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Askelund AD, Wootton RE, Torvik FA, Lawn RB, Ask H, Corfield EC, Magnus MC, Reichborn-Kjennerud T, Magnus PM, Andreassen OA, Stoltenberg C, Davey Smith G, Davies NM, Havdahl A, Hannigan LJ. Assessing causal links between age at menarche and adolescent mental health: a Mendelian randomisation study. BMC Med 2024; 22:155. [PMID: 38609914 PMCID: PMC11015655 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03361-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The timing of puberty may have an important impact on adolescent mental health. In particular, earlier age at menarche has been associated with elevated rates of depression in adolescents. Previous research suggests that this relationship may be causal, but replication and an investigation of whether this effect extends to other mental health domains is warranted. METHODS In this Registered Report, we triangulated evidence from different causal inference methods using a new wave of data (N = 13,398) from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study. We combined multiple regression, one- and two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR), and negative control analyses (using pre-pubertal symptoms as outcomes) to assess the causal links between age at menarche and different domains of adolescent mental health. RESULTS Our results supported the hypothesis that earlier age at menarche is associated with elevated depressive symptoms in early adolescence based on multiple regression (β = - 0.11, 95% CI [- 0.12, - 0.09], pone-tailed < 0.01). One-sample MR analyses suggested that this relationship may be causal (β = - 0.07, 95% CI [- 0.13, 0.00], pone-tailed = 0.03), but the effect was small, corresponding to just a 0.06 standard deviation increase in depressive symptoms with each earlier year of menarche. There was also some evidence of a causal relationship with depression diagnoses during adolescence based on one-sample MR (OR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.54, 1.01], pone-tailed = 0.03), corresponding to a 29% increase in the odds of receiving a depression diagnosis with each earlier year of menarche. Negative control and two-sample MR sensitivity analyses were broadly consistent with this pattern of results. Multivariable MR analyses accounting for the genetic overlap between age at menarche and childhood body size provided some evidence of confounding. Meanwhile, we found little consistent evidence of effects on other domains of mental health after accounting for co-occurring depression and other confounding. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence that age at menarche affected diagnoses of adolescent depression, but not other domains of mental health. Our findings suggest that earlier age at menarche is linked to problems in specific domains rather than adolescent mental health in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Dahl Askelund
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Robyn E Wootton
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Fartein A Torvik
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rebecca B Lawn
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Helga Ask
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Promenta Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Elizabeth C Corfield
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria C Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per M Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- NORMENT Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Camilla Stoltenberg
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Neil M Davies
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- KG Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Promenta Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Laurie J Hannigan
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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Goering M, McMahan K, Mrug S. Concurrent and long-term effects of early pubertal timing on alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis use from adolescence to adulthood. PSYCHOLOGY OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS 2024:2024-52155-001. [PMID: 38330352 PMCID: PMC11306414 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early pubertal timing is a risk factor for substance use during adolescence. Fewer studies investigated whether early pubertal timing continues to predict substance use in late adolescence and adulthood, suggesting that long-term effects of pubertal timing vary across substances and by biological sex. Finally, existing studies on pubertal timing and substance use in adulthood involved predominantly White samples. Thus, this longitudinal study examined the concurrent and long-term effects of pubertal timing on alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis use together with sex differences in predominantly Black youth from the United States. METHOD The sample included 603 youth (52% male, 80% Black) who were interviewed in early adolescence (mean age: 13.2), late adolescence (mean age: 17.6), and young adulthood (mean age: 27.7). During early adolescence, youth self-reported their physical maturation based on Tanner scores, which were adjusted for age and used as indicators of pubertal timing. Youth self-reported their substance use at each time point. RESULTS Early pubertal timing was associated with higher odds of alcohol use during early adolescence but did not predict alcohol use during late adolescence or adulthood. While early pubertal timing did not predict cigarette use at any time point, early pubertal timing predicted greater odds for cannabis use during early adolescence and higher rates of cannabis use in adulthood. Moreover, early pubertal timing predicted greater risk for couse of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis in adulthood. No effects differed by sex. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that links between pubertal timing and substance use vary across substances and developmental periods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlon Goering
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Birmingham
| | | | - Sylvie Mrug
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Birmingham
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Guerrini Usubini A, Bottacchi M, Morelli G, Caroli D, Marazzi N, Castelnuovo G, Sartorio A. The psychosocial functioning in adolescents with severe obesity evaluated throughout the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ): a preliminary report. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1205113. [PMID: 38288364 PMCID: PMC10822931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Childhood obesity is associated with poor psychological adjustment. Severely impacts the psychological adjustment of young patients. To assess the psychological functioning of children and adolescents, several questionnaires have been proposed so far. Although the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most well-used tools, its application in obesity research is scarce. The study is aimed at assessing the psychological profile of a sample of Italian children and adolescents seeking an in-hospital multidisciplinary body weight reduction program for obesity, via SDQ. Methods One hundred and fourteen consecutive Italian children and adolescents with obesity (43 males/71 females, age range: 11-17 years, mean age ± SD: 15.1 ± 1.66, body mass index-BMI ± SD: 37.4 ± 6.13 kg/m2), were recruited at the Division of Auxology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Piancavallo (VB). Results Obese Females reported worse conditions of emotional symptoms (t = 5.48; p < 0.001) and peer problems (t = 2.34; p = 0.021), as well as higher which were associated with greater scores of pro-social behaviors than obese males (t = 3.07; p = 0.003). The total difficulties score (t = 4.00; p < 0.001) and the total impact score (t = 4.53; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in females than males. No statistically significant differences in SDQ variables were found in relation to the degree of obesity (BMI SDS: 2-2.99; BMI SDS: > 3). Discussion These findings can contribute to understand the psychological condition of adolescents with obesity in a better way and also to develop effective interventions for the treatment of pediatric obesity which not only take into account the medical and physical aspects but also the emotional and social difficulties expressed by adolescents with obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Guerrini Usubini
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Bottacchi
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morelli
- Division of Auxology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy
- Sacra Famiglia Foundation, Pediatric Neuropsychiatry Service, Cocquio Trevisago-Varese, Italy
| | - Diana Caroli
- Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Marazzi
- Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sartorio
- Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy
- Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
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