1
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Peng T, Kennedy A, Wu Y, Foitzik S, Grüter C. Early life exposure to queen mandibular pheromone mediates persistent transcriptional changes in the brain of honey bee foragers. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247516. [PMID: 38725404 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Behavioural regulation in insect societies remains a fundamental question in sociobiology. In hymenopteran societies, the queen plays a crucial role in regulating group behaviour by affecting individual behaviour and physiology through modulation of worker gene expression. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens signal their presence via queen mandibular pheromone (QMP). While QMP has been shown to influence behaviour and gene expression of young workers, we know little about how these changes translate in older workers. The effects of the queen pheromone could have prolonged molecular impacts on workers that depend on an early sensitive period. We demonstrate that removal of QMP impacts long-term gene expression in the brain and antennae in foragers that were treated early in life (1 day post emergence), but not when treated later in life. Genes important for division of labour, learning, chemosensory perception and ageing were among those differentially expressed in the antennae and brain tissues, suggesting that QMP influences diverse physiological and behavioural processes in workers. Surprisingly, removal of QMP did not have an impact on foraging behaviour. Overall, our study suggests a sensitive period early in the life of workers, where the presence or absence of a queen has potentially life-long effects on transcriptional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianfei Peng
- Institute of Molecular and Organismic Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Biozentrum I, Hanns Dieter Hüsch Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, PR China
| | - Anissa Kennedy
- Institute of Molecular and Organismic Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Biozentrum I, Hanns Dieter Hüsch Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Yongqiang Wu
- Institute of Molecular and Organismic Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Biozentrum I, Hanns Dieter Hüsch Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Molecular and Organismic Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Biozentrum I, Hanns Dieter Hüsch Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Christoph Grüter
- Institute of Molecular and Organismic Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Biozentrum I, Hanns Dieter Hüsch Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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2
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Arter S, Kiel E, McAllister J, Hay MC. Behavioral Outcomes of Children With In-Utero Opioid Exposure Age 2-7 and Parenting Self-Efficacy. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc 2024; 30:569-575. [PMID: 36475408 DOI: 10.1177/10783903221139840] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between behavior difficulties and parenting self-efficacy in children with in-utero opioid exposure (IOE) remains a significant gap that needs to be addressed for providers to better understand the mental health trajectories of children with IOE and help these families. AIMS In this study, caregivers' perception of their child's behavior and potential relationships between parenting self-efficacy, child temperament, and behavior difficulties were investigated. METHODS A descriptive survey design with a convenience sample of 143 caregivers of 2- to 7-year-old children with IOE who had follow-up visits in a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) clinic was used for this study. Data were collected using a survey of demographics, the Children's Behavior Questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. RESULTS The overall sample scored in the average range of behavior difficulties, but a subgroup of children with very high difficulties was identified who exhibited a negative temperament, and caregivers reported a lower sense of parenting competence. There were no differences between groups on demographic variables. CONCLUSIONS High negative affect and low effortful control are predictive of later internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as broader problems in self-regulation, school readiness, and socioemotional competence. Thus, although a large percentage of children treated for NAS appear to be functioning at the same level as their peers, a subset of children appears to be at higher risk. Child behavior as well as caregiver self-efficacy should be assessed during all provider encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Arter
- Sara Arter, PhD, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
| | | | - Jennifer McAllister
- Jennifer McAllister, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Perinatal Institute, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - M Cameron Hay
- M. Cameron Hay, PhD, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
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3
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Pasalich DS, Aquilina B, Hassall A, Goulter N, Xyrakis N, Khoo A. Childhood Experiences of Alternative Care and Callousness/Unemotionality: A Conceptual Model, Scoping Review, and Research Agenda. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:789-804. [PMID: 37436541 PMCID: PMC10465668 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00445-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with experiences of alternative care (AC; i.e., out-of-home care and institutional care) are at high risk for various mental health and relational problems stemming from exposure to serious attachment disruptions, loss, and complex trauma. Yet, despite the interpersonal context of their significant adversities, surprisingly there is scant research explicitly focusing on callousness/unemotionality (e.g., lack of guilt, callous disregard for others) in this population. This paper provides the first conceptual model for, and systematic scoping review of, callousness/unemotionality in children and young people with experiences of AC. In a comprehensive search of nine databases, 22 articles involving samples of participants in AC or with histories of AC, were identified for inclusion. The pattern of findings revealed that callous-unemotional and psychopathic traits are elevated in children and young people with AC experiences, and positively associated with AC. Moreover, results showed associations between these traits and various psychosocial correlates, most consistently with externalizing and internalizing problems and attachment-related problems. Only two intervention studies were located, one of which found benefits of training and supporting foster caregivers for reducing callous-unemotional traits. These findings are discussed with respect to gaps in the literature, future research directions, and trauma-informed practice to assess and treat callousness/unemotionality in children and young people with experiences of AC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave S Pasalich
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Building 39, Science Rd, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Benjamin Aquilina
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Building 39, Science Rd, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Alison Hassall
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Building 39, Science Rd, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Natalie Goulter
- School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Nakiya Xyrakis
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Building 39, Science Rd, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
| | - Anderson Khoo
- School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Building 39, Science Rd, ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
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4
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Zeytinoglu S, Tang A, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Almas AN, Fox NA. Effects of foster care intervention and caregiving quality on the bidirectional development of executive functions and social skills following institutional rearing. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13309. [PMID: 35933686 PMCID: PMC9902572 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Institutional rearing negatively impacts the development of children's social skills and executive functions (EF). However, little is known about whether childhood social skills mediate the effects of the foster care intervention (FCG) and foster caregiving quality following early institutional rearing on EF and social skills in adolescence. We examined (a) whether children's social skills at 8 years mediate the impact of the FCG on the development of EF at ages 12 and 16 years, and (b) whether social skills and EF at ages 8 and 12 mediate the relation between caregiving quality in foster care at 42 months and subsequent social skills and EF at age 16. Participants included abandoned children from Romanian institutions, who were randomly assigned to a FCG (n = 68) or care as usual (n = 68), and a never-institutionalized group (n = 135). At ages 8, 12, and 16, social skills were assessed via caregiver and teacher reports and EF were assessed via the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Caregiving quality of foster caregivers was observed at 42 months. FCG predicted better social skills at 8 years, which in turn predicted better EF in adolescence. Higher caregiver quality in foster care at 42 months predicted better social skills at 8 and 12 years, and better EF at 12 years, which in turn predicted 16-year EF and social skills. These findings suggest that interventions targeting caregiving quality within foster care home environments may have long-lasting positive effects on children's social skills and EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selin Zeytinoglu
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
| | | | - Charles A. Nelson
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
| | - Alisa N. Almas
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Nathan A. Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
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5
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Carozza S, Holmes J, Astle DE. Testing Deprivation and Threat: A Preregistered Network Analysis of the Dimensions of Early Adversity. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:1753-1766. [PMID: 36074987 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221101045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite abundant evidence of the detrimental effects of childhood adversity, its nature and underlying mechanisms remain contested. One influential theory, the dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology, proposes deprivation and threat as distinct dimensions of early experience. In this preregistered analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we used a network and clustering approach to assess the dimensionality of relationships between childhood adversity and adolescent cognition and emotional functioning, and we used recursive partitioning to identify timing effects. We found evidence that deprivation and threat are separate dimensions of adversity and that early experiences of deprivation cluster with later measures of cognition and emotional functioning. This cluster varies by age of exposure; it includes fewer forms of deprivation as children grow from infancy to middle childhood. Our measures did not form a specific cluster linking threat to emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Carozza
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
| | - Joni Holmes
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge.,School of Psychology, University of East Anglia
| | - Duncan E Astle
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
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6
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Mukerji CE, Wade M, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA. Growth in self-regulation over the course of adolescence mediates the effects of foster care on psychopathology in post-institutionalized children: a randomized clinical trial. Clin Psychol Sci 2021; 9:810-822. [PMID: 34888125 DOI: 10.1177/2167702621993887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Children reared in institutions experience severe psychosocial deprivation, with lasting consequences for social and emotional development. This study evaluated growth trajectories of self-regulation from ages 8 to 16 among institutionally-reared children randomized to foster care (foster care group; FCG) or to remain in institutional care (care as usual group; CAUG), compared to a never-institutionalized group (NIG). We then tested a developmental pathway by which growth in self-regulation reduces general psychopathology at 16 for FCG versus CAUG. FCG experienced modest growth in self-regulation over adolescence and "caught up" to NIG by age 16. The beneficial effect of foster care on psychopathology operated through growth in self-regulation; part of this effect was further mediated by reduced peer difficulties for FCG. Findings reveal that the effects of foster care on self-regulation emerge over adolescence and that growth in self-regulation is a mechanism by which foster care mitigates the impact of institutionalization on psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora E Mukerji
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.,Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215
| | - Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON MS5 1V6, Canada
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138
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7
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Gunnar MR, Bowen M. What was learned from studying the effects of early institutional deprivation. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 210:173272. [PMID: 34509501 PMCID: PMC8501402 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The effect of experiences in infancy on human development is a central question in developmental science. Children raised in orphanage-like institutions for their first year or so of life and then adopted into well-resourced and supportive families provide a lens on the long-term effects of early deprivation and the capacity of children to recover from this type of early adversity. While it is challenging to identify cause-and-effect relations in the study of previously institutionalized individuals, finding results that are consistent with animal experimental studies and the one randomized study of removal from institutional care support the conclusion that many of the outcomes for these children were induced by early institutional deprivation. This review examines the behavioral and neural evidence for altered executive function, declarative memory, affective disorders, reward processing, reactivity to threat, risk-taking and sensation-seeking. We then provide a brief overview of the neurobiological mechanisms that may transduce early institutional experiences into effects on brain and behavior. In addition, we discuss implications for policy and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Gunnar
- University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development, 51 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Maya Bowen
- University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development, 51 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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8
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Psychological Distress Symptoms and Resilience Assets in Adolescents in Residential Care. CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8080700. [PMID: 34438591 PMCID: PMC8391887 DOI: 10.3390/children8080700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Most studies with institutionalised children and adolescents focus on evaluating the impact of negative life events on emotional development. However, few have investigated the relationship between resilience assets and the teenagers’ psychopathological problems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate differences in psychological distress symptoms and in resilience assets in institutionalised and non-institutionalised adolescents. A total of 266 adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years old took part in the study (60.5% female): 125 lived in residential care and 144 resided with their families. Results found a significant and inverse relation between psychopathology and the perception of individual resilience assets, specifically with self-efficacy and self-awareness in the community sample, and with empathy in the institutionalised sample. Overall, and regardless of the age group, adolescents in residential care tend to perceive themselves as significantly less resilient in perceived self-efficacy and empathy, and they report fewer goals and aspirations for the future. The importance of promoting mental health and resilience assets in adolescents, particularly in those in residential care, is discussed. This can be achieved through early interventions that may prevent emotional suffering and deviant life paths, with transgenerational repercussions.
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9
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Fields A, Bloom PA, VanTieghem M, Harmon C, Choy T, Camacho NL, Gibson L, Umbach R, Heleniak C, Tottenham N. Adaptation in the face of adversity: Decrements and enhancements in children's cognitive control behavior following early caregiving instability. Dev Sci 2021; 24:e13133. [PMID: 34080760 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control is typically described as disrupted following exposure to early caregiving instability. While much of the work within this field has approached cognitive control broadly, evidence from adults retrospectively reporting early-life instability has shown more nuanced effects on cognitive control, even demonstrating enhancements in certain subdomains. That is, exposure to unstable caregiving may disrupt some areas of cognitive control, yet promote adaptation in others. Here, we investigated three domains of cognitive control in a sample of school-age children (N = 275, Age = 6-12 years) as a function of early caregiving instability, defined as the total number of caregiving switches. Results demonstrated that caregiving instability was associated with reduced response inhibition (Go/No-Go) and attentional control (Flanker), but enhanced cognitive flexibility (Dimensional Change Card Sort Task Switching). Conversely, there were no statistically significant associations with group (i.e., institutional care versus foster care) or maltreatment exposure and these patterns. These findings build on the specialization framework, suggesting that caregiving instability results in both decrements and enhancements in children's cognitive control, consistent with the hypothesis that cognitive control development is scaffolded by early environmental pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Fields
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Paul A Bloom
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - Chelsea Harmon
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Tricia Choy
- Graduate School of Education, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Nicolas L Camacho
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lisa Gibson
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Rebecca Umbach
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, USA
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10
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Enhancing diurnal cortisol regulation among young children adopted internationally: A randomized controlled trial of a parenting-based intervention. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1657-1668. [PMID: 33427179 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Children who have been adopted internationally commonly experience institutional care and other forms of adversity prior to adoption that can alter the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In particular, internationally adopted children tend to have blunted diurnal declines compared to children raised in their birth families. The Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) intervention was developed to enhance young children's biological and behavioral regulation by promoting sensitive parenting. The current study used a randomized controlled trial to assess whether ABC improved the diurnal functioning of the HPA axis among 85 children who had been adopted internationally when they were between the ages of 4 and 33 months (M = 16.12). Prior to the intervention, there were no significant differences in diurnal cortisol production between children whose parents were randomly assigned to receive ABC and children whose parents were randomly assigned to receive a control intervention. After the intervention, children whose parents had received the ABC intervention exhibited steeper declines in cortisol levels throughout the day than children whose parents had received the control intervention. These results indicate that the ABC intervention is effective in enhancing a healthy pattern of diurnal HPA axis regulation for young children who have been adopted internationally.
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11
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Humphreys KL, Machlin LS, Guyon-Harris KL, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Psychosocial deprivation and receptive language ability: a two-sample study. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:36. [PMID: 33327936 PMCID: PMC7745465 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09341-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The quality of early caregiving experiences is a known contributor to the quality of the language experiences young children receive. What is unknown is whether, and if so, how psychosocial deprivation early in life is associated with long-lasting receptive language outcomes. Methods Two prospective longitudinal studies examining early psychosocial deprivation/neglect in different contexts (i.e., deprivation due to institutional care or deprivation experienced by children residing within US families) and receptive language as assessed via the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were used to assess the magnitude of these associations. First, 129 participants from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care in Romania, completed a receptive language assessment at age 18 years. Second, from the USA, 3342 participants from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study were assessed from infancy until middle childhood. Results Children exposed to early institutional care, on average, had lower receptive language scores than their never institutionalized counterparts in late adolescence. While randomization to an early foster care intervention had no long-lasting association with PPVT scores, the duration of childhood exposure to institutional care was negatively associated with receptive language. Psychosocial deprivation in US families was also negatively associated with receptive language longitudinally, and this association remained statistically significant even after accounting for measures of socioeconomic status. Conclusion Experiences of psychosocial deprivation may have long-lasting consequences for receptive language ability, extending to age 18 years. Psychosocial deprivation is an important prospective predictor of poorer receptive language. Trial registration Bucharest Early Intervention Project ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00747396
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L Humphreys
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. .,Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
| | | | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, USA
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12
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English S, Barreaux AMG. The evolution of sensitive periods in development: insights from insects. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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13
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Wilke NG, Howard AH, Goldman P. Rapid return of children in residential care to family as a result of COVID-19: Scope, challenges, and recommendations. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2020; 110:104712. [PMID: 32921445 PMCID: PMC7473257 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some governments have mandated that residential care providers rapidly return children and youth to family. OBJECTIVE The goal of the present study was to better understand the scope and characteristics of rapid return, and to provide data-informed recommendations for service providers working with this population. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Representatives from 67 non-government organizations (NGOs) providing residential care that were government-mandated to rapidly return children and youth to family completed a brief online survey. They collectively serve 12,494 children in 14 nations. METHODS Using a mixed methods design, results examined 1) characteristics of the rapid return mandate, 2) preparation received by children and families, 3) support services provided since the return, and 4) primary concerns for children and families. RESULTS Data revealed that rapid return was characterized by compressed timelines that did not allow for adequate child and family assessment and preparation. However, all respondents indicated they believed at least some families would be able to remain intact safely with appropriate support. Primary concerns for children and families related to unresolved antecedents to separation, lack of economic capacity, limited monitoring, and lack of access to education. CONCLUSIONS Based on the findings, 9 recommendations were made for service providers working with children and families that have been rapidly reunified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Philip Goldman
- Maestral International, Suite 2850, 150 South Fifth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA.
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14
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Zhang H, Lee ZX, White T, Qiu A. Parental and social factors in relation to child psychopathology, behavior, and cognitive function. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:80. [PMID: 32102994 PMCID: PMC7044210 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0761-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental and social factors have long-term impact on the neurodevelopment of offspring, but tend to highly covary with each other. Thus, it is difficult to parse out which parental and social factor contributes most to neurodevelopmental outcomes. This study aimed to assess clusters of parental and social factors associated with child psychopathology, behavioral problems, and cognition. This study employed the data of 11,875 children (9 to 11 years) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on 39 environmental measures and 30 child behavior and cognitive measures separately to identify clusters of parental and social factors and clusters of child psychopathology, behaviour, and cognition. Regression analysis was used to examine independent effects of each cluster of parental and social factors on child psychopathology, behavioral problems, and cognition. Greater Parent Psychopathology cluster was associated with greater Child Psychopathology cluster. Moreover, greater Socioeconomic Status cluster was associated with greater child General Cognition and Executive Function but less Behavioral Inhibition clusters. Greater Proximal Social Environment and Interaction cluster were associated with less child Impulsive Behavior and Behavioral Inhibition, but greater Behavioral Activation cluster. The environmental clusters related to birth outcomes, maternal tobacco, and drug use were not significantly related to child psychopathology, behavior, and cognition. Our findings suggest that socioeconomic status, parental psychopathology, and social environment and interactions are the strongest risks for behavioral problems and cognitive performance in a general child population. Intervention programs should target modifiable factors within these domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zu Xuan Lee
- grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tonya White
- grid.416135.4Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center - Sophia, Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anqi Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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15
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Zeanah CH, Wilke NG, Shauffer C, Rochat T, Howard AH, Dozier M. Misguided altruism: the risks of orphanage volunteering. THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2019; 3:592-593. [DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(19)30213-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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16
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Debnath R, Tang A, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Fox NA. The long-term effects of institutional rearing, foster care intervention and disruptions in care on brain electrical activity in adolescence. Dev Sci 2019; 23:e12872. [PMID: 31148302 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to early psychosocial deprivation as a result of institutional care disrupts typical brain development. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) is the first longitudinal study to investigate the neurodevelopment of institutionalized infants randomized to a foster care (FCG) intervention versus care as usual (CAUG). Here, we present findings from a follow-up assessment of brain electrical activity as indexed by resting EEG at age 16 years. In addition, we examined the effects of disruption of foster care placement (e.g. the number of moves among foster care placements) on brain electrical activity. Resting-state EEG was collected from 48 CAUG, 46 FCG and 48 never institutionalized (NIG) control participants. Absolute (µV2 ) and relative (proportion) power were computed from eyes closed, resting EEG data for theta, alpha and beta frequency bands. The CAUG displayed higher relative theta and lower relative alpha power compared to the FCG at 16 years of age. The FCG showed brain activity comparable to the NIG. The results further showed that disruptions following the original foster care placement had an adverse effect on brain electrical activity. Within the foster care group, there were no effects of age of placement on EEG power. Placement of children who have experienced early institutional rearing into stable foster care settings ensure long-term improvement in brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjan Debnath
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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Johnson DE, Tang A, Almas AN, Degnan KA, McLaughlin KA, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Drury SS. Caregiving Disruptions Affect Growth and Pubertal Development in Early Adolescence in Institutionalized and Fostered Romanian Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pediatr 2018; 203:345-353.e3. [PMID: 30172435 PMCID: PMC6271564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of foster care vs institutional care, as well as disruptions in the caregiving environment on physical development through early adolescence. STUDY DESIGN This was a randomized controlled trial of 114 institutionalized, though otherwise healthy, children from 6 orphanages and 51 never institutionalized control children living in birth families (family care group) in Bucharest, Romania. Children were followed from baseline (21 months, range 5-31) through age 12 years for caregiving disruptions and growth trajectories and through age 14 years for pubertal development. RESULTS Children randomized to the foster care group showed greater rates of growth in height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) through age 12 years than institutionalized group. Tanner development was delayed in institutionalized group boys compared with foster care group and family care group boys at 12 but not 14 years. There were no differences in Tanner development and age of menarche among foster care group, institutionalized group, and family care group girls at ages 12 and 14 years. More disruptions in caregiving between 30 months and 12 years moderated decreases in growth rates of height in foster care group and weight in foster care group and institutionalized group across age. institutionalized group boys with ≥2 disruptions showed lower Tanner scores at age 12 vs institutionalized group and foster care group boys with <2 disruptions. foster care group girls with ≥2 disruptions had higher Tanner scores at age 14 vs foster care group girls with <2 disruptions. Age of menarche was not affected by caregiving disruptions. CONCLUSIONS For children who experienced early institutionalization, stable placement within family care is essential to ensuring the best outcomes for physical developmental. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00747396.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana E Johnson
- Division of Neonatology and Global Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minnesota, MN.
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
| | - Alisa N Almas
- The Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
| | - Kathryn A Degnan
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
| | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA
| | - Stacy S Drury
- Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA
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