The bidirectional relationship between head injuries and conduct problems: longitudinal modelling of a population-based birth cohort study

Adolescent delinquency following co-occurring childhood head injuries and conduct problem symptoms: findings from a UK longitudinal birth cohort

Childhood conduct problems and head injuries share a bidirectional association, but how this affects the risk of adolescent delinquency is unknown. Due to their similar underlying mechanisms (i.e. increased impulsivity), this study aims to identify whether their co-occurrence increases the risk of adolescent delinquency. Data was obtained from 11,272 children at age 14 and 10,244 at age 17 years enrolled in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Conduct problem symptoms (via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and head injuries were parent reported from ages 3 to 14 years. Delinquency was self-reported at ages 14 and 17 including substance use, criminality, and antisocial behaviour. Incident rate ratios (IRR) were estimated for delinquency at ages 14 and 17 by childhood conduct problem and head injury status. Co-occurring head injuries and high conduct problem symptoms presented the greatest risk for overall delinquency and substance use at age 14 compared to those with the presence of one or neither (IRRs from 1.20 to 1.60). At age 17, conduct problems (with or without co-occurring head injuries) presented the greatest risk for overall delinquency, substance use, and antisocial behaviour. There was no evidence for an increased risk of delinquency at ages 14 or 17 following a head injury only. Whilst these findings suggest childhood head injuries alone do not increase the risk of adolescent delinquency, when co-occurring alongside high conduct problem symptoms there is a heightened earlier risk. These results provide further insight into adolescent delinquency and the outcomes of co-occurring childhood head injury and conduct problem symptoms.

Self-Reported Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Biopsychosocial Risk Factors in Siblings of Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) are situated within a complex system of risk and resilience factors for poor outcomes, many of which overlap with the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and correlate with poorer recovery trajectories. This study used Bayesian analyses to characterize and compare TBI and biopsychosocial risk factors among 632 siblings (207 NDC, 425 controls; mean age 20.54 years, range 10-30, 78.48% female). NDC siblings had a higher self-reported lifetime history of TBI compared to controls (14.98% versus 6.35%), with most reporting more than one TBI, and at an earlier age. TBI history was associated with psychiatric diagnoses and subclinical NDC features. Family and structural factors related to TBI included poorer parent-child relationship, NDC diagnoses of autism or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, minority ethnicity, and lower income. Findings have implications for health literacy, TBI education and screening, and implementation of family support.