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Eiberg M. Cognitive Functioning of Children in Out-of-Home Care. JOURNAL OF CHILD & ADOLESCENT TRAUMA 2024; 17:217-230. [PMID: 38938961 PMCID: PMC11199474 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-023-00580-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Most children who enter out-of-home care (OHC) have been subjected to prolonged maltreatment. Maltreatment potentially contributes to a cumulative deficit in neurocognitive maturation and development that is likely to proceed with the child's placement into OHC and persist throughout adulthood. From the theoretical perspective of how maltreatment may affect the developing brain, this study examines the IQ and executive function of children placed in OHC on standardized, norm-referenced measures. Furthermore, the study investigates the prevalence of serious cognitive delays, defined by scores in the clinical range on the administered instruments. METHODS The study included 153 children in foster care (66% female), aged 6-15 (M = 10.5, SD = 2.1). Independent two-sample t-tests were run to test for significant differences between the sample and the norm population on the applied neuropsychological measures. RESULTS The results showed that discrepancies in cognitive development were global in scope, with the children lagging significantly behind the norm population on all applied measures with discrepancies ranging from 0.61 to 2.10 SD (p < .001). Also, serious developmental delays in all cognitive domains were vastly overrepresented in the sample ranging from 11.3% (IQ) to 66.0% (executive function). CONCLUSIONS The results document a very high prevalence of cognitive deficits and delays among the children in the sample. The implications of identifying the neurocognitive effects of maltreatment in the practices of the child welfare system are discussed in terms of developing suitable assessment and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misja Eiberg
- VIVE - The Danish Center for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles gade 11, 1052 , Copenhagen, Denmark
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2
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Tian T, Fang J, Liu D, Qin Y, Zhu H, Li J, Li Y, Zhu W. Long-term effects of childhood single-parent family structure on brain connectivity and psychological well-being. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00887-6. [PMID: 38809332 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00887-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The high and increasing proportion of single-parent families is considered a risk factor associated with various childhood trauma experiences. Consequently, concerns have been raised regarding the potential long-term effects of the childhood single-parent family structure. In this study, we employed advanced magnetic resonance imaging technology, including morphometric similarity mapping, functional connectivity density, and network-based analysis, to investigate brain connectivity and behavioral differences among young adults who were raised in single-parent families. Our study also aimed to explore the relationship between these differences and childhood trauma experiences. The results showed that individuals who grew up in single-parent families exhibited higher levels of anxiety, depression, and harm-avoidant personality. The multimodal MRI analysis further showed differences in regional and network-based connectivity properties in the single-parent family group, including increased functional connectivity density in the left inferior parietal lobule, enhanced cortical structural connectivity between the left isthmus cingulate cortex and peri-calcarine cortex, and an increase in temporal functional connectivity. Moreover, elevated levels of anxiety and depression, along with heightened functional connectivity density in the left inferior parietal lobule and increased temporal functional connectivity, were found to be correlated with a greater number of childhood trauma experiences. Through analyzing multiple data patterns, our study provides objective neuropsychobiological evidence for the enduring impact of childhood single-parent family structure on psychiatric vulnerability in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Jicheng Fang
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Qin
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongquan Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanhao Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenzhen Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Gao Y, Liang C, Liu X, Bai R, Xing S. Self-esteem buffers the stress sensitizing effect of childhood maltreatment on adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury. J Affect Disord 2024; 345:85-93. [PMID: 37865345 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.117] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adversity in childhood increases the risk of psychopathology, perhaps by influencing sensitivity to recent stressful life events (SLEs). However, little is known about the stress-sensitizing effect of childhood adversity on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), whether stress sensitization exists in specific types of SLEs, and the stress-buffering effect of self-esteem. This study aimed to investigate whether exposure to child maltreatment increases adolescent's vulnerability to the effects of dependent and independent SLEs on later NSSI and whether self-esteem buffers this risk. METHODS We conducted a two-wave study with 18-month intervals. 601 Chinese adolescents completed self-report measures of child maltreatment, SLEs, self-esteem, and NSSI. RESULTS Results supported the stress sensitization hypothesis for child maltreatment regarding dependent SLEs, with dependent SLEs significantly predicting later NSSI only in maltreated adolescents. Moreover, self-esteem buffered the relationship between dependent SLEs and NSSI in maltreated adolescents but amplified the relationship in non-maltreated adolescents. In the maltreated group, dependent SLEs predicted increased NSSI only in those with low self-esteem. In contrast, in the control group, dependent SLEs were significantly associated with NSSI in individuals with high self-esteem. LIMITATIONS We did not collect information on the timing of exposure to child maltreatment. Future studies that assess child maltreatment during critical periods of development may be able to identify sensitive period in which maltreatment sensitizes individuals to stress in adolescents. CONCLUSION Findings provide preliminary evidence that child maltreatment has a stress-sensitizing effect on adolescent NSSI. Improving self-esteem may mitigate the associations between SLEs and NSSI in adolescents exposed to child maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yemiao Gao
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxi Liang
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Rong Bai
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shufen Xing
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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Kim AW, Said Mohamed R, Norris SA, Naicker S, Richter LM, Kuzawa CW. Childhood adversity during the post-apartheid transition and COVID-19 stress independently predict adult PTSD risk in urban South Africa: A biocultural analysis of the stress sensitization hypothesis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 182:620-631. [PMID: 37283092 PMCID: PMC10700668 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa introduced new societal adversities and mental health threats in a country where one in three individuals are expected to develop a psychiatric condition sometime in their life. Scientists have suggested that psychosocial stress and trauma during childhood may increase one's vulnerability to the mental health consequences of future stressors-a process known as stress sensitization. This prospective analysis assessed whether childhood adversity experienced among South African children across the first 18 years of life, coinciding with the post-apartheid transition, exacerbates the mental health impacts of psychosocial stress experienced during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (ca. 2020-2021). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data came from 88 adults who participated in a follow-up study of a longitudinal birth cohort study in Soweto, South Africa. Childhood adversity and COVID-19 psychosocial stress were assessed as primary predictors of adult PTSD risk, and an interaction term between childhood adversity and COVID-19 stress was calculated to evaluate the potential effect of stress sensitization. RESULTS Fifty-six percent of adults exhibited moderate-to-severe PTSD symptoms. Greater childhood adversity and higher COVID-19 psychosocial stress independently predicted worse post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adults. Adults who reported greater childhood adversity exhibited non-significantly worse PTSD symptoms from COVID-19 psychosocial stress. DISCUSSION These results highlight the deleterious mental health effects of both childhood trauma and COVID-19 psychosocial stress in our sample and emphasize the need for greater and more accessible mental health support as the pandemic progresses in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Wooyoung Kim
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rihlat Said Mohamed
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Shane A Norris
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Global Health Research Institute, School of Human Development and Health, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Sara Naicker
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Linda M Richter
- SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Luo Q, Zou Y, Nie H, Wu H, Du Y, Chen J, Li Y, Peng H. Effects of childhood neglect on regional brain activity and corresponding functional connectivity in major depressive disorder and healthy people: Risk factor or resilience? J Affect Disord 2023; 340:792-801. [PMID: 37598720 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.095] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood neglect is a high risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the effects of childhood neglect on regional brain activity and corresponding functional connectivity in MDD patients and healthy populations remains unclear. METHODS Regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF, degree centrality, and voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity were extensively calculated to explore intraregional brain activity in MDD patients with childhood neglect and in healthy populations with childhood neglect. Functional connectivity analysis was then performed using regions showing abnormal brain activity in regional homogeneity/ALFF/fractional ALFF/degree centrality/voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity analysis as seed. Partial correlation analysis and moderating effect analysis were used to explore the relationship between childhood neglect, abnormal brain activity, and MDD severity. RESULTS We found decreased brain function in the inferior parietal lobe and cuneus in MDD patients with childhood neglect. In addition, we detected that childhood neglect was significant associated with abnormal cuneus brain activity in MDD patients and that abnormal cuneus brain activity moderated the relationship between childhood neglect and MDD severity. In contrast, higher brain function was observed in the inferior parietal lobe and cuneus in healthy populations with childhood neglect. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new evidence for the identification of neural biomarkers in MDD patients with childhood neglect. More importantly, we identify brain activity characteristics of resilience in healthy populations with childhood neglect, providing more clues to identify neurobiological markers of resilience to depression after suffering childhood neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyi Luo
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Yurong Zou
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Huiqin Nie
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Huawang Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Yingying Du
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Juran Chen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China
| | - Hongjun Peng
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China.
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6
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Gudi-Mindermann H, White M, Roczen J, Riedel N, Dreger S, Bolte G. Integrating the social environment with an equity perspective into the exposome paradigm: A new conceptual framework of the Social Exposome. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116485. [PMID: 37352954 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The importance of the social environment and social inequalities in disease etiology is well-known due to the profound research and conceptual framework on social determinants of health. For a long period, in exposome research with its classical orientation towards detrimental health effects of biological, chemical, and physical exposures, this knowledge remained underrepresented. But currently it gains great awareness and calls for innovations in rethinking the role of social environmental health determinants. To fill this gap that exists in terms of the social domain within exposome research, we propose a novel conceptual framework of the Social Exposome, to integrate the social environment in conjunction with the physical environment into the exposome concept. The iterative development process of the Social Exposome was based on a systematic compilation of social exposures in order to achieve a holistic portrayal of the human social environment - including social, psychosocial, socioeconomic, sociodemographic, local, regional, and cultural aspects, at individual and contextual levels. In order to move the Social Exposome beyond a mere compilation of exposures, three core principles are emphasized that underly the interplay of the multitude of exposures: Multidimensionality, Reciprocity, and Timing and continuity. The key focus of the conceptual framework of the Social Exposome is on understanding the underlying mechanisms that translate social exposures into health outcomes. In particular, insights from research on health equity and environmental justice have been incorporated to uncover how social inequalities in health emerge, are maintained, and systematically drive health outcomes. Three transmission pathways are presented: Embodiment, Resilience and Susceptibility or Vulnerability, and Empowerment. The Social Exposome conceptual framework may serve as a strategic map for, both, research and intervention planning, aiming to further explore the impact of the complex social environment and to alter transmission pathways to minimize health risks and health inequalities and to foster equity in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Gudi-Mindermann
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany.
| | - Maddie White
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany
| | - Jana Roczen
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany
| | - Natalie Riedel
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany
| | - Stefanie Dreger
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany
| | - Gabriele Bolte
- University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Germany
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7
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Gizdic A, Baxter T, Barrantes-Vidal N, Park S. Social connectedness and resilience post COVID-19 pandemic: Buffering against trauma, stress, and psychosis. PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:100126. [PMID: 37168290 PMCID: PMC10156379 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated psychosocial predictors of psychosis-risk, depression, anxiety, and stress in Croatia two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the existing transgenerational war trauma and associated psychiatric consequences in Croatian population, a significant pandemic-related deterioration of mental health was expected. Recent studies suggest that after an initial increase in psychiatric disorders during the pandemic in Croatia, depression, stress, and anxiety rapidly declined. These findings highlight the role of social connectedness and resilience in the face of the global pandemic. We examined resilience and psychiatric disorder risk in 377 Croatian adults using an anonymous online mental health survey. Results indicate that there was an exacerbation of all mental ill health variables, including depression, anxiety, stress, and a doubled risk for psychosis outcome post-COVID pandemic. Stress decreased levels of resilience, however, those exposed to previous traumatic experience and greater social connectedness had higher resilience levels. These findings suggest that individual differences in underlying stress sensitization of Croatian population due to past trauma may continue to influence mental health consequences two years after COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to promote the importance of social connectedness and resilience in preventing the development of variety of mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Gizdic
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tatiana Baxter
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Neus Barrantes-Vidal
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Sant Pere Claver - Fundació Sanitària, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sohee Park
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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8
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Wei X, Lü W. Childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents: Role of executive function and life events stress. J Adolesc 2023; 95:740-750. [PMID: 36751143 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Exposure to childhood trauma is found to increase internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents, however, the potential mechanism of this link remains underexplored. This study investigated the associations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents, and tested the mediating role of executive function and the moderating role of life events stress in this relationship. METHODS Questionnaire data were collected from 952 junior students in Northwest China. Participants ranged in age from 11 to 15 years old (M = 12.88 years, SD = 0.72; 53% females). SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the relationship between variables and examine the mediation model and the moderated mediation model. RESULTS Childhood trauma was positively associated with internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents. In addition, executive function partially mediated the relations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Life events stress was observed to moderate the relations between childhood trauma and executive function, as well as executive function and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, but the effect sizes were relatively small. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the role of executive function and life events stress in the association between childhood trauma and behavioral problems among adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Wei
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, USA
| | - Wei Lü
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shaanxi Key Research Center for Children Mental and Behavior Health, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, USA
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Conley MI, Hernandez J, Salvati JM, Gee DG, Baskin-Sommers A. The role of perceived threats on mental health, social, and neurocognitive youth outcomes: A multicontextual, person-centered approach. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:689-710. [PMID: 35232507 PMCID: PMC9437149 DOI: 10.1017/s095457942100184x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Perceived threat in youth's environments can elevate risk for mental health, social, and neurocognitive difficulties throughout the lifespan. However, few studies examine variability in youth's perceptions of threat across multiple contexts or evaluate outcomes across multiple domains, ultimately limiting our understanding of specific risks associated with perceived threats in different contexts. This study examined associations between perceived threat in youth's neighborhood, school, and family contexts at ages 9-10 and mental health, social, and neurocognitive outcomes at ages 11-12 within a large US cohort (N = 5525) enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®). Latent profile analysis revealed four distinct profiles: Low Threat in all contexts, Elevated Family Threat, Elevated Neighborhood Threat, and Elevated Threat in all contexts. Mixed-effect models and post hoc pairwise comparisons showed that youth in Elevated Threat profile had poorer mental health and social outcomes 2 years later. Youth in the Elevated Family Threat profile uniquely showed increased disruptive behavior symptoms, whereas youth in the Elevated Neighborhood Threat profile predominantly displayed increased sleep problems and worse neurocognitive outcomes 2 years later. Together, findings highlight the importance of considering perceptions of threat across multiple contexts to achieve a more nuanced developmental picture.
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Affiliation(s)
- May I. Conley
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT,
USA
| | | | - Joeann M. Salvati
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg
School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dylan G. Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT,
USA
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10
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Hostinar CE, Swartz JR, Alen NV, Guyer AE, Hastings PD. The role of stress phenotypes in understanding childhood adversity as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND CLINICAL SCIENCE 2023; 132:277-286. [PMID: 37126060 PMCID: PMC10153067 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Childhood adversity is a leading transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, being associated with an estimated 31-62% of childhood-onset disorders and 23-42% of adult-onset disorders (Kessler et al., 2010). Major unresolved theoretical challenges stem from the nonspecific and probabilistic nature of the links between childhood adversity and psychopathology. The links are nonspecific because childhood adversity increases risk, through a range of mechanisms, for diverse forms of psychopathology and are probabilistic because not all individuals exposed to childhood adversity develop psychopathology. In this article, we propose a path forward by focusing on stress phenotypes, defined as biobehavioral patterns activated in response to stressors that can disrupt future functioning when persistent (e.g., reward seeking, social withdrawal, aggression). This review centers on the accumulating evidence that psychopathology appears to be more strongly predicted by behavior and biology during states of stress. Building on this observation, our theoretical framework proposes that we can model pathways from childhood adversity to psychopathology with greater specificity and certainty by understanding stress phenotypes, defined as patterns of behavior and their corresponding biological substrates that are elicited by stressors. This approach aims to advance our conceptualization of mediating pathways from childhood adversity to psychopathology. Understanding stress phenotypes will bring us closer to "precision mental health," a person-centered approach to identifying, preventing, and treating psychopathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johnna R Swartz
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
| | | | - Amanda E Guyer
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
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11
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Kang W, Kang Y, Kim A, Kim H, Han KM, Ham BJ. Gray and white matter abnormalities in major depressive disorder patients and its associations with childhood adversity. J Affect Disord 2023; 330:16-23. [PMID: 36871915 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early life stress of childhood adversity (CA) may result in major depressive disorder (MDD) by sensitizing individuals to proximal stressors in life events. The neurobiological changes that underlie adult depression may result from the absence of proper care and supervision of caregivers. We aimed to find both gray and white matter abnormalities in MDD patients, who reported the experiences of CA. METHODS The present study examined cortical alterations in 54 patients with MDD and 167 healthy controls (HCs) using voxel-based morphology and fractional anisotropy (FA) tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Both patients and HCs were administered the self-questionnaire clinical scale (the Korean translation of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire CTQK). Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to find the associations between FA and CTQK. RESULTS The MDD group showed a significant decrease in gray matter (GM) in the left rectus at both the cluster and peak levels after family-wise error correction. The TBSS results showed significantly reduced FA in widespread regions, including the corpus callosum (CC), superior corona radiata, cingulate gyrus, and superior longitudinal fasciculus. The CA was negatively correlated with the FA in CC and crossing pontine tract. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrated GM atrophy and white matter (WM) connectivity changes in patients with MDD. The major findings of the widespread FA reduction in WM provided the evidence of brain alterations in MDD. We further propose that the WM would be vulnerable to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in early childhood during the brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooyoung Kang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youbin Kang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeyoung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Man Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Wade M, McLaughlin KA, Buzzell GA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA. Family-based care buffers the stress sensitizing effect of early deprivation on executive functioning difficulties in adolescence. Child Dev 2023; 94:e43-e56. [PMID: 36254858 PMCID: PMC9828738 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We examined whether family care following early-life deprivation buffered the association between stressful life events (SLEs) and executive functioning (EF) in adolescence. In early childhood, 136 institutionally reared children were randomly assigned to foster care or care-as-usual; 72 never-institutionalized children served as a comparison group. At age 16 years, adolescents (n = 143; 54% female; 67.1% Romanian) self-reported recent SLEs, completed a battery of memory and EF tasks, and completed a go/nogo task in which mediofrontal theta power (MFTP) was measured using electroencephalogram. More independent SLEs predicted lower EF and more dependent SLEs predicted lower MFTP, but only among adolescents with prolonged early deprivation. Findings provide preliminary evidence that family care following early deprivation may facilitate resilience against stress during adolescence on EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto
| | | | | | - Nathan A. Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park
| | - Charles H. Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Boston Children’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
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13
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Gee DG, Sisk LM, Cohodes EM, Bryce NV. Leveraging the science of stress to promote resilience and optimize mental health interventions during adolescence. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5693. [PMID: 36171218 PMCID: PMC9519553 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33416-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Nessa V Bryce
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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14
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Bou Khalil R, Risch N, Sleilaty G, Richa S, Seneque M, Lefebvre P, Sultan A, Avignon A, Maimoun L, Renard E, Courtet P, Guillaume S. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) variations in relationship with childhood maltreatment in patients with anorexia nervosa: a retrospective cohort study. Eat Weight Disord 2022; 27:2201-2212. [PMID: 35128621 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-022-01372-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness. It is frequently accompanied by a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) that may constitute a specific ecophenotype in patients with eating disorders necessitating special assessment and management. This retrospective study tested whether in patients with AN, CM-related chronic stress may manifest through low-grade inflammation reflected by an increase in white blood cell ratios (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, NLR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio). METHODS Participants (N = 206) were enrolled at an eating disorder daycare unit in Montpellier, France, from March 2013 and January 2020. CM was assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the MINI were used to assess AN severity and the other clinical characteristics, respectively. RESULTS NLR was higher in patients with AN and history of CM (p = 0.029) and in patients with AN and history of emotional abuse (p = 0.021), compared with patients with AN without history of CM. In multivariate analysis, emotional abuse (β = 0.17; p = 0.027) contributed significantly to NLR variability. CONCLUSION In patients with AN, NLR is a low-grade inflammation marker that is influenced by various sociodemographic, clinical and biological factors. It is more directly affected by some CM types, especially emotional abuse, than by the presence/absence of CM history. Future studies should focus on mediators between CM and increased inflammation, such as interoceptive awareness, emotional dysregulation, food addiction, and stress sensitization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III. Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Bou Khalil
- Department of Psychiatry, Saint Joseph University-Hôtel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. .,Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
| | - N Risch
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - G Sleilaty
- Clinical Research Center and Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Saint Joseph University-Hôtel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - S Richa
- Department of Psychiatry, Saint Joseph University-Hôtel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - M Seneque
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - P Lefebvre
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - A Sultan
- University of Montpellier, PhyMedExp, INSERM, CNRS UMR, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - A Avignon
- Desbrest Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - L Maimoun
- University of Montpellier, PhyMedExp, INSERM, CNRS UMR, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Département de Médecine Nucléaire, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - E Renard
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - P Courtet
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - S Guillaume
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHRU, 34295, Montpellier, France
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15
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Grumi S, Pettenati G, Manfredini V, Provenzi L. Flexibility and organization in parent-child interaction through the lens of the dynamic system approach: A systematic review of State Space Grid studies. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101722. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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16
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Fares-Otero NE, Trautmann S. Addressing the Interactive Effects of Maltreatment and COVID-19 Related Stressors on the Neuropsychological Functioning in Children. Front Psychol 2021; 12:764768. [PMID: 34899509 PMCID: PMC8653797 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.764768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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17
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Gee DG. Early Adversity and Development: Parsing Heterogeneity and Identifying Pathways of Risk and Resilience. Am J Psychiatry 2021; 178:998-1013. [PMID: 34734741 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21090944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Adversity early in life is common and is a major risk factor for the onset of psychopathology. Delineating the neurodevelopmental pathways by which early adversity affects mental health is critical for early risk identification and targeted treatment approaches. A rapidly growing cross-species literature has facilitated advances in identifying the mechanisms linking adversity with psychopathology, specific dimensions of adversity and timing-related factors that differentially relate to outcomes, and protective factors that buffer against the effects of adversity. Yet, vast complexity and heterogeneity in early environments and neurodevelopmental trajectories contribute to the challenges of understanding risk and resilience in the context of early adversity. In this overview, the author highlights progress in four major areas-mechanisms, heterogeneity, developmental timing, and protective factors; synthesizes key challenges; and provides recommendations for future research that can facilitate progress in the field. Translation across species and ongoing refinement of conceptual models have strong potential to inform prevention and intervention strategies that can reduce the immense burden of psychopathology associated with early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Conn
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18
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Sisk LM, Gee DG. Stress and adolescence: vulnerability and opportunity during a sensitive window of development. Curr Opin Psychol 2021; 44:286-292. [PMID: 34818623 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of dynamic change across multiple systems. Concurrent maturation of neural, biological, and psychosocial functioning renders adolescence a time of heightened sensitivity to both negative and positive experiences. Here, we review recent literature across these domains, discuss risk and opportunity in the context of ongoing neural development, and highlight promising directions for future research. Finally, we propose that conceptualizing adolescence as a sensitive window during which plasticity across multiple systems is enhanced may support the identification of links between experience, neurodevelopment, and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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19
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Hanson JL, Williams AV, Bangasser DA, Peña CJ. Impact of Early Life Stress on Reward Circuit Function and Regulation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:744690. [PMID: 34744836 PMCID: PMC8563782 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.744690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress - including experience of child maltreatment, neglect, separation from or loss of a parent, and other forms of adversity - increases lifetime risk of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. A major component of this risk may be early life stress-induced alterations in motivation and reward processing, mediated by changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Here, we review evidence of the impact of early life stress on reward circuit structure and function from human and animal models, with a focus on the NAc. We then connect these results to emerging theoretical models about the indirect and direct impacts of early life stress on reward circuit development. Through this review and synthesis, we aim to highlight open research questions and suggest avenues of future study in service of basic science, as well as applied insights. Understanding how early life stress alters reward circuit development, function, and motivated behaviors is a critical first step toward developing the ability to predict, prevent, and treat stress-related psychopathology spanning mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alexia V. Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Catherine J. Peña
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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20
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Cohodes EM, Kribakaran S, Odriozola P, Bakirci S, McCauley S, Hodges HR, Sisk LM, Zacharek SJ, Gee DG. Migration-related trauma and mental health among migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States: Effects on developmental neurobiology and implications for policy. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22158. [PMID: 34292596 PMCID: PMC8410670 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Children make up over half of the world's migrants and refugees and face a multitude of traumatic experiences prior to, during, and following migration. Here, we focus on migrant children emigrating from Mexico and Central America to the United States and review trauma related to migration, as well as its implications for the mental health of migrant and refugee children. We then draw upon the early adversity literature to highlight potential behavioral and neurobiological sequalae of migration-related trauma exposure, focusing on attachment, emotion regulation, and fear learning and extinction as transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying the development of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology following early-life adversity. This review underscores the need for interdisciplinary efforts to both mitigate the effects of trauma faced by migrant and refugee youth emigrating from Mexico and Central America and, of primary importance, to prevent child exposure to trauma in the context of migration. Thus, we conclude by outlining policy recommendations aimed at improving the mental health of migrant and refugee youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sahana Kribakaran
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Paola Odriozola
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah Bakirci
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah McCauley
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - H R Hodges
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sadie J Zacharek
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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21
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Environmental determinants of physiological reactivity to stress: The interacting effects of early life deprivation, caregiving quality, and stressful life events. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1732-1742. [PMID: 33427173 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Children who spend their early lives in institutions experience profound psychosocial deprivation that is associated with altered stress response system development. Here, we used data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of foster care for institutionally reared children to examine whether caregiving quality and stressful life events (SLEs) in early adolescence (age 12) influence patterns of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity. Controlling for the effect of institutional care, higher caregiving quality at age 12 was associated with heightened cortisol and SNS reactivity. However, moderation analysis revealed that the latter effect was only observed among never-institutionalized children, whereas ever-institutionalized children demonstrated a persistently blunted SNS response regardless of recent caregiving quality. Among institutionally reared children, SLEs interacted with prior random assignment to foster care, such that those placed in foster care early in development had a SNS response that approximated never-institutionalized children when SLEs at age 12 were low. In contrast, SNS reactivity was persistently blunted among those with prolonged deprivation, regardless of recent SLEs. Early-life deprivation is associated with persistent blunting of stress response systems, but normalization may be achievable if SLEs are limited following placement into enriched family-based care.
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22
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The prospective association between stressful life events and inflammation among adolescents with a history of early institutional rearing. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1715-1724. [PMID: 33427183 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Early adversity has been shown to sensitize individuals to the effects of later stress and enhance risk of psychopathology. Using a longitudinal randomized trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care, we extend the stress sensitization hypothesis to examine whether early institutional rearing sensitizes individuals to stressful events in adolescence engendering chronic low-grade inflammation. At baseline, institutionalized children in Romania (ages 6-31 months) were randomly assigned to foster care or to remain in usual care within institutions. A group of never-institutionalized children was recruited as an in-country comparison sample. At ages 12 and 16, participants reported stressful events. At age 16, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were derived from blood spots. Among children assigned to care as usual, more stressful events at age 12, but not age 16, were associated with higher IL-6. In the same group, stressful events at age 16 were associated with higher CRP, though these effects attenuated after adjusting for covariates. These associations were not observed in the foster care or never-institutionalized groups. The findings suggest that heightened inflammation following stress exposure is one pathway through which early neglect could compromise physical health. In contrast, early family care might buffer against these risks.
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23
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Guyon-Harris KL, Humphreys KL, Zeanah CH. Adverse caregiving in early life: The trauma and deprivation distinction in young children. Infant Ment Health J 2020; 42:87-95. [PMID: 32978996 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge and understanding about the impact of cumulative adverse experiences on the health and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults has rapidly expanded over the past 30 years. Despite the invaluable attention and support this proliferation has drawn to the importance of early childhood experiences, we believe that it is time to move beyond broad indices of risk and toward more specific and individualized understanding of how risk exposures are linked to clinical outcomes in young children. Within infant and early childhood mental health, there is a need for greater specificity in linking adverse caregiving experiences in early life to psychopathology in children. We highlight a framework distinguishing experiences of trauma from experiences of deprivation and use the examples of posttraumatic stress disorder and reactive attachment disorder to demonstrate how greater specificity in our understanding of early adverse caregiving can lead to more accurate and targeted diagnosis and treatment for young children. Both researchers and clinicians benefit from an approach to gain a greater appreciation of the links between specific types of experiences and outcomes in the children that we serve.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
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24
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Abstract
Interventions are needed to enhance early development and minimise long-term impairments for children born very preterm (VP, <32 weeks' gestation) and their families. Given the role of the environment on the developing brain, the potential for developmental interventions that modify the infant's hospital and home environments to improve outcomes is high. Although early developmental interventions vary widely in focus, timing, and mode of delivery, evidence generally supports the effectiveness of these programs to improve specific outcomes for children born VP and their families. However, little is known about mechanisms for effectiveness, cost- and long-term effectiveness, which programs might work better for whom, and how to provide early intervention services equitably. This information is critical to facilitate systematic integration of effective developmental interventions into clinical care for infants born very preterm and their families.
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25
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Cohodes EM, Kitt ER, Baskin-Sommers A, Gee DG. Influences of early-life stress on frontolimbic circuitry: Harnessing a dimensional approach to elucidate the effects of heterogeneity in stress exposure. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:153-172. [PMID: 32227350 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Early-life stress confers profound and lasting risk for developing cognitive, social, emotional, and physical health problems. The effects of stress on the developing brain contribute to this risk, with frontolimbic circuitry particularly susceptible to early experiences, possibly due to its innervation with glucocorticoid receptors and the timing of frontolimbic circuit maturation. To date, the majority of studies on stress and frontolimbic circuitry have employed a categorical approach, comparing stress-exposed versus non-stress-exposed youth. However, there is vast heterogeneity in the nature of stress exposure and in outcomes. Recent forays into understanding the psychobiological effects of stress have employed a dimensional approach focused on experiential, environmental, and temporal factors that influence the association between stress and subsequent vulnerability. This review highlights empirical findings that inform a dimensional approach to understanding the effects of stress on frontolimbic circuitry. We identify the timing, type, severity, controllability, and predictability of stress, and the degree to which a caregiver is involved, as specific features of stress that may play a substantial role in differential outcomes. We propose a framework for the effects of these features of stress on frontolimbic development that may partially determine how heterogeneity in stress exposure influences this circuitry and, ultimately, mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Cohodes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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26
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Ou W, Li Z, Zheng Q, Chen W, Liu J, Liu B, Zhang Y. Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:612586. [PMID: 33551875 PMCID: PMC7854900 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.612586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have indicated that childhood maltreatment (CM) may potentially influence the clinical symptomatology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Here, we aimed to quantify the relationship between CM and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and depressive symptoms in OCD through a meta-analysis. Method: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycARTICLES databases for articles reporting the association between CM and OCD on April 15, 2020. Random-effect models were used to quantify the relationship between CM and the severity of OCS and depressive symptoms in OCD. Results: Ten records with 1,611 OCD patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results revealed that CM is positively correlated with the severity of OCS [r = 0.10, 95%Confidence Interval (CI): 0.01-0.19, P = 0.04] as well as depressive symptoms in OCD (r = 0.15, 95%CI: 0.07-0.24, P = 0.0002). For the subtypes of CM, childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) was related with the severity of OCS (r = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.03-0.19, P = 0.009) and obsession (r = 0.13, 95%CI: 0.03-0.23, P = 0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicates that OCD patients who suffered more CM may exhibit more severe OCS and depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Ou
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhijun Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qi Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Xianyue Psychiatric Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Wentao Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bangshan Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China
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