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Sheehan J, Hadfield K. Overcoming socioeconomic adversity: Academic resilience in mathematics achievement among children and adolescents in Ireland. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39073074 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Although socioeconomic disadvantage is linked with academic underachievement, many children from low-income backgrounds perform well in school. Which modifiable factors predict this academic resilience? We examine between- and within-person predictors of one important academic metric - mathematics performance - across adolescence in 1715 (796 male, 919 female) youth living in poverty in Ireland, using data from three waves (9, 13, and 17/18 years) of the Growing Up in Ireland study. Using linear mixed models, math performance was worse when adolescents had more socioemotional and behavioural difficulties, more child-parent relationship conflict, parents had lower expectations of the adolescent's educational achievement, and when primary caregivers had less education. Adolescents who had better intellectual self-concept and attended a non-disadvantaged school had greater math performance. This research adds to the growing body of work suggesting academic resilience is dynamic and multisystemic; it provides potential targets at multiple levels to promote such resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Sheehan
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kristin Hadfield
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Fekom M, Nguyen TL, Lepeule J, Nakamura A, Keyes K, Martins S, Strandberg-Larsen K, Melchior M. Intergenerational transmission of tobacco smoking: The role of the child's behavioral difficulties. Data from the Danish National Birth cohort (DNBC). Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 255:111056. [PMID: 38128363 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study explores the role of offspring behavioral difficulties in the intergeneration transmission of tobacco smoking. METHODS This longitudinal cohort study is based on children born in Denmark in 1996-2003 participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC), followed-up until 18years of age. We included mother-child pairs with complete data regarding the exposure (4 trajectories of maternal daily smoking quantity during pregnancy: low, intermediate/stable, intermediate/decreasing and high), outcome (offspring daily smoking status at 18 years) and mediator (offspring symptoms of hyperactivity-inattention at 11 years), that is 24,588 mother-child pairs. RESULTS In our study population, during pregnancy respectively 86.2%, 6.80%, 4.08% and 2.97% mothers belonged to the low, intermediate/stable, intermediate/decreasing and high smoking trajectory groups. After controlling for covariates using propensity scores, the direct effect of maternal smoking in pregnancy on offspring smoking in adolescence was statistically significant, especially when the mother belonged to the intermediate/stable smoking trajectory group (ORIPW = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.70 - 2.61) or to the high smoking trajectory group (ORIPW = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.52 - 3.11) compared to the low smoking trajectory group. None of the indirect effects of maternal smoking in pregnancy were statistically significant, and neither were the proportions mediated. CONCLUSION Maternal pregnancy smoking seems to have an influence on offspring smoking in early adulthood, which does not appear to be mediated by offspring behavioral difficulties. Women should be strongly encouraged to quit smoking in pregnancy to reduce both short and long-term health risks among their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Fekom
- Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (iPLesp), Department of Social Epidemiology (ERES), INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris F-75012, France.
| | - Tri-Long Nguyen
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johanna Lepeule
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble, France
| | - Aurélie Nakamura
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Grenoble, France
| | - Katherine Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | - Silvia Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | | | - Maria Melchior
- Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (iPLesp), Department of Social Epidemiology (ERES), INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris F-75012, France
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Dockx Y, Täubel M, Hogervorst J, Luyten L, Peusens M, Rasking L, Sleurs H, Witters K, Plusquin M, Valkonen M, Nawrot TS, Casas L. Association of indoor dust microbiota with cognitive function and behavior in preschool-aged children. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:1. [PMID: 36593490 PMCID: PMC9806900 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01406-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood cognitive development depends on neuroimmune interactions. Immunomodulation by early-life microbial exposure may influence neuropsychological function. In this study, we investigate the association between residential indoor microbiota and cognition and behavior among preschoolers. RESULTS Indoor-settled dust bacterial and fungal characteristics were assessed using 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing (microbial diversity) and qPCR measurements (microbial loads). Child behavior was assessed using four scales: peer relationship, emotional, conduct, and hyperactivity was assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Cognitive function was assessed using four tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) software. The first two tasks were designed to assess attention and psychomotor speed (Motor Screening (MOT) and Big/Little Circle (BLC)) and the last two to evaluate the child's visual recognition/working memory (Spatial Span (SSP) and Delayed Matching to Sample (DMS)). Among the 172 included children (age 4-6 years), we observed a 51% (95%CI;75%;9%) lower odds of children scoring not normal for hyperactivity and a decrease of 3.20% (95%CI, -6.01%; -0.30%) in BLC response time, for every IQR increase in fungal Shannon diversity. Contrarily, microbial loads were directly associated with SDQ scales and response time. For example, a 2-fold increase in Gram-positive bacterial load was associated with 70% (95%CI 18%; 156%) higher odds of scoring not normal for hyperactivity and an increase of 5.17% (95%CI 0.87%; 9.65%) in DMS response time. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that early-life exposure to diverse indoor fungal communities is associated with better behavioral and cognitive outcomes, whereas higher indoor microbial load was associated with worse outcomes. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinthe Dockx
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Martin Täubel
- Environmental Health Unit, Department Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Janneke Hogervorst
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Leen Luyten
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Martien Peusens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Leen Rasking
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Hanne Sleurs
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Katrien Witters
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Maria Valkonen
- Environmental Health Unit, Department Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tim S. Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49–706, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lidia Casas
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49–706, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Doornstraat 331, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
- Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
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Co-occurrence, stability and manifestation of child and adolescent mental health problems: a latent transition analysis. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:267. [PMID: 36376939 PMCID: PMC9664619 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00969-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Complex constellations of socio-emotional and behavioural problems (i.e., mental health problems) in childhood and adolescence are common and heighten the risk for subsequent personality, anxiety and mood disorders in adulthood. Aims of this study included the examination of patterns of mental health problems (e.g., externalizing-internalizing co-occurrence) and their transitions to reported mental disorders by using a longitudinal person-centered approach (latent class and latent transition analysis). Methods The sample consisted of 1255 children and adolescents (51.7% female, mean age = 12.3 years, age range 8–26 years) from three time points of the comprehensive mental health and wellbeing BELLA study. Children and their parents completed the German SDQ (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, Goodman, 1997) and reported on diagnoses of ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Results Latent class analysis identified a normative class, an emotional problem class, and a multiple problem class. According to latent transition analysis, the majority of the sample (91.6%) did not change latent class membership over time; 14.7% of individuals showed a persistent pattern of mental health problems. Diagnoses of mental disorders were more likely to be reported by individuals in the emotional problem or multiple problem class.
Conclusions Results highlight the need for early prevention of mental health problems to avoid accumulation and manifestation in the transition to adolescence and young adulthood.
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Thompson JMD, Slykerman RF, Wall CR, Murphy R, Mitchell EA, Waldie KE. Factor structure of the SDQ and longitudinal associations from pre-school to pre-teen in New Zealand. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247932. [PMID: 33705464 PMCID: PMC7951836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a cohort of New Zealand children followed from birth to the age of eleven. The study also aimed to assess the stability of the child data in relation to behavioural outcomes during this period. Methods Children in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study were assessed at approximately 3½, 7 and 11 years of age. At all time-points parents completed the parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the children themselves completed the self-report version at 11 years of age. The validity and internal consistency were assessed using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and McDonald’s Omega. Cross tabulations and Chi-square statistics were used to determine whether Total Difficulty scores, as per accepted cut-offs, remained stable over time (between normal and abnormal/borderline categories). Results The factor structure remained relatively consistent across all three time-points, though several questions did not load as per the originally published factor analysis at the earliest age. The internal consistency of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was good at all time-points and for parent- and child-completed versions. There was low agreement in the total scores between time points. Conclusions The factor analysis shows that the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire has a similar factor structure, particularly in older ages, to that previously published and shows good internal consistency. At the pre-school follow up, a larger than expected proportion of children were identified with high scores, particularly in the conduct sub-scale. Children’s behaviour changes over time, with only poor to moderate agreement between those identified as abnormal or borderline over the longitudinal follow up.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. D. Thompson
- Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Rebecca F. Slykerman
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Clare R. Wall
- Discipline of Nutrition, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rinki Murphy
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Edwin A. Mitchell
- Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Karen E. Waldie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Nakahara N, Matsuyama Y, Kino S, Badrakhkhuu N, Ogawa T, Moriyama K, Fujiwara T, Kawachi I. The Consumption of Sweets and Academic Performance among Mongolian Children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238912. [PMID: 33266218 PMCID: PMC7729965 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The regular consumption of sweets has been shown to have an adverse association with the academic performance of children in developed countries; however, the situation in developing countries is less clear. Therefore, we examined the association between the consumption of sweets and academic performance among Mongolian children via a cross-sectional study employing data from 787 children aged 8–16 from two public schools in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The frequency of the consumption of sweets by the children was captured using a questionnaire and then linked to their academic scores; the association between the consumption of sweets and scores in mathematics and the Mongolian language was evaluated using multiple linear regression adjusted for other covariates. It was found that out of 787 students, 58.6% ate sweets every day. After adjusting for covariates, no significant association was observed between the consumption of sweets and mathematics scores (coefficient: 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.02–0.32), while a higher consumption of sweets was significantly associated with higher scores in the Mongolian language (coefficient: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.09–0.41). The associations established in this study are inconsistent with the reports of other studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noboru Nakahara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan; (N.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yusuke Matsuyama
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan; (N.N.); (Y.M.)
| | - Shiho Kino
- Department of Social and Behavioral Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.K.); (I.K.)
| | - Nomin Badrakhkhuu
- Department of Maxillofacial Orthognathics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; (N.B.); (T.O.); (K.M.)
| | - Takuya Ogawa
- Department of Maxillofacial Orthognathics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; (N.B.); (T.O.); (K.M.)
| | - Keiji Moriyama
- Department of Maxillofacial Orthognathics, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; (N.B.); (T.O.); (K.M.)
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan; (N.N.); (Y.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-5803-5187
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (S.K.); (I.K.)
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Wolf RT, Jeppesen P, Gyrd-Hansen D, Oxholm AS. Evaluation of a screening algorithm using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to identify children with mental health problems: A five-year register-based follow-up on school performance and healthcare use. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223314. [PMID: 31644540 PMCID: PMC6808306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment of mental health problems (MHP) is often delayed or absent due to the lack of systematic detection and early intervention. This study evaluates the potential of a new screening algorithm to identify children with MHP. METHODS The study population comprises 2,015 children from the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 whose mental health was assessed at age 11-12 years and who had no prior use of specialised mental health services. A new algorithm based on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is utilised to identify MHP by combining parent-reported scores of emotional and behavioural problems and functional impairments. The screening is done on historical data, implying that neither parents, teachers nor health care professionals received any feedback on the screening status. The screening status and results of an IQ-test were linked to individual-level data from national registries. These national registers include records of each child's school performance at the end of compulsory schooling, their health care utilisation, as well as their parents' socio-economic status and health care utilisation. RESULTS 10% of the children screen positive for MHP. The children with MHP achieve a significantly lower Grade Point Average on their exams, independently of their IQ-score, perinatal factors and parental characteristics. On average, the children with MHP also carry higher health care costs over a five-year follow-up period. The higher health care costs are only attributed to 23% of these children, while the remaining children with MHP also show poorer school performance but receive no additional health care. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that children with MHP and a poor prognosis can be identified by the use of the brief standardised questionnaire SDQ combined with a screening algorithm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus Trap Wolf
- University of Southern Denmark, Department of Public Health, Danish Centre for Health Economics, Odense, Denmark
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pia Jeppesen
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dorte Gyrd-Hansen
- University of Southern Denmark, Department of Public Health, Danish Centre for Health Economics, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Anne Sophie Oxholm
- University of Southern Denmark, Department of Public Health, Danish Centre for Health Economics, Odense, Denmark
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