1
|
Lurie LA, Rosen ML, Weissman DG, Machlin L, Lengua L, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Cognitive stimulation as a mechanism linking socioeconomic status and neural function supporting working memory: a longitudinal fMRI study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad545. [PMID: 38236725 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad545] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood experiences of low socioeconomic status are associated with alterations in neural function in the frontoparietal network and ventral visual stream, which may drive differences in working memory. However, the specific features of low socioeconomic status environments that contribute to these disparities remain poorly understood. Here, we examined experiences of cognitive deprivation (i.e. decreased variety and complexity of experience), as opposed to experiences of threat (i.e. violence exposure), as a potential mechanism through which family income contributes to alterations in neural activation during working memory. As part of a longitudinal study, 148 youth between aged 10 and 13 years completed a visuospatial working memory fMRI task. Early childhood low income, chronicity of low income in early childhood, and current income-to-needs were associated with task-related activation in the ventral visual stream and frontoparietal network. The association of family income with decreased activation in the lateral occipital cortex and intraparietal sulcus during working memory was mediated by experiences of cognitive deprivation. Surprisingly, however, family income and deprivation were not significantly related to working memory performance, and only deprivation was associated with academic achievement in this sample. Taken together, these findings suggest that early life low income and associated cognitive deprivation are important factors in neural function supporting working memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy A Lurie
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States
| | - Maya L Rosen
- Program in Neuroscience, Smith College, 44 College Lane, Northampton, MA 01073, United States
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
| | - David G Weissman
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
| | - Laura Machlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
| | - Lilliana Lengua
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 3921 W. Stevens Way, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, 235 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, United States
| | - Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
- The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health, University of Oregon, 2800 NE Liberty Street, Portland, OR 97211, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kohn BH, Cui Z, Candelaria MA, Buckingham-Howes S, Black MM, Riggins T. Early emotional caregiving environment and associations with memory performance and hippocampal volume in adolescents with prenatal drug exposure. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1238172. [PMID: 38074523 PMCID: PMC10699310 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1238172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Early adversities, including prenatal drug exposure (PDE) and a negative postnatal emotional caregiving environment, impact children's long-term development. The protracted developmental course of memory and its underlying neural systems offer a valuable framework for understanding the longitudinal associations of pre- and postnatal factors on children with PDE. This study longitudinally examines memory and hippocampal development in 69 parent-child dyads to investigate how the early caregiving emotional environment affects children with PDE's neural and cognitive systems. Measures of physical health, drug exposure, caregiver stress, depression, and distress were collected between 0 and 24 months At age 14 years, adolescents completed multiple measures of episodic memory, and at ages 14 and 18 years, adolescents underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Latent constructs of episodic memory and the caregiving environment were created using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Multiple regressions revealed a negative emotional caregiving environment during infancy was associated with poor memory performance and smaller left hippocampal volumes at 14 years. Better memory performance at 14 years predicted larger right hippocampal volume at 18 years. At 18 years, the association between the emotional caregiving environment and hippocampal volume was moderated by sex, such that a negative emotional caregiving environment was associated with larger left hippocampal volumes in males but not females. Findings suggest that the postnatal caregiving environment may modulate the effects of PDE across development, influencing neurocognitive development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke H. Kohn
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Zehua Cui
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Margo A. Candelaria
- Institute for Innovation and Implementation, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Maureen M. Black
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- RTI International, Research Triangle Part, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Léniz-Maturana L, Vilaseca R, Leiva D, Gallardo-Rodríguez R. Positive Parenting and Sociodemographic Factors Related to the Development of Chilean Children Born to Adolescent Mothers. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1778. [PMID: 38002869 PMCID: PMC10670009 DOI: 10.3390/children10111778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
The lack of economic resources has a negative effect on the maternal role of younger mothers. In Chile, the majority of adolescent pregnancies occur in socially and economically vulnerable contexts. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between demographic variables within the family context and parenting behaviors among Chilean adolescent mothers (including affection, responsiveness, encouragement, and teaching). These factors were correlated with communication, problem-solving abilities, and personal-social development in typically developing infants. The study included a sample of 79 Chilean adolescent mother-child dyads with children aged 10 to 24 months. Communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3, along with a demographic information questionnaire. The parenting behaviors mentioned above were observed using the Spanish version of Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes. The findings indicated that mothers in employment and those who had not dropped out of school had children with better problem-solving skills. Additionally, children residing with their fathers and female children performed better in communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development. Maternal responsiveness was associated with communication and problem-solving, while maternal encouragement was linked to improved problem-solving skills. Maternal teaching was connected to communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development. The study emphasized the significance of parenting and sociodemographic factors among adolescent mothers and their influence on their children's development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Léniz-Maturana
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rosa Vilaseca
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - David Leiva
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rodrigo Gallardo-Rodríguez
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Conditioning, Faculty of Education, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4070129, Chile;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kumar A, Bartoli B, Lichand G, Wolf S. Sociodemographic predictors of depression and anxiety symptomatology among parents in rural Côte d'Ivoire. J Affect Disord 2023; 338:1-9. [PMID: 37245553 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.060] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Côte d'Ivoire, cocoa farming is a widespread practice in rural households, an occupation with increased risks of depression and anxiety exacerbated by economic instability. We used the Goldberg-18 Depression and Anxiety diagnostic tool to identify predictors of depressive and anxiety symptomatology among a sample of parents in rural cocoa farming communities. METHODS In a cross-sectional survey, the Goldberg-18 was administered to Ivorian parents (N = 2471). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to confirm the factor structure of the assessment tool, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with clustered standard errors was used to identify sociodemographic predictors of symptomatology. RESULTS CFA showed adequate fit statistics for a two-factor model measuring depressive and anxiety symptoms. Among respondents, 87 % screened positive for requiring further referral for clinical diagnosis. Sociodemographic predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms were similar for males and females. For the total sample, higher monthly income, more years of education, and belonging to the Mandinka ethnic group predicted fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. In contrast, higher depressive and anxiety symptomatology were associated with age. Single marital status predicted increased anxiety but not depressive symptoms for the full sample model and the female only sample, but not the male sample. LIMITATIONS This is a cross-sectional study. CONCLUSIONS The Goldberg-18 measures distinct domains of depressive and anxiety symptoms in a rural Ivorian sample. Age and single marital status are predictors of increased symptoms. Higher monthly income, higher education, and certain ethnic affiliations are protective factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anahita Kumar
- University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, United States of America.
| | | | | | - Sharon Wolf
- University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li ZA, Cai Y, Taylor RL, Eisenstein SA, Barch DM, Marek S, Hershey T. Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.09.23285150. [PMID: 36798149 PMCID: PMC9934783 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.09.23285150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Importance Both neighborhood and household socioeconomic disadvantage relate to negative health outcomes and altered brain structure in children. It is unclear whether such findings extend to white matter development, and via what mechanisms socioeconomic status (SES) influences the brain. Objective To test independent associations between neighborhood and household SES indicators and white matter microstructure in children, and examine whether body mass index and cognitive function (a proxy of environmental cognitive/sensory stimulation) may plausibly mediate these associations. Design This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, an ongoing 10-year cohort study tracking child health. Setting School-based recruitment at 21 U.S. sites. Participants Children aged 9 to 11 years and their parents/caregivers completed baseline assessments between October 1 st , 2016 and October 31 st , 2018. Data analysis was conducted from July to December 2022. Exposures Neighborhood disadvantage was derived from area deprivation indices at primary residence. Household SES indicators were total income and the highest parental education attainment. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-one major white matter tracts were segmented from diffusion-weighted images. The Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) model was implemented to measure restricted normalized directional (RND; reflecting oriented myelin organization) and isotropic (RNI; reflecting glial/neuronal cell bodies) diffusion in each tract. Obesity-related measures were body mass index (BMI), BMI z -scores, and waist circumference, and cognitive performance was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Linear mixed-effects models tested the associations between SES indicators and scanner-harmonized RSI metrics. Structural equation models examined indirect effects of obesity and cognitive performance in the significant associations between SES and white mater microstructure summary principal components. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, pubertal development stage, intracranial volume, and head motion. Results The analytical sample included 8842 children (4299 [48.6%] girls; mean age [SD], 9.9 [0.7] years). Greater neighborhood disadvantage and lower parental education were independently associated with lower RSI-RND in forceps major and corticospinal/pyramidal tracts, and had overlapping associations in the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Lower cognition scores and greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RND. Lower household income was related to higher RSI-RNI in almost every tract, and greater neighborhood disadvantage had similar effects in primarily frontolimbic tracts. Lower parental education was uniquely linked to higher RSI-RNI in forceps major. Greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RNI. Findings were robust in sensitivity analyses and mostly corroborated using traditional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Conclusions and Relevance These cross-sectional results demonstrate that both neighborhood and household contexts are relevant to white matter development in children, and suggest cognitive performance and obesity as possible pathways of influence. Interventions targeting obesity reduction and improving cognition from multiple socioeconomic angles may ameliorate brain health in low-SES children. Key Points Question: Are neighborhood and household socioeconomic levels associated with children’s brain white matter microstructure, and if so, do obesity and cognitive performance (reflecting environmental stimulation) mediate the associations?Findings: In a cohort of 8842 children, higher neighborhood disadvantage, lower household income, and lower parental education had independent and overlapping associations with lower restricted directional diffusion and greater restricted isotropic diffusion in white matter. Greater body mass index and poorer cognitive performance partially mediated these associations.Meaning: Both neighborhood and household poverty may contribute to altered white matter development in children. These effects may be partially explained by obesity incidence and poorer cognitive performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaolong Adrian Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Yuqi Cai
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Rita L. Taylor
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Sarah A. Eisenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Scott Marek
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Co-corresponding authors: Scott Marek, PhD, Assistant Professor, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-454-6120, ; Tamara Hershey, PhD, James S. McDonnell Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-362-5593,
| | - Tamara Hershey
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA,Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Co-corresponding authors: Scott Marek, PhD, Assistant Professor, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-454-6120, ; Tamara Hershey, PhD, James S. McDonnell Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, MSC 8134-0070-02, Phone: (314)-362-5593,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Botdorf M, Dunstan J, Sorcher L, Dougherty LR, Riggins T. Socioeconomic disadvantage and episodic memory ability in the ABCD sample: Contributions of hippocampal subregion and subfield volumes. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 57:101138. [PMID: 35907312 PMCID: PMC9335384 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with volumetric differences in stress-sensitive neural structures, including the hippocampus, and deficits in episodic memory. Rodent studies provide evidence that memory deficits arise via stress-related structural differences in hippocampal subdivisions; however, human studies have only provided limited evidence to support this notion. We used a sample of 10,695 9-13-year-old participants from two timepoints of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study to assess whether socioeconomic disadvantage relates to episodic memory performance through hippocampal volumes. We explored associations among socioeconomic disadvantage, measured via the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), concurrent subregion (anterior, posterior) and subfield volumes (CA1, CA3, CA4/DG, subiculum), and episodic memory, assessed via the NIH Toolbox Picture Sequence Memory Test at baseline and 2-year follow-up (Time 2). Results showed that higher baseline ADI related to smaller concurrent anterior, CA1, CA4/DG, and subiculum volumes and poorer Time 2 memory performance controlling for baseline memory. Moreover, anterior, CA1, and subiculum volumes mediated the longitudinal association between the ADI and memory. Results suggest that greater socioeconomic disadvantage relates to smaller hippocampal subregion and subfield volumes and less age-related improvement in memory. These findings shed light on the neural mechanisms linking socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive ability in childhood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Botdorf
- University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Psychology, United States; University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychology, United States.
| | - Jade Dunstan
- University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Leah Sorcher
- University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Lea R Dougherty
- University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Psychology, United States
| | - Tracy Riggins
- University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Psychology, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
García-Navarro C, Company-Córdoba R, Sianes A, Ibáñez-Alfonso JA. Cognitive Intervention Programs in Minors Belonging to Disadvantaged Contexts in Spain: A Systematic Review. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9091306. [PMID: 36138615 PMCID: PMC9497464 DOI: 10.3390/children9091306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research studies show a strong influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on human development, and how the exposure to risk contexts in the earliest stages translates into dangers in the cognitive development of children and adolescents. To alleviate these consequences and favour development, different cognitive training programs have contributed to this field by identifying the criteria of efficacy. This systematic review identifies and synthesizes the evidence of cognitive intervention studies implemented with psychosocial risk groups carried out in Spain. The search strategy was adapted to different databases. Only studies published in English or Spanish and developed in Spain that included interventions applied in populations aged 5 to 18 years with a low SES were included. The analysis of the literature showed nine interventions that indicated an improvement in those cognitive functions worked with low SES children. The cognitive domains that most worked were executive functions, followed by social cognition and language. After reviewing the available literature, a clear scarcity of interventions carried out in Spain was observed. Variables such as age, cognitive functions or personal vulnerability were identified as factors to be taken into account in future lines of research due to their influence on minors. These findings indicate the relevance of this review to help decision-making in relation to the actions to be carried out by the competent bodies in Spain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen García-Navarro
- Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Rosalba Company-Córdoba
- Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Antonio Sianes
- Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-957-222-100 (ext. 2220)
| | - Joaquín A. Ibáñez-Alfonso
- Human Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, 41704 Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hosokawa R, Katsura T, Taira K. Experience of annual events in the family and social adjustment of school-age children. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:39. [PMID: 35659280 PMCID: PMC9166509 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00475-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parent-child relationships, the rearing attitudes of parents toward their children as well as the interactive relationships, such as play and cultural activities that parents and children enjoy together, serve as important factors in predicting a child's growth and development. These experiences of annual events celebrated with the family may be related to the school-age child's development. However, this relationship has not been investigated sufficiently. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the relationship between the experience of annual events observed in the family and a child's social adjustment. METHODS In 2019, a self-administered questionnaire survey targeting fifth graders (ages 10-11) in Japan was conducted with children's parents. Major survey items included participants' characteristics (child's sex, family composition, siblings, household income, and parents' educational backgrounds), annual events observed in the family (Setsubun or the day before the start of spring, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the Tanabata or Weaver Festival, Respect for the Aged Day, Winter solstice, etc.), and the child's social adjustment (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). A total of 653 children who met the criteria of not having any developmental disorders were included as participants for the analysis. RESULTS The participants had celebrated an average of 15.47 (± 5.52) annual events with their families that year. The number of annual events celebrated was significantly related to family composition and the parents' educational backgrounds. We found that children who came from families with numerous experiences of annual events were more likely to have higher prosocial behavior and were less likely to have externalizing or internalizing problems. The same pattern was found even after adjusting for the family's socioeconomic background and other factors; that is, children who came from families having diverse experiences of annual events were more likely to show prosocial tendencies. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the experience of annual events observed with family potentially enhances a child's prosocial behavior. Thus, celebrating and preserving cultural and personal events in the amily context may be an important developmental experience in terms of children's social adjustment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rikuya Hosokawa
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Toshiki Katsura
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Faculty of Nursing Science, Meiji University of Integrative Medicine, Kyoto, 629-0392, Japan
| | - Kazuya Taira
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Johnson SB, Raghunathan RS, Li M, Nair D, Matson PA. Moving up but not getting ahead: Family socioeconomic position in pregnancy, social mobility, and child cognitive development in the first seven years of life. SSM Popul Health 2022; 17:101064. [PMID: 35313608 PMCID: PMC8933511 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Understanding when and how socioeconomic position (SEP) influences cognitive development is key to reducing population inequalities in health and achievement. The objective of this study was to determine the unique association between prenatal family SEP and child cognitive development, and to determine whether marked postnatal social mobility was associated with improvements in child cognitive performance to age 7. Methods Data were from children enrolled in the US National Collaborative Perinatal Project (NCPP) (n = 28,761) during 1959–1965, a dataset large enough to observe marked mobility, which remains uncommon. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the relationship between SEP (i.e., parental income, education, occupation) during gestation and cognitive performance at 8 months (Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Development Index) and at 7 years (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children). Results Holding demographic and perinatal factors constant, family SEP during gestation was not associated with cognitive performance at 8 months (B = −0.03, 95% CI: −0.07–0.01) but was positively associated with performance at 7 years even after accounting for SEP at 7 years (B = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.11–1.45). Children whose families experienced the most extreme upward mobility (from the lowest to highest income quartile) showed a 12 percentile increase in cognitive performance in the first 7 years of life. Those with the most extreme downward mobility (from the highest to lowest income quartile) still experienced an 8 percentile increase in cognitive performance in this interval. Conclusions The proportion of children in poverty today is similar to 1965 and intergenerational mobility has declined markedly. Prenatal SEP may contribute to inequalities in child cognitive performance that even extraordinary social mobility cannot erase. To optimize cognitive development across generations, current means-tested programs to support families with young children should be supplemented by universal approaches to ensure access to opportunity before young people become parents. Prenatal socioeconomic position is not associated with cognition by infancy. Prenatal socioeconomic position is associated with cognitive performance by age 7. Social mobility does not erase the association of prenatal poverty with cognition.
Collapse
|
10
|
Zheng S, LeWinn K, Ceja T, Hanna-Attisha M, O'Connell L, Bishop S. Adaptive Behavior as an Alternative Outcome to Intelligence Quotient in Studies of Children at Risk: A Study of Preschool-Aged Children in Flint, MI, USA. Front Psychol 2021; 12:692330. [PMID: 34456806 PMCID: PMC8385490 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.692330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intelligence quotient (IQ) is commonly measured in child development studies, while adaptive behavior is less frequently considered. Given its associations with functional outcomes in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, adaptive behavior may be a useful outcome in general population samples, as well. This study aimed to compare social and environmental correlates of adaptive behavior vs. IQ in a sample of preschoolers exposed to the Flint water crisis (N = 184). Mother-child dyads were recruited from the community and administered a comprehensive battery to obtain information about child neurodevelopmental functioning, including direct assessment of IQ via the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and assessment of parent-reported adaptive functioning via the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Multiple social environmental factors were explored as potential correlates of child outcomes (i.e., IQ and adaptive behavior), and robust correlates were identified using a data-driven approach [i.e., least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression]. We then examined associations between the LASSO-selected predictors and IQ and adaptive behavior while controlling for child age, child sex, and maternal age. Children in this sample showed relative strength in adaptive behaviors, with scores in the adequate range, while average IQs fell in the low-average range. Adaptive behavior was significantly associated with maternal nurturance practices, while IQ was associated with the maternal education level. Implications for the use of adaptive behavior as an outcome measure in studies of children at an increased risk for neurodevelopmental problems are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kaja LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Tiffany Ceja
- Division of Public Health, Pediatric Public Health Initiative, Michigan State University, Flint, MI, United States
| | - Mona Hanna-Attisha
- Division of Public Health, Pediatric Public Health Initiative, Michigan State University, Flint, MI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Lauren O'Connell
- Division of Public Health, Pediatric Public Health Initiative, Michigan State University, Flint, MI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Somer Bishop
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Keim SA, Sullivan JA, Sheppard K, Smith K, Ingol T, Boone KM, Malloy-McCoy A, Oza-Frank R. Feeding Infants at the Breast or Feeding Expressed Human Milk: Long-Term Cognitive, Executive Function, and Eating Behavior Outcomes at Age 6 Years. J Pediatr 2021; 233:66-73.e1. [PMID: 33592219 PMCID: PMC8154665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine how expressed milk feeding diverges from feeding at the breast in its association with neurodevelopment and behavior. We hypothesized that longer and exclusive feeding at the breast only (ie, no formula, no feeding expressed milk) would be associated with the optimal cognitive developmental, executive function, and eating behaviors and that expressed milk feeding would be associated with less-optimal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN The Moms2Moms cohort (Ohio, US) reported infant feeding practices at 12 months postpartum and children's global cognitive ability, executive function, and eating behaviors at 6 years. Linear and log-binomial regression models estimated associations with durations of feeding at the breast, expressed milk, human milk (modes combined), and formula. RESULTS Among 285 participants, each month of exclusive feeding at the breast only was associated with a decreased risk of clinically meaningful executive function (working memory) deficit (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.96) but was unassociated with inhibition (adjusted RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.01). Feeding expressed milk was not clearly related to executive function outcomes. No associations with global cognitive ability were observed. Weak associations were observed with eating behaviors for some feeding practices. CONCLUSIONS Feeding at the breast may offer advantages to some aspects of executive function that expressed milk may not. Large, prospective studies exploring mechanisms could further distinguish the effect of feeding mode from that of nutrients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Keim
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
| | - Jacqueline A Sullivan
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Kelly Sheppard
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Katie Smith
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Taniqua Ingol
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Kelly M Boone
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Antonio Malloy-McCoy
- The Research Institute, Center for Biobehavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Reena Oza-Frank
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; The Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, OH
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pike NA, Roy B, Moye S, Cabrera-Mino C, Woo MA, Halnon NJ, Lewis AB, Kumar R. Reduced hippocampal volumes and memory deficits in adolescents with single ventricle heart disease. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01977. [PMID: 33410605 PMCID: PMC7882179 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adolescents with single ventricle congenital heart disease (SVHD) show functional deficits, particularly in memory and mood regulation. Hippocampi are key brain structures that regulate mood and memory; however, their tissue integrity in SVHD is unclear. Our study aim is to evaluate hippocampal volumes and their associations with memory, anxiety, and mood scores in adolescents with SVHD compared to healthy controls. METHODS We collected brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 25 SVHD (age 15.9 ± 1.2 years; 15 male) and 38 controls (16.0 ± 1.1 years; 19 male) and assessed memory (Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning 2, WRAML2), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory, BAI), and mood (Patient Health Questionnaire 9, PHQ-9) functions. Both left and right hippocampi were outlined and global volumes, as well as three-dimensional surfaces were compared between groups using ANCOVA and associations with cognitive and behavioral scores with partial correlations (covariates: age and total brain volume). RESULTS The SVHD group showed significantly higher BAI (p = .001) and PHQ-9 (p < .001) scores, indicating anxiety and depression symptoms and significantly reduced WRAML2 scores (p < .001), suggesting memory deficits compared with controls. SVHD group had significantly reduced right global hippocampal volumes (p = .036) compared with controls, but not the left (p = .114). Right hippocampal volume reductions were localized in the CA1, CA4, subiculum, and dentate gyrus. Positive correlations emerged between WRAML2 scores and left (r = 0.32, p = .01) and right (r = 0.28, p = .03) hippocampal volumes, but BAI and PHQ-9 did not show significant correlations. CONCLUSION Adolescents with SVHD show reduced hippocampal volumes, localized in several sites (CA1, CA4, subiculum, and dentate gyrus), which are associated with memory deficits. The findings indicate the need to explore ways to improve memory to optimize academic achievement and ability for self-care in the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy A Pike
- UCLA School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bhaswati Roy
- UCLA School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stefanie Moye
- UCLA School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Mary A Woo
- UCLA School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nancy J Halnon
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alan B Lewis
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rajesh Kumar
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Radiological Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Rosemberg CR, Alam F. Socioeconomic disparities in the comprehension of lexical categories. A study with Spanish-speaking Argentinian toddlers. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10212-020-00522-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
14
|
Attig M, Weinert S. What Impacts Early Language Skills? Effects of Social Disparities and Different Process Characteristics of the Home Learning Environment in the First 2 Years. Front Psychol 2020; 11:557751. [PMID: 33363493 PMCID: PMC7753153 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well documented that the language skills of preschool children differ substantially and that these differences are highly predictive of their later academic success and achievements. Especially in the early phases of children's lives, the importance of different structural and process characteristics of the home learning environment (HLE) has been emphasized and research results have documented that process characteristics such as the quality of parental interaction behavior and the frequency of joint activities vary according to the socio-economic status (SES) of the family. Further, both structural and process characteristics are associated with children's language development. As most of the studies focus on single indicators or didn't take the dynamics of parenting behavior across age into account, the present paper aims to investigate the associations of different characteristics of the home learning environment as well as their potentially changing impact on the language skills of 2-year-old children. Using data of 2.272 families of the infant cohort study of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), longitudinally assessed process characteristics (sensitivity in the sense of maternal responsivity to the child's behavior and signals in mother-child interaction; maternal stimulation behavior which goes beyond the child's actual level of action and development; frequency of joint picture book reading) and structural characteristics (mother's education, equivalised household income, parental occupational status) were considered. Language skills (vocabulary and grammar) of the children at the age of two were measured by a standardized and validated parent report instrument (child language checklist). Results showed that (1) all three process characteristics of the home learning environment (HLE) are associated with the family's SES; (2) across three assessment waves nearly all process characteristics predicted children's vocabulary and grammar skills with some process-specific changes across waves; (3) despite separate direct effects of nearly all HLE-process characteristics in each wave, the amount of explained variance in a joint model including the HLE facets from each wave is hardly higher than in the separate models; and (4) socioeconomic background predicted both language facets of the children in each model even when controlling for the assessed process characteristics of the home learning environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manja Attig
- Competencies, Personality, Learning Environments, Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Weinert
- Department Psychology I - Developmental Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Taylor RL, Cooper SR, Jackson JJ, Barch DM. Assessment of Neighborhood Poverty, Cognitive Function, and Prefrontal and Hippocampal Volumes in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2023774. [PMID: 33141160 PMCID: PMC7610187 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The association between poverty and unfavorable cognitive outcomes is robust, but most research has focused on individual household socioeconomic status (SES). There is increasing evidence that neighborhood context explains unique variance not accounted for by household SES. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether neighborhood poverty (NP) is associated with cognitive function and prefrontal and hippocampal brain structure in ways that are dissociable from household SES. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study used a baseline sample of the ongoing longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The ABCD Study will follow participants for assessments each year for 10 years. Data were collected at 21 US sites, mostly within urban and suburban areas, between September 2019 and October 2018. School-based recruitment was used to create a participant sample reflecting the US population. Data analysis was conducted from March to June 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES NP and household SES were included as factors potentially associated with National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognitive Battery subtests and hippocampal and prefrontal (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC], dorsomedial PFC [DMPFC], superior frontal gyrus [SFG]) volumes. Independent variables were first considered individually and then together in mixed-effects models with age, sex, and intracranial volume as covariates. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess shared variance in NP to brain structure and cognitive task associations. The tested hypotheses were formulated after data collection. RESULTS A total of 11 875 children aged 9 and 10 years (5678 [47.8%] girls) were analyzed. Greater NP was associated with lower scores across all cognitive domains (eg, total composite: β = -0.18; 95% CI, -0.21 to -0.15; P < .001) and with decreased brain volume in the DLPFC (eg, right DLPFC: β = -0.09; 95% CI, -0.12 to -0.07; P < .001), DMPFC (eg, right DMPC: β = -0.07; 95% CI, -0.09 to -0.05; P < .001), SFG (eg, right SFG: β = -0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.03; P < .001), and right hippocampus (β = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.06 to -0.01; P = .01), even when accounting for household income. Greater household income was associated with higher scores across all cognitive domains (eg, total composite: β = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.33; P < .001) and larger volume in all prefrontal and hippocampal brain regions (eg, right hippocampus: β = 0.04; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.07; P < .001) even when accounting for NP. The SEM model was a good fit across all cognitive domains, with prefrontal regions being associated with NP relations to language (picture vocabulary: estimate [SE], -0.03 [0.01]; P < .001; oral reading: estimate [SE], -0.02 [0.01]; P < .001), episodic memory (picture sequence: estimate [SE], -0.02 [0.01]; P = .008), and working memory (dimensional card sort: estimate [SE], -0.02 [0.01]; P = .001; flanker inhibitory control: estimate [SE], -0.01 [0.01]; P = .01; list sorting: estimate [SE], -0.03 [0.01]; P < .001) and hippocampal regions being associated with NP associations with language (picture vocabulary: estimate [SE], -0.01 [0.004]; P < .001) and episodic memory (picture sequence: estimate [SE], -0.01 [0.004]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, NP accounted for unique variance in cognitive function and prefrontal and right hippocampal brain volume. These findings demonstrate the importance of including broader environmental influences when conceptualizing early life adversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rita L. Taylor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Shelly R. Cooper
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Joshua J. Jackson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Vilaseca R, Rivero M, Ferrer F, Bersabé RM. Parenting behaviors of mothers and fathers of young children with intellectual disability evaluated in a natural context. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240320. [PMID: 33048940 PMCID: PMC7553331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The aims of this study were to analyze the interactions of mothers and fathers with their children with intellectual disabilities, focusing on certain parental behaviors previously identified as promoting child development, and to explore the relations between parenting and some sociodemographic variables. A sample of 87 pairs of mothers and fathers of the same children were recruited from Early Intervention Centers. The children (58 male and 29 female) were aged 20–47 months. Most of the families (92%) were from the province of Barcelona (Spain), and the remaining 8% were from the other provinces of Catalonia (Spain). Parenting behaviors, divided into four domains (Affection, Responsiveness, Encouragement, and Teaching) were assessed from self-recorded videotapes, in accordance with the validated Spanish version of the PICCOLO (Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes). Parents were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results revealed strong similarities between mothers’ and fathers’ parental behaviors. Mothers and fathers were more likely to engage in affectionate behavior than in teaching behavior. Only maternal teaching presented a significant positive relation to the child’s age. With respect to the child’s gender, no differences were observed in mothers’ parenting. Conversely, fathers scored significantly higher in Responsiveness, Encouragement and Teaching (and had higher total parenting scores) when interacting with boys. The severity of the child’s ID had a statistically significant effect only on fathers’ Teaching, which showed lower mean scores in the severe ID group than in the moderate and mild ID groups. Teaching also presented a significant positive relation to mother’s age, but father’s age was not related to any parenting domain. Mothers with a higher educational level scored significantly higher in Encouragement and Teaching, and the fathers’ educational level was not significantly related to any parenting domain. Mothers’ and fathers’ Teaching, and fathers’ Responsiveness, Encouragement and total parenting scores, presented a significant positive relation to family income. Finally, mothers spent more time in childcare activities than fathers, particularly on workdays. Our main conclusion is that mothers and fathers show very similar strengths and weaknesses when interacting with their children with intellectual disabilities during play.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Vilaseca
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magda Rivero
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Fina Ferrer
- Municipal Institute of Social Services of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa María Bersabé
- Department of Methodology for the Behavioral Sciences, University of Malaga, Málaga, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Attai P, Szabat J, Anzman-Frasca S, Kong KL. Associations between Parental and Child Screen Time and Quality of the Home Environment: A Preliminary Investigation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17176207. [PMID: 32867027 PMCID: PMC7503915 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: The recommendation for screen use among preschool-aged children is ≤ 1 h per day. We aimed to assess the relationship between parental and child screen use and home environment characteristics. (2) Methods: Thirty-six 3–to-4-year-old healthy children were recruited. Parents reported their own and their child’s weekday and weekend daytime screen use. The child’s home environment and parent-child interactions were assessed using the Infant-Toddler Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (IT-HOME). Analyses were run to identify relationships between parental and child screen use and the six subscales of the IT-HOME: Responsivity, Acceptance, Organization, Learning Materials, Involvement and Variety. (3) Results: Parents’ weekend screen use was correlated to parental responsivity and variety of people and events at home. These relationships remained significant after adjusting for maternal education and number of children at home (Responsivity β = 7.30 (95% CI: 1.75, 12.86), p = 0.012) and (Variety β = −2.45, (95% CI: −4.58, −0.31), p = 0.026). There was a trend level association between low child’s weekend screen use and high presence of learning materials. Other aspects of screen time were not associated with home environment characteristics. (4) Conclusions: Higher parental screen use predicted lower variety and greater parental responsivity, the latter of which was an unexpected finding. Administering the IT-HOME alongside a screen use questionnaire may offer the opportunity for a more comprehensive representation of home environments in today’s society. Future research can also clarify facets of parental screen use (e.g., co-viewing, timing) that are more vs. less likely to impact children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parveen Attai
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (P.A.); (J.S.); (S.A.-F.)
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Jacqueline Szabat
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (P.A.); (J.S.); (S.A.-F.)
| | - Stephanie Anzman-Frasca
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (P.A.); (J.S.); (S.A.-F.)
- Center for Ingestive Behavior Research, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Kai Ling Kong
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (P.A.); (J.S.); (S.A.-F.)
- Center for Ingestive Behavior Research, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Decker AL, Duncan K, Finn AS, Mabbott DJ. Children's family income is associated with cognitive function and volume of anterior not posterior hippocampus. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4040. [PMID: 32788583 PMCID: PMC7423938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17854-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Children from lower income backgrounds tend to have poorer memory and language abilities than their wealthier peers. It has been proposed that these cognitive gaps reflect the effects of income-related stress on hippocampal structure, but the empirical evidence for this relationship has not been clear. Here, we examine how family income gaps in cognition relate to the anterior hippocampus, given its high sensitivity to stress, versus the posterior hippocampus. We find that anterior (but not posterior) hippocampal volumes positively correlate with family income up to an annual income of ~$75,000. Income-related differences in the anterior (but not posterior) hippocampus also predicted the strength of the gaps in memory and language. These findings add anatomical specificity to current theories by suggesting a stronger relationship between family income and anterior than posterior hippocampal volumes and offer a potential mechanism through which children from different income homes differ cognitively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine Duncan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy S Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald J Mabbott
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Van Keer I, Bodner N, Ceulemans E, Van Leeuwen K, Maes B. Parental behavior and child interactive engagement: a longitudinal study on children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 103:103672. [PMID: 32502925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge on the long-term interactive interplay between children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay and their parents is very scarce. We aimed to characterize the (in)variability and potential mutual influence of parent's interactional style and child interactive engagement throughout early childhood. Every six months over the course of two years, thirty-five parent-child dyads (children aged 6-59 months) living in Flanders (Belgium) or the Netherlands were video-taped during a 15-minute unstructured play situation. Video-taped observations were scored using the Child and Maternal Behavior Rating Scales. No consistent group-level trend was found. Within singular interactions, parent's responsive behavior and child interactive engagement (attention and initiation) seem to be strongly related. Initial child initiation seems to positively predict parents' achievement orientation and directive behavior two years later. Parental responsiveness might be an effective interactional strategy to increase child engagement and higher levels of engagement in children possibly can facilitate parental responsiveness within a concrete interaction. The more initiative children show, the more parents might have hope for developmental benefits resulting from a directive/achievement oriented approach. Further research is warranted applying more differentiated and dynamically evaluated outcome measures and a longer follow-up time frame, with specific attention to inter-individual differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ines Van Keer
- University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Parenting and Special Education, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Box 3765, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nadja Bodner
- University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences, Tiensestraat 102 - Box 3713, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eva Ceulemans
- University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences, Tiensestraat 102 - Box 3713, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karla Van Leeuwen
- University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Parenting and Special Education, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Box 3765, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bea Maes
- University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Parenting and Special Education, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Box 3765, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Pierce H. Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development: Path to Improving Child Outcomes in Africa. POPULATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REVIEW 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11113-020-09581-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
|
21
|
Salo VC, Schunck SJ, Humphreys KL. Depressive symptoms in parents are associated with reduced empathy toward their young children. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230636. [PMID: 32203542 PMCID: PMC7089529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While depression is typically associated with reduced levels of empathy, this association differs depending on how empathy is measured. Given the importance of empathy in the parent-child relationship, we sought to examine whether the associations between depression and dispositional empathy would also extend to empathy towards one's own child. METHODS Within a non-clinical sample of 150 parents of young children, we examined the associations between self-reported depressive symptoms, dispositional empathic tendencies, and empathy specifically toward their own children, and how these associations might differ based on parent gender. RESULTS Depressive symptoms were related to lower levels of cognitive and affective empathy, and higher levels of empathic distress. Over and above the association with dispositional empathy, depressive symptoms were associated with reduced levels of parents' affective empathy toward their own child. The associations between depressive symptoms and both dispositional and own-child specific empathy varied by parent gender. For fathers, depressive symptoms predicted own-child specific affective empathy, over and above dispositional affective empathy, while for mothers, depressive symptoms predicted own-child specific empathic distress, over and above dispositional empathic distress. CONCLUSIONS The current findings provide further indication that caregivers with elevated depression may engage in patterns of thoughts and behaviors that have implications for their interactions with their children. Parents' experienced empathy toward their own child may be one mechanism by which depression impacts the early caregiving environment, and thus may be an important target for intervention in improving the early caregiving experiences for children at elevated risk due to parental depression. Differences in cognitive and affective empathy found among those with depression may be even more pronounced in the thoughts and feelings towards one's own child, making this an important clinical target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia C. Salo
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sara J. Schunck
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Kathryn L. Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Marshall AT, Betts S, Kan EC, McConnell R, Lanphear BP, Sowell ER. Association of lead-exposure risk and family income with childhood brain outcomes. Nat Med 2020; 26:91-97. [PMID: 31932788 PMCID: PMC6980739 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0713-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Socioeconomic factors influence brain development and structure, but most studies have overlooked neurotoxic insults that impair development, such as lead exposure. Childhood lead exposure affects cognitive development at the lowest measurable concentrations, but little is known about its impact on brain development during childhood. We examined cross-sectional associations among brain structure, cognition, geocoded measures of the risk of lead exposure and sociodemographic characteristics in 9,712 9- and 10-year-old children. Here we show stronger negative associations of living in high-lead-risk census tracts in children from lower- versus higher-income families. With increasing risk of exposure, children from lower-income families exhibited lower cognitive test scores, smaller cortical volume and smaller cortical surface area. Reducing environmental insults associated with lead-exposure risk might confer greater benefit to children experiencing more environmental adversity, and further understanding of the factors associated with high lead-exposure risk will be critical for improving such outcomes in children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Marshall
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Betts
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eric C Kan
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Elizabeth R Sowell
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Widen EM, Nichols AR, Kahn LG, Factor-Litvak P, Insel BJ, Hoepner L, Dube SM, Rauh V, Perera F, Rundle A. Prepregnancy obesity is associated with cognitive outcomes in boys in a low-income, multiethnic birth cohort. BMC Pediatr 2019; 19:507. [PMID: 31862007 PMCID: PMC6924019 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1853-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal obesity and high gestational weight gain (GWG) disproportionally affect low-income populations and may be associated with child neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner. We examined sex-specific associations between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and child neurodevelopment at age 7. Methods Data are from a prospective low-income cohort of African American and Dominican women (n = 368; 44.8% male offspring) enrolled during the second half of pregnancy from 1998 to 2006. Neurodevelopment was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) at approximately child age 7. Linear regression estimated associations between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and child outcomes, adjusting for race/ethnicity, marital status, gestational age at delivery, maternal education, maternal IQ and child age. Results Overweight affected 23.9% of mothers and obesity affected 22.6%. At age 7, full-scale IQ was higher among girls (99.7 ± 11.6) compared to boys (96.9 ± 13.3). Among boys, but not girls, prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower full-scale IQ scores [overweight β: − 7.1, 95% CI: (− 12.1, − 2.0); obesity β: − 5.7, 95% CI: (− 10.7, − 0.7)]. GWG was not associated with full-scale IQ in either sex. Conclusions Prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower IQ among boys, but not girls, at 7 years. These findings are important considering overweight and obesity prevalence and the long-term implications of early cognitive development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Widen
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 103 W 24TH ST A2703, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. .,Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Amy R Nichols
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 103 W 24TH ST A2703, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Linda G Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, 403 East 34th St, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street Room 1614, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Beverly J Insel
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street Room 1614, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lori Hoepner
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health, 450 Clarkson Avenue, MSC 43, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA
| | - Sara M Dube
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 103 W 24TH ST A2703, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,Department of Nutritional Sciences, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Virginia Rauh
- Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Avenue, B-2, Room 213, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Frederica Perera
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street Room 1614, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Andrew Rundle
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street Room 1614, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Rosen ML, Meltzoff AN, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Distinct aspects of the early environment contribute to associative memory, cued attention, and memory-guided attention: Implications for academic achievement. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 40:100731. [PMID: 31766007 PMCID: PMC6917893 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with numerous aspects of cognitive development and disparities in academic achievement. The specific environmental factors that contribute to these disparities remain poorly understood. We used observational methods to characterize three aspects of the early environment that may contribute to SES-related differences in cognitive development: violence exposure, cognitive stimulation, and quality of the physical environment. We evaluated the associations of these environmental characteristics with associative memory, cued attention, and memory-guided attention in a sample of 101 children aged 60-75 months. We further investigated whether these specific cognitive abilities mediated the association between SES and academic achievement 18 months later. Violence exposure was specifically associated with poor associative memory, but not cued attention or memory-guided attention. Cognitive stimulation and higher quality physical environment were positively associated with cued attention accuracy, but not after adjusting for all other environmental variables. The quality of the physical environment was associated with memory-guided attention accuracy. Of the cognitive abilities examined, only memory-guided attention contributed to SES-related differences in academic achievement. These findings suggest specificity in how particular aspects of early environmental experience scaffold different types of attention and memory subserved by distinct neural circuits and shed light on a novel cognitive-developmental mechanism underlying SES-related disparities in academic achievement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Rosen
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University of Washington, United States.
| | - Andrew N Meltzoff
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, United States
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Modelling resilience in adolescence and adversity: a novel framework to inform research and practice. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:316. [PMID: 31772187 PMCID: PMC6879584 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0651-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent conceptualisations of resilience have advanced the notion that it is a dynamic and multifaceted construct. However, its adaptive components, especially those forged by adversity, have not been fully realised, and its neurobiological and psychosocial underpinnings are yet to be meaningfully integrated. In part, this is because a developmental perspective is often neglected in the formulation of resilience. In this review, we consider the findings of resilience research, with a specific emphasis on the developmental period of adolescence. To bridge the gaps in our current understanding, we propose a model of resilience that is predicated on experiencing adversity. Specifically, our model provides a sophisticated insight into the components of resilience, which, together with intrinsic features, involves facilitation of, and skill acquisition via strengthening processes we term tempering and fortification. The model also points to the potential trajectories of adversity-driven resilience and forms the basis of a framework that allows for individual variance in resilience, and the identification of both neurobiological and psychosocial targets for prevention and therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
|
26
|
Aishworiya R, Cai S, Chen HY, Phua DY, Broekman BFP, Daniel LM, Chong YS, Shek LP, Yap F, Chan SY, Meaney MJ, Law EC. Television viewing and child cognition in a longitudinal birth cohort in Singapore: the role of maternal factors. BMC Pediatr 2019; 19:286. [PMID: 31419962 PMCID: PMC6696668 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1651-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although infant media exposure has received attention for its implications on child development, upstream risk factors contributing to media exposure have rarely been explored. The study aim was to examine the relationship between maternal risk factors, infant television (TV) viewing, and later child cognition. Methods We used a prospective population-based birth cohort study, Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), with 1247 pregnant mothers recruited in their first trimester. We first explored the relationship of infant TV exposure at 12 months and the composite IQ score at 4.5 years, as measured by the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition (KBIT-2). Multivariable linear regressions were adjusted for maternal education, maternal mental health, child variables, birth parameters, and other relevant confounders. We then examined the associations of maternal risk factors with the amount of daily TV viewing of 12-month-old infants. Path analysis followed, to test a conceptual model designed a priori to test our hypotheses. Results The average amount of TV viewing at 12 months was 2.0 h/day (SD 1.9). TV viewing in hours per day was a significant exposure variable for composite IQ (ß = − 1.55; 95% CI: − 2.81 to − 0.28) and verbal IQ (ß = − 1.77; 95% CI: − 3.22 to − 0.32) at 4.5 years. Our path analysis demonstrated that lower maternal education and worse maternal mood (standardized ß = − 0.27 and 0.14, respectively, p < 0.01 for both variables) were both risk factors for more media exposure. This path analysis also showed that maternal mood and infant TV strongly mediated the relationship between maternal education and child cognition, with an exceptional model fit (CFI > 0.99, AIC 15249.82, RMSEA < 0.001). Conclusion Infant TV exposure has a negative association with later cognition. Lower maternal education and suboptimal maternal mental health are risk factors for greater television viewing. Paediatricians have a role in considering and addressing early risks that may encourage television viewing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramkumar Aishworiya
- Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
| | - Shirong Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore
| | - Helen Y Chen
- Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore, 229899, Singapore.,Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Rd, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Desiree Y Phua
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore
| | - Birit F P Broekman
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore.,Department of Psychiatry, VU Medical Centre, Amsterdam UMC, VU University, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081, HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lourdes Mary Daniel
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Rd, Singapore, 169857, Singapore.,Department of Child Development, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore, 229899, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Yap Seng Chong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore
| | - Lynette P Shek
- Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Fabian Yap
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Rd, Singapore, 169857, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.,Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore, 229899, Singapore
| | - Shiao-Yng Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore.,Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 845 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Evelyn C Law
- Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Orri M, Côté SM, Tremblay RE, Doyle O. Impact of an early childhood intervention on the home environment, and subsequent effects on child cognitive and emotional development: A secondary analysis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219133. [PMID: 31269050 PMCID: PMC6608972 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to use secondary data from the Preparing for Life (PFL) trial to test (1) the impact of a prenatal-to-age-five intervention targeting women from a disadvantaged Irish community on the quality of the home environment; (2) whether any identified changes in the home environment explain the positive effects of the PFL program on children’s cognitive and emotional development at school entry which have been identified in previous reports of the PFL trial (ES = .72 and .50, respectively). Pregnant women were randomized into a treatment (home visits, baby massage, and parenting program, n = 115) or control (n = 118) group (trial registration: ISRCTN04631728). The home environment was assessed at 6 months, 1½, and 3 years using the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (responsiveness, acceptance, organization, learning material, involvement, variety). Cognitive skills were assessed at 5 years using the British Ability Scales. Emotional problems were teacher-reported at 5 years using the Short Early Development Inventory. Latent growth modeling was used to model changes in the home environment, and mediation analyses to test whether those changes explained children outcomes. Compared to controls, treatment children were exposed to more stimulating environments in terms of learning material (B = -1.62, p = 0.036) and environmental variety (B = -1.58, p = 0.009) at 6 months, but these differences faded at 3 years. Treatment families were also more likely to accept suboptimal child behaviors without using punishment (acceptance score, B = 1.49, p = 0.048) and were more organized at 3 years (B = 1.08, p = 0.033). None of the changes mediated children’s outcomes. In conclusion, we found that the program positively impacted different home environment dimensions, but these changes did not account for improvements in children’s outcomes. Exploratory analyses suggest that the impact of improvements in the home environment on child outcomes may be limited to specific groups of children. Limitations of the study include the potential lack of generalizability to other populations, the inability to assess the individual treatment components, and sample size restrictions which precluded a moderated mediation analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Orri
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute & Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre, INSERM U1219 and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Sylvana M. Côté
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre, INSERM U1219 and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Canada
| | - Richard E. Tremblay
- School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Orla Doyle
- UCD School of Economics & UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Vilaseca R, Rivero M, Bersabé RM, Cantero MJ, Navarro-Pardo E, Valls-Vidal C, Ferrer F. Demographic and Parental Factors Associated With Developmental Outcomes in Children With Intellectual Disabilities. Front Psychol 2019; 10:872. [PMID: 31068864 PMCID: PMC6491580 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine the relation between demographic variables, parental characteristics, and cognitive, language and motor skills development in children with intellectual disabilities (ID). A sample of 89 children with ID, aged 20-47 months, completed the Bayley Scales of Infant Development to measure cognitive, motor, and linguistic development. Parents were administered questionnaires about demographic information and parental anxiety, depression, parental stress, conjugality and familial functioning. Parenting behaviors (affection, responsiveness, encouragement, and teaching) were observed using the Spanish version of PICCOLO (Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes). A bivariate analysis showed that cognitive development in infants was significantly related to the mother's and father's responsiveness, and to the father's teaching scores. Infant language development was related to a variety of maternal factors (educational level, anxiety, depression, maternal responsiveness) and to the father's teaching scores. None of the factors were statistically related to child motor development. A multivariate regression analysis indicated that children's cognitive development can be predicted by a linear combination of maternal responsiveness and paternal teaching scores. Language development can be predicted by a linear combination of maternal anxiety and responsiveness, and paternal teaching scores. The present study provides evidence of the importance of paternal involvement for cognitive and language development in children with intellectual disabilities, and contributes to the increasing literature about fathering. Gaining knowledge about parental contributions to children's development is relevant for improving positive parenting in early intervention programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Vilaseca
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magda Rivero
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Bersabé
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - María-José Cantero
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Esperanza Navarro-Pardo
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Fina Ferrer
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Moreno JD, Schulkin J. Epineuromics: Implications for development. NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
30
|
Vilaseca R, Rivero M, Bersabé RM, Navarro-Pardo E, Cantero MJ, Ferrer F, Valls Vidal C, Innocenti MS, Roggman L. Spanish Validation of the PICCOLO ( Parenting Interactions With Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes). Front Psychol 2019; 10:680. [PMID: 30971993 PMCID: PMC6446975 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO; Roggman et al., 2013a). This observational measure is composed of 29 items that assess the quality of four domains of parenting interactions that promote child development: affection, responsiveness, encouragement, and teaching. Methods: The sample included 203 mother-child dyads who had been video-recorded playing together. Fifty-six percent of the children were male, and 44% were female, aged from 10 to 47 months. Video-recorded observations were rated using PICCOLO items. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported that the instrument has four first-order factors corresponding to the hypothesized domains of parenting behaviors, and a second-order factor corresponding to a general factor of positive parenting. Construct validation evidence was compiled by examining the relationship between PICCOLO scores and child age. As expected, teaching domain and total PICCOLO scores were positively correlated with child age. The Spanish PICCOLO also demonstrated good inter-rater reliability (ranging from 0.69 to 0.84) and internal consistency reliability (ranging from 0.59 to 0.88) for the four domain scores and the total parenting score. Concurrent criterion-related validity was examined via correlations between parenting scores and child cognitive, language and motor skills outcomes, measured using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the PICCOLO meets the criteria for a reliable and valid observational measurement of parenting interactions with children. The psychometric properties of the instrument make it appropriate for general research purposes, but also for program evaluation of Early Intervention and other parenting-support interventions. This measure, focused on parent strengths, could be used to facilitate family-centered practices in early intervention and other programs that have parenting as an outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Vilaseca
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magda Rivero
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Bersabé
- Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Esperanza Navarro-Pardo
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Cantero
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fina Ferrer
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Valls Vidal
- Department of Psychology, Universitat Abat Oliba-CEU, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark S. Innocenti
- Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Lori Roggman
- Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
King LS, Humphreys KL, Gotlib IH. The Neglect-Enrichment Continuum: Characterizing Variation in Early Caregiving Environments. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2019; 51:109-122. [PMID: 32669751 DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy S King
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Owada K, Nielsen M, Lau CL, Yakob L, Clements ACA, Leonardo L, Soares Magalhães RJ. Determinants of Spatial Heterogeneity of Functional Illiteracy among School-Aged Children in the Philippines: An Ecological Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16010137. [PMID: 30621052 PMCID: PMC6339103 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Functional literacy is one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Functional literacy indicators are likely to vary between locations given the geographical variability of its major determinants. This property poses a challenge to decisions around efficient allocation of population services and resources to mitigate the impact of functional literacy in populations most in need. Using functional literacy indicators of 11,313 school-aged children collected in 2008 during the nationwide survey, the current study examined the association between functional literacy and geographical disparities in socioeconomic status (SES), water supply, sanitation and hygiene, household education stimuli, and environmental variables in all three regions of the Philippines (Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao). Three nested fixed-effects multinomial regression models were built to determine associations between functional literacy and a wide array of variables. Our results showed the general prevalence rate of functional illiteracy as being 4.7%, with the highest prevalence rate in the Visayas, followed by Mindanao and Luzon (7.5%, 6.9%, and 3.0%, respectively. Our results indicated that in Luzon prevalence of functional illiteracy was explained by variation in household education stimuli scores, sources of drinking water, and type of toilet facility. In Mindanao and the Visayas prevalence of functional illiteracy was primarily explained by geographical variation in SES, and natural environmental conditions. Our study highlights region-specific determinants of functional literacy and the need for geographically targeted, integrated interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kei Owada
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
- Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
| | - Mark Nielsen
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
- Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.
| | - Colleen L Lau
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
| | - Laith Yakob
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Archie C A Clements
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
| | - Lydia Leonardo
- Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila 1000, Philippines.
| | - Ricardo J Soares Magalhães
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
- Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Abstract
Our social environment, from the microscopic to the macro-social, affects us for the entirety of our lives. One integral line of research to examine how interpersonal and societal environments can get "under the skin" is through the lens of epigenetics. Epigenetic mechanisms are adaptations made to our genome in response to our environment which include tags placed on and removed from the DNA itself to how our DNA is packaged, affecting how our genes are read, transcribed, and interact. These tags are affected by social environments and can persist over time; this may aid us in responding to experiences and exposures, both the enriched and the disadvantageous. From memory formation to immune function, the experience-dependent plasticity of epigenetic modifications to micro- and macro-social environments may contribute to the process of learning from comfort, pain, and stress to better survive in whatever circumstances life has in store.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Merrill
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Humphreys KL, King LS, Sacchet MD, Camacho MC, Colich NL, Ordaz SJ, Ho TC, Gotlib IH. Evidence for a sensitive period in the effects of early life stress on hippocampal volume. Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12775. [PMID: 30471167 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to stress has been causally linked to changes in hippocampal volume (HV). Given that the hippocampus undergoes rapid changes in the first years of life, stressful experiences during this period may be particularly important in understanding individual differences in the development of the hippocampus. One hundred seventy-eight early adolescents (ages 9-13 years; 43% male) were interviewed regarding exposure to and age of onset of experiences of stress; the severity of each stressful event was rated by an objective panel. All participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging, from which HVs were automatically segmented. Without considering the age of onset for stressful experiences, there was a small but statistically significant negative association of stress severity with bilateral HV. When considering the age of onset, there was a moderate and significant negative association between stress severity during early childhood (through 5 years of age) and HV; there was no association between stress severity during later childhood (age 6 years and older) and HV. We provide evidence of a sensitive period through 5 years of age for the effects of life stress on HV in adolescence. It will be important in future research to elucidate how reduced HV stemming from early life stress may contribute to stress-related health outcomes.
Collapse
|
35
|
Datta S, Roy DD. Shortening the Home Environment Inventory: A Polytomous Item Response Theory approach. PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12646-018-0466-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
|
36
|
Tella P, Piccolo LDR, Rangel ML, Rohde LA, Polanczyk GV, Miguel EC, Grisi SJFE, Fleitlich-Bilyk B, Ferraro AA. Socioeconomic diversities and infant development at 6 to 9 months in a poverty area of São Paulo, Brazil. TRENDS IN PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY 2018; 40:232-240. [DOI: 10.1590/2237-6089-2017-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Introduction The effects of socioeconomic disparities on cognitive development tend to emerge early in infancy and to widen throughout childhood, and may perpetuate later in life. Although the study of how poverty affects early childhood has increased in the last 20 years, many of the effects remain largely unknown, especially during the first year of life. Aim To investigate the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal education on infants’ language, motor and cognitive development. Methods The cognitive, language and motor skills of 444 infants aged 6 to 9 months selected from a poor neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. A questionnaire on socioeconomic background was administered to the participants’ families. Results A positive association was found between SES and infants’ performance on language and motor scales. Additionally, higher maternal education was associated with higher language and cognitive scores. Conclusion Our findings indicate that SES effects are detectable very early in infancy. This result has implications for the timing of both screening and intervention efforts to help children overcome the consequences of living in poverty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Tella
- Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento para Crianças e Adolescentes, Brazil
| | | | | | - Luis Augusto Rohde
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento para Crianças e Adolescentes, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Bacy Fleitlich-Bilyk
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento para Crianças e Adolescentes, Brazil; USP, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Archanjo Ferraro
- Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento para Crianças e Adolescentes, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Engelhardt LE, Church JA, Paige Harden K, Tucker-Drob EM. Accounting for the shared environment in cognitive abilities and academic achievement with measured socioecological contexts. Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12699. [PMID: 30113118 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral and molecular genetic research has established that child cognitive ability and academic performance are substantially heritable, but genetic variation does not account for all of the stratification of cognitive and academic outcomes across families. Which specific contexts and experiences contribute to these shared environmental influences on cognitive ability and academic achievement? Using an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of N = 1728 twins ages 7-20 from the Texas Twin Project, we identified specific measured family, school, and neighborhood socioecological contexts that statistically accounted for latent shared environmental variance in cognitive abilities and academic skills. Composite measures of parent socioeconomic status (SES), school demographic composition, and neighborhood SES accounted for moderate proportions of variation in IQ and achievement. Total variance explained by the multilevel contexts ranged from 15% to 22%. The influence of family SES on IQ and achievement overlapped substantially with the influence of school and neighborhood predictors. Together with race, the measured socioecological contexts explained 100% of shared environmental influences on IQ and approximately 79% of shared environmental influences on both verbal comprehension and reading ability. In contrast, nontrivial proportions of shared environmental variation in math performance were left unexplained. We highlight the potential utility of constructing "polyenvironmental risk scores" in an effort to better predict developmental outcomes and to quantify children's and adolescents' interrelated networks of experiences. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/77E_DctFsr0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - K Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas.,Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Texas
| | - Elliot M Tucker-Drob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas.,Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Aishworiya R, Kiing JS, Chan YH, Tung SS, Law E. Screen time exposure and sleep among children with developmental disabilities. J Paediatr Child Health 2018; 54:889-894. [PMID: 29672990 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
AIM Children with developmental disabilities are at risk of excessive screen time and are more vulnerable to sleep problems. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of screen time use in children with developmental disabilities and its relationship with sleep duration. METHODS Consecutive children aged 6-15 years diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth or Fifth Edition (DSM-IV or DSM-5) developmental disabilities were recruited for this study from December 2014 to April 2015. Of those recruited, 87.0% of families gave consent and provided questionnaire information on demographics and child's screen time use and completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. RESULTS Parents of 102 children in a tertiary-care developmental clinic completed the study. The mean age of children was 10 years, 1 month (standard deviation (SD), 22.7 months). The mean daily total screen time exposure was 2 h, 52.7 min (172.7 min, SD 120.8 min), with a median of 150.0 min. The mean amount of sleep per weekday was 8 h, 23.3 min (SD 64.6 min). Linear regression showed that, for every additional 9.17 min of screen time per day, sleep was reduced by 1 min (β = -0.11, P = 0.04). Older age (β = -0.64, P = 0.02) and living with a single parent (β = -69.29, P = 0.003) were also associated with less sleep. CONCLUSIONS Among children with developmental disabilities, greater daily screen time is associated with lower sleep duration. Older children and those from single-parent families are at risk of lower sleep duration. Clinicians should routinely ask about screen time exposure and sleep habits in order to provide appropriate anticipatory guidance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramkumar Aishworiya
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Jennifer Sh Kiing
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yiong Huak Chan
- Biostatistics Unit, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Serena Sw Tung
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Evelyn Law
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Goldfeld S, Price A, Kemp L. Designing, testing, and implementing a sustainable nurse home visiting program: right@home. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1419:141-159. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Goldfeld
- Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; The Royal Children's Hospital; Parkville Victoria Australia
- Population Health; Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Parkville Victoria Australia
- Department of Paediatrics; The University of Melbourne; Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Anna Price
- Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; The Royal Children's Hospital; Parkville Victoria Australia
- Population Health; Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Parkville Victoria Australia
- Department of Paediatrics; The University of Melbourne; Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Lynn Kemp
- Ingham Institute; Western Sydney University; Sydney Victoria Australia
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Tso WWY, Wong VCN, Xia X, Faragher B, Li M, Xu X, Ao L, Zhang X, Jiao FY, Du K, Shang X, Wong PTY, Challis D. The Griffiths Development Scales-Chinese (GDS-C): A cross-cultural comparison of developmental trajectories between Chinese and British children. Child Care Health Dev 2018; 44:378-383. [PMID: 29392794 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) are used in many countries to assess the development of children from birth to 8 years. There is a need for accurate and culturally appropriate developmental assessment tools for Chinese children. Here, we adapted the GMDS for use in Chinese children and compare the developmental trajectories between Chinese and British children. METHODS Children with typical development were recruited from 7 urban cities in China between 2009 and 2013. The Griffiths Mental Development Scales-Chinese (GDS-C) were adapted and used to assess the development of urban Chinese children. Developmental curves were computed for 6 subscales using learning management system methods and compare against the British curves from the Griffiths Mental Development Scales-Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). RESULTS The GDS-C were used to assess the developmental status of 815 Chinese children. Plots of the 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles, and full percentile tables were obtained, which showed similar trends to data from the British GMDS-ER. CONCLUSIONS The Chinese developmental curves obtained from the GDS-C showed similarities and differences to the developmental curves from the British GMDS-ER. The development of urban Chinese children should be assessed with the culturally appropriate GDS-C.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W W Y Tso
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - V C N Wong
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - X Xia
- Department of Paediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - B Faragher
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - M Li
- Child Neuro-Habilitation Clinic, Department of Paediatrics, The First Hospital of Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - X Xu
- Child Health Care Department, The Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - L Ao
- Department of Paediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - X Zhang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - F-Y Jiao
- Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - K Du
- Department of Child Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of ZhengZhou University, ZhengZhou, China
| | - X Shang
- Department of Paediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - P T Y Wong
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - D Challis
- Association for Research in Infant and Child Development, The Portland Hospital for Women and Children, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Giuliano RJ, Roos LE, Farrar JD, Skowron EA. Cumulative risk exposure moderates the association between parasympathetic reactivity and inhibitory control in preschool-age children. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 60:324-332. [PMID: 29344945 PMCID: PMC8064704 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
A child's cumulative risk for early exposure to stress has been linked to alterations of self-regulation outcomes, including neurobiological correlates of inhibitory control (IC). We examined whether children's ability to engage the parasympathetic nervous system impacts how risk affects IC. Children ages 3-5 years completed two laboratory measures of IC while respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured, indexing parasympathetic activity. Children with greater risk demonstrated lower IC; risk also moderated associations between RSA reactivity and IC. For children with less risk, greater RSA withdrawal during IC tasks was associated with better IC. In contrast, greater risk was associated with poor IC, regardless of RSA withdrawal. Effects of risk were more pronounced for cumulative than individual measures. Results suggest that cumulative risk exposure disrupts connectivity between physiological and behavioral components of self-regulation in early childhood. Parasympathetic withdrawal to cognitive tasks may be less relevant for performance in developmental samples experiencing greater life stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Giuliano
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | - Leslie E Roos
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| | | | - Elizabeth A Skowron
- Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Dulal S, Liégeois F, Osrin D, Kuczynski A, Manandhar DS, Shrestha BP, Sen A, Saville N, Devakumar D, Prost A. Does antenatal micronutrient supplementation improve children's cognitive function? Evidence from the follow-up of a double-blind randomised controlled trial in Nepal. BMJ Glob Health 2018. [PMID: 29527341 PMCID: PMC5841533 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Multiple Micronutrient (MMN) supplementation during pregnancy can decrease the proportion of infants born low birth weight and small for gestational age. Supplementation could also enhance children's cognitive function by improving access to key nutrients during fetal brain development and increasing birth weight, especially in areas where undernutrition is common. We tested the hypothesis that children whose mothers received MMN supplementation during pregnancy would have higher intelligence in early adolescence compared with those receiving Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) only. Methods We followed up children in Nepal, whose mothers took part in a double-blind Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) that compared the effects on birth weight and gestational duration of antenatal MMN versus IFA supplementation. We assessed children's Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) using the Universal Non-verbal Intelligence Test (UNIT), and their executive function using the counting Stroop test. The parent trial was registered as ISRCTN88625934. Results We identified 813 (76%) of the 1069 children whose mothers took part in the parent trial. We found no differences in FSIQ at 12 years between MMN and IFA groups (absolute difference in means (diff): 1.25, 95% CI -0.57 to 3.06). Similarly, there were no differences in mean UNIT memory (diff: 1.41, 95% CI -0.48 to 3.30), reasoning (diff: 1.17, 95% CI -0.72 to 3.06), symbolic (diff: 0.97, 95% CI -0.67 to 2.60) or non-symbolic quotients (diff: 1.39, 95% CI -0.60 to 3.38). Conclusion Our follow-up of a double-blind RCT in Nepal found no evidence of benefit from antenatal MMN compared with IFA for children's overall intelligence and executive function at 12 years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophiya Dulal
- Mother and Infant Research Activities (MIRA), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - David Osrin
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Adam Kuczynski
- Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Bhim P Shrestha
- Mother and Infant Research Activities (MIRA), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Aman Sen
- Mother and Infant Research Activities (MIRA), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Naomi Saville
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Delan Devakumar
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Audrey Prost
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Marshall NA, Marusak HA, Sala-Hamrick KJ, Crespo LM, Rabinak CA, Thomason ME. Socioeconomic disadvantage and altered corticostriatal circuitry in urban youth. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1982-1994. [PMID: 29359526 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) experienced in early life is linked to a range of risk behaviors and diseases. Neuroimaging research indicates that this association is mediated by functional changes in corticostriatal reward systems that modulate goal-directed behavior, reward evaluation, and affective processing. Existing research has focused largely on adults and within-household measures as an index of SED, despite evidence that broader community-level SED (e.g., neighborhood poverty levels) has significant and sometimes distinct effects on development and health outcomes. Here, we test effects of both household- and community-level SED on resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the ventral striatum (VS) in 100 racially and economically diverse children and adolescents (ages 6-17). We observed unique effects of household income and community SED on VS circuitry such that higher community SED was associated with reduced rsFC between the VS and an anterior region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas lower household income was associated with increased rsFC between the VS and the cerebellum, inferior temporal lobe, and lateral prefrontal cortex. Lower VS-mPFC rsFC was also associated with higher self-reported anxiety symptomology, and rsFC mediated the link between community SED and anxiety. These results indicate unique effects of community-level SED on corticostriatal reward circuitry that can be detected in early life, which carries implications for future interventions and targeted therapies. In addition, our findings raise intriguing questions about the distinct pathways through which specific sources of SED can affect brain and emotional development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Narcis A Marshall
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Kelsey J Sala-Hamrick
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Laura M Crespo
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Christine A Rabinak
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Pediatrics Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.,Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Detroit, MI, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pakulak E, Stevens C, Neville H. Neuro-, Cardio-, and Immunoplasticity: Effects of Early Adversity. Annu Rev Psychol 2018; 69:131-156. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Pakulak
- Brain Development Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403;,
| | - Courtney Stevens
- Department of Psychology, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon 97301
| | - Helen Neville
- Brain Development Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403;,
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Roberts MY, Hampton LH. Exploring Cascading Effects of Multimodal Communication Skills in Infants With Hearing Loss. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2018; 23:95-105. [PMID: 29040615 PMCID: PMC5881374 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enx041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Infants and toddlers with hearing loss (HL) are at risk for developing communicative delays that can have a substantial lasting effect. Understanding child characteristics that may be targeted in early intervention is essential to maximizing communicative outcomes in children with HL. Among the most malleable predictors of communication skills include maternal responsivity, gestures, and vocalizations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among maternal responsivity, prelinguistic communication skills and expressive vocabulary in children with HL. Based upon the results we propose a theoretical cascading model of communicative outcomes for children with HL such that gesture use may be associated with future vocalizations which may in turn be related to long-term spoken language outcomes. This exploratory model may be supported by the underlying transactional model of bidirectional language development that occurs through maternal sensitivity in the first two years of life. Additionally, parents of children with HL may be less likely to respond to a single mode of communication than to a combination of modes. This exploratory study provides a theoretical framework by which multimodal communication development in infants and toddlers with HL may be better understood, and suggests hypotheses for future research and implications for intervention practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan Y Roberts
- Northwestern University
- Correspondence should be sent to Megan Y. Roberts, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Frances Searle Building, 3-346 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208 (e-mail: )
| | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Kraus MW, Park JW. The structural dynamics of social class. Curr Opin Psychol 2017; 18:55-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
47
|
Katz B, Shah P. The role of child socioeconomic status in cognitive training outcomes. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
48
|
Abstract
In this paper, we argue that prefrontal cortex ontogenetic functional development is best understood through an ecological lens. We first begin by reviewing evidence supporting the existing consensus that PFC structural and functional development is protracted based on maturational constraints. We then examine recent findings from neuroimaging studies in infants, early life stress research, and connectomics that support the novel hypothesis that PFC functional development is driven by reciprocal processes of neural adaptation and niche construction. We discuss implications and predictions of this model for redefining the construct of executive functions and for informing typical and atypical child development. This ecological account of PFC functional development moves beyond descriptions of development that are characteristic of existing frameworks, and provides novel insights into the mechanisms of developmental change, including its catalysts and influences. (PsycINFO Database Record
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denise M Werchan
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University
| | - Dima Amso
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Harms MB, Shannon Bowen KE, Hanson JL, Pollak SD. Instrumental learning and cognitive flexibility processes are impaired in children exposed to early life stress. Dev Sci 2017; 21:e12596. [PMID: 29052307 PMCID: PMC5908766 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Children who experience severe early life stress show persistent deficits in many aspects of cognitive and social adaptation. Early stress might be associated with these broad changes in functioning because it impairs general learning mechanisms. To explore this possibility, we examined whether individuals who experienced abusive caregiving in childhood had difficulties with instrumental learning and/or cognitive flexibility as adolescents. Fifty-three 14-17-year-old adolescents (31 exposed to high levels of childhood stress, 22 control) completed an fMRI task that required them to first learn associations in the environment and then update those pairings. Adolescents with histories of early life stress eventually learned to pair stimuli with both positive and negative outcomes, but did so more slowly than their peers. Furthermore, these stress-exposed adolescents showed markedly impaired cognitive flexibility; they were less able than their peers to update those pairings when the contingencies changed. These learning problems were reflected in abnormal activity in learning- and attention-related brain circuitry. Both altered patterns of learning and neural activation were associated with the severity of lifetime stress that the adolescents had experienced. Taken together, the results of this experiment suggest that basic learning processes are impaired in adolescents exposed to early life stress. These general learning mechanisms may help explain the emergence of social problems observed in these individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madeline B Harms
- Deaprtment of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Jamie L Hanson
- Deaprtment of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Seth D Pollak
- Deaprtment of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
McLaughlin KA, Sheridan MA, Nelson CA. Neglect as a Violation of Species-Expectant Experience: Neurodevelopmental Consequences. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:462-471. [PMID: 28392082 PMCID: PMC5572554 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.02.1096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The human brain requires a wide variety of experiences and environmental inputs in order to develop normally. Children who are neglected by caregivers or raised in institutional environments are deprived of numerous types of species-expectant environmental experiences. In this review, we articulate a model of how the absence of cognitive stimulation and sensory, motor, linguistic, and social experiences common among children raised in deprived early environments constrains early forms of learning, producing long-term deficits in complex cognitive function and associative learning. Building on evidence from animal models, we propose that deprivation accelerates the neurodevelopmental process of synaptic pruning and limits myelination, resulting in age-specific reductions in cortical thickness and white matter integrity among children raised in deprived early environments. We review evidence linking early experiences of psychosocial deprivation to reductions in cognitive ability, associative and implicit learning, language skills, and executive functions as well as atypical patterns of cortical and white matter development-domains that should be profoundly influenced by deprivation through the learning and neural mechanisms we propose. These patterns of atypical development are difficult to explain with existing models that emphasize stress pathways and accelerated limbic system development. A learning account of how deprived early environments influence cognitive and neural development provides a complementary perspective to stress models and highlights novel pathways through which deprivation might confer risk for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. We end by reviewing evidence for plasticity in cognitive and neural development among children raised in deprived environments following interventions that improve caregiving quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katie A McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|