in behavioral development. We identified 19 epidemiologic studies reporting on associations of prenatal and childhood concentrations of PBDEs with behaviors assessed in children from 1 to 12years, including executive function, attention, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, adaptive skills, and social behaviors/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While the mechanisms of PBDE neurotoxicity in humans are still not clearly elucidated, findings from this review indicate that PBDE exposure during fetal development is associated with impairments in executive function and poorer attentional control in children. Results from large prospective cohorts demonstrate that prenatal and postnatal PBDE exposure adversely impacts externalizing behavior (e.g., hyperactivity and conduct problems). Additional studies are needed to determine whether PBDEs are associated with internalizing problems, adaptive skills, and social behaviors/ASD in children. Future studies will help better understand the potential neurotoxic effects of PBDE exposures during adolescence, possible sex-dependent effects, and the impact of exposure to BDE-209 and alternative flame retardants. Future studies should also examine chemical mixtures to capture real-world exposures when examining PBDEs and their impact on various behavioral domains in the context of multiple chemical exposures.

What Predicts a Good Adolescent to Adult Transition in ADHD? The Role of Self-Reported Resilience

OBJECTIVE

ADHD is a disorder associated with impairment and comorbid psychiatric problems in young adulthood; therefore, factors that may imply a more favorable outcome among adolescents with ADHD are of interest.

METHOD

This study used a longitudinal design to assess whether adolescent personal resilience characteristics during adolescence protected against psychosocial impairment, depression, and anxiety 3 years later. Self-reported protective factors were used as baseline measures in the assessment of 190 clinically referred adolescents with ADHD. A semi-structured diagnostic interview was performed at the follow-up.

RESULTS

In a group of youth with ADHD, personal resilience characteristics were associated with better psychosocial functioning in young adulthood, and less depression and anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Although further research is needed, these results indicate that personal resilience characteristics may be protective factors in the transitional period from adolescence to early adulthood.

Longitudinal Associations between Depression and Aggression in Children and Adolescents

Due to the longstanding and detrimental effects of engaging in aggressive behaviour and of experiencing symptoms of internalizing problems in children and adolescents, there is an increasing interest in identifying the temporal sequence between these 2 problems with previous research yielding inconsistent findings. Therefore, the longitudinal links between relational aggression, physical aggression, and depression were examined across 7 years in a sample of 643 children (54 % girls) aged 10 at Time 1. Three models were compared- (1) the failure model, in which aggression predicted depression, (2) the acting out model, in which depression predicted aggression, and (3) a reciprocal model, in which both aggression and depression shared a reciprocal relation over time. Cross-lagged path analyses using structural equation modeling supported the failure model (i.e., engaging in relational and physical aggression predicts subsequent depressive symptoms). Findings were similar for boys and girls. These findings add to the literature suggesting that externalizing problems precede internalizing problems.

Individual assets and problem behaviors in at-risk adolescents: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis

Autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation modeling was conducted to examine longitudinal relationships between individual assets (social competence, positive values and identity) and problem behaviors in 373 adolescents (174 boys, 199 girls) who participated in a prospective study on the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure from birth. More behavioral problems at age 12 were related to fewer individual assets at age 15, while greater individual assets were related to more behavioral problems, with a non-significant yet nuanced (p = .076) gender difference. More problem behaviors were associated with decreased individual assets in girls, yet greater individual assets were associated with more problem behaviors in boys. Efforts to promote individual assets may not lower the risk of engaging in problem behaviors especially among boys. Continued studies into adulthood will uncover how individual assets and problem behaviors in childhood and adolescence may affect social and vocational adjustment in this high risk population.

A longitudinal study of socioeconomic status, family processes, and child adjustment from preschool until early elementary school: the role of social competence

OBJECTIVE

Using a short-term longitudinal design, this study examined the concurrent and longitudinal relationships among familial socioeconomic status (SES; i.e., family income and maternal and paternal education levels), marital conflict (i.e., constructive and destructive marital conflict), parenting practices (i.e., positive and negative parenting practices), child social competence (i.e., social skills), and child behavioral adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems) in a comprehensive model.

METHODS

The sample included a total of 1604 preschoolers aged 5 years at Time 1 and first graders aged 6 years at Time 2 (51.5% male). Parents completed a self-reported questionnaire regarding their SES, marital conflict, parenting practices, and their children's behavioral adjustment. Teachers also evaluated the children's social competence.

RESULTS

The path analysis results revealed that Time 1 family income and maternal and paternal education levels were respectively related to Time 1 social skills and Time 2 internalizing and externalizing problems, both directly and indirectly, through their influence on destructive and constructive marital conflict, as well as negative and positive parenting practices. Notably, after controlling for Time 1 behavioral problems as mediating mechanisms in the link between family factors (i.e., SES, marital conflict, and parenting practices) and behavioral adjustment, Time 1 social skills significantly and inversely influenced both the internalization and externalization of problems at Time 2.

CONCLUSIONS

The merit of examining SES, marital conflict, and parenting practices as multidimensional constructs is discussed in relation to an understanding of processes and pathways within families that affect child mental health functioning. The results suggest social competence, which is influenced by the multidimensional constructs of family factors, may prove protective in reducing the risk of child maladjustment, especially for children who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

Cognitive Abilities, Social Adaptation, and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Childhood and Adolescence: Specific Cascade Effects Across Development

Children's and adolescents' cognitive abilities, social adaptation, and externalizing behaviors are broadly associated with each other at the bivariate level; however, the direction, ordering, and uniqueness of these associations have yet to be identified. Developmental cascade models are particularly well-suited to (1) discern unique pathways among psychological domains and (2) model stability in and covariation among constructs, allowing for conservative tests of longitudinal associations. The current study aimed to identify specific cascade effects among children's cognitive abilities, social adaptation, and externalizing behaviors, beginning in preschool and extending through adolescence. Children (46.2 % female) and mothers (N = 351 families) provided data when children were 4, 10, and 14 years old. Cascade effects highlighted significant stability in these domains. Unique longitudinal associations were identified between (1) age-10 cognitive abilities and age-14 social adaptation, (2) age-4 social adaptation and age-10 externalizing behavior, and (3) age-10 externalizing behavior and age-14 social adaptation. These findings suggest that children's social adaptation in preschool and externalizing behavior in middle childhood may be ideal intervention targets to enhance adolescent well-being.

Mental health difficulties and academic attainment: Evidence for gender-specific developmental cascades in middle childhood

We present a developmental cascade model of the longitudinal relationships between internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and academic performance in middle childhood, utilizing a large sample (N = 1,771) from the United Kingdom in a 3-year, cross-lag design. Three hypotheses were tested: adjustment erosion, academic incompetence, and (cumulative) shared risk. In addition, we sought to examine whether developmental cascade pathways varied across gender, while also statistically exploring indirect, mediation pathways. Structural equation models that accounted for within-time covariance, data nesting, and temporal stability provided evidence of gender-specific effects as follows: externalizing-attainment adjustment erosion pathways were found only in boys, while attainment-internalizing/externalizing academic incompetence pathways were found only in girls. Analysis of mediation pathways provided further support for these gender-specific longitudinal profiles. Protective longitudinal internalizing-externalizing and externalizing-internalizing pathways were found for both boys and girls. Finally, while it improved model fit for both genders, the influence of cumulative shared risk on the aforementioned pathways was relatively meager, substantively affecting only one (externalizing-attainment adjustment erosion pathway in boys). The implications of these findings are discussed, and study limitations noted.

The bidirectional pathways between internalizing and externalizing problems and academic performance from 6 to 18 years

Internalizing and externalizing problems are associated with poor academic performance, both concurrently and longitudinally. Important questions are whether problems precede academic performance or vice versa, whether both internalizing and externalizing are associated with academic problems when simultaneously tested, and whether associations and their direction depend on the informant providing information. These questions were addressed in a sample of 816 children who were assessed four times. The children were 6-10 years at baseline and 14-18 years at the last assessment. Parent-reported internalizing and externalizing problems and teacher-reported academic performance were tested in cross-lagged models to examine bidirectional paths between these constructs. These models were compared with cross-lagged models testing paths between teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing problems and parent-reported academic performance. Both final models revealed similar pathways from mostly externalizing problems to academic performance. No paths emerged from internalizing problems to academic performance. Moreover, paths from academic performance to internalizing and externalizing problems were only found when teachers reported on children's problems and not for parent-reported problems. Additional model tests revealed that paths were observed in both childhood and adolescence. Externalizing problems place children at increased risk of poor academic performance and should therefore be the target for interventions.