Influence of Socio-Economic Status on Psychopathology in Ecuadorian Children

Infant inflammation predicts childhood emotional and behavioral problems and partially mediates socioeconomic disadvantage

BACKGROUND

Emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) are common in children. Environmental factors like socioeconomic disadvantage influence EBP pathogenesis and can trigger inflammation. However, the link between early inflammation-EBP in children is unclear. We investigated the associations between i) infant inflammatory biomarkers and subsequent EBP and ii) early life environmental factors and EBP and assessed whether infant inflammation mediated these associations.

METHODS

Inflammatory biomarkers glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were quantified at birth and 12 months in a population-derived birth cohort, the Barwon Infant Study. Early life factors including demographic, prenatal, and perinatal factors were collected from antenatal to the two-year period. Internalizing and externalizing problems at age two were measured by the Child Behavior Checklist. Prospective associations were examined by multivariable regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders. Indirect effects of early life factors on EBP through inflammation were identified using mediation analyses.

RESULTS

Elevated GlycA levels at birth (GlycAbirth) were associated with greater internalizing problems at age two (β = 1.32 per SD increase in GlycA; P = 0.001). Inflammation at birth had a stronger magnitude of effect with later EBP than at 12 months. GlycAbirth partially mediated the associations between lower household income (6%), multiparity (12%) and greater number of older siblings (13%) and EBP. Patterns were less evident for hsCRP or externalizing problems.

CONCLUSIONS

GlycAbirth was positively associated with EBP at age two and partially mediated the association between several indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage and EBP. Prenatal and perinatal inflammation may be relevant to early neurodevelopment and emotional health.

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with mental health problems among Mongolian elementary school children

PURPOSE

Lifestyle factors of children and adolescents' mental health problems are an emerging health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is a lack of studies on lifestyle factors in LMICs. This study examined the socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with mental health problems among school-age children in Mongolia.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4th-year students at public elementary schools in one district in Ulaanbaatar. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a self-administrated socioeconomic and lifestyle questionnaire were completed by participants' guardians. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Of the 2301 children surveyed, 1694 without missing responses were included in the analysis. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male gender [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.64 (1.29-2.10)], low maternal education [AOR 1.89 (1.16-3.05)], short sleep [AOR 1.41 (1.10-1.80)], no physical activity [AOR 1.31 (1.03-1.67)], and long screen time (AOR 1.53 (1.20-1.94)) were associated with high risk of mental health problems. Low maternal education, low household income, no physical activity habit, and long screen time were associated with internalising problems. Meanwhile, male gender, low maternal education, and long screen time were associated with externalising problems.

CONCLUSION

The results are consistent with previous studies in high-income countries, indicating that there are globally common socioeconomic and lifestyle risk factors. The findings of this study may help develop a targeted preventive intervention for high-risk groups, such as socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, as well as a universal preventive intervention to foster a healthy lifestyle in Mongolia.

Protocolo preventivo da terapia de regulação infantil

A qualidade da educação relaciona-se com o investimento na aprendizagem acadêmica e com o desenvolvimento socioemocional dos alunos. Esse artigo objetiva avaliar os efeitos do protocolo preventivo da Terapia de Regulação Infantil (TRI-P) nas habilidades socioemocionais de crianças. A TRI-P tem como propósito desenvolver competências emocionais e sociais nas escolas. Utilizou-se delineamento quasi-experimental com avaliação pré e pós teste. Participaram 28 crianças de sete a nove anos, estudantes de uma escola particular no interior do Rio Grande do Sul. Aplicou-se as escalas Social Skills Rating System para a avaliação de habilidades sociais e comportamentos problemáticos e Emotional Regulation Checklist para avaliar regulação e labilidade emocional. Os resultados, após intervenção, apontam diminuição nos níveis de problema de comportamento e aumento nos escores de regulação emocional e habilidades sociais. Percebe-se que a implementação de programas de habilidades socioemocionais pode ser promissora frente à importância do cuidado com saúde mental no ambiente escolar.

Differences in Neuropsychological Performance between Refugee and Non-Refugee Children in Palestine

Neuropsychological studies on refugee children are scarce, but there are even less in the case of Palestinian children. This work aims to study the neuropsychological performance of Palestinian refugee children in Palestine compared to other Palestinian children living outside refugee camps. A comprehensive Neuropsychological battery was administrated to 584 Palestinian school children (464 refugees and 120 non-refugees) aged 6, 7, and 8 years old. Results showed that non-refugee children outperformed refugee children in sustained attention, verbal comprehension, verbal memory, and visual memory. This study is the first to have performed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, based on a standardized and validated battery with the Palestinian refugee children. It supports professionals in their evaluation of neurodevelopment and neuropsychological alterations in refugee and non-refugee children in Palestine.

Selecting life course frameworks to guide and communicate large new cohort studies: Generation Victoria (GenV) case study

While birth cohorts are shaped by underpinning life course frameworks, few if any report how they select them. This review aimed to (1) summarise publicly available frameworks relevant to planning and communicating large new early-life cohorts and (2) help select frameworks to guide and communicate Generation Victoria (GenV), a whole-of-state birth and parent cohort in planning in the state of Victoria, Australia. We identified potential frameworks from prior knowledge, networks and a pragmatic literature search in 2019. We considered for inclusion only frameworks with an existing visual graphic. We summarised each framework's concept, then judged it on a seven-item matrix (Scope, Dimensions, Outcomes, Life course, Mechanisms, Multi-age, and Visual Clarity) to be of high, intermediate or low relevance to GenV. We presented and evaluated 14 life course frameworks across research and policy. Two, nine and three frameworks, respectively, were ranked as high, intermediate and low relevance to GenV, although none totally communicated its scope and intent. Shonkoff's biodevelopmental framework was selected as GenV's primary framework, adapted to include ongoing feedback loops through the life course and influence of an individual's outcomes on the next generation. Because conceptual simplicity precluded the primary framework from capturing the wide range of relevant exposures, we selected the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's person-centred model as a secondary framework. This summary of existing life course frameworks may prove helpful to other cohorts in planning. Our transparent process and focus on visual communication are already assisting in explaining and selecting measures for GenV. The feasibility, comprehension and validity of these frameworks could be further tested at implementation.

Intergenerational Impact of Violence Exposure: Emotional-Behavioural and School Difficulties in Children Aged 5-17

Background and Objectives: The intergenerational impacts of parental exposure to violence during childhood and adulthood have largely been investigated separately. This limits our understanding of how cumulative violence exposure over a lifespan elevates the risk of subsequent generation's maladjustment. To address this, we examined if parental exposure to violence during childhood and during adulthood was associated with increased emotional-behavioural and school difficulties among the children of these parents. Further, we examined if parental exposure to cumulative violence increased the odds of their children experiencing difficulties. Participants and Setting: 705 participants (354 mothers and 351 fathers) from the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Survey, a population-based study conducted in New Zealand between March 2017 and March 2019. Methods: Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to ascertain the impact of parental exposure to violence on children's outcomes after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. The impact of parental cumulative violence exposure on children's outcomes was also explored. Results: Findings indicated that children of parents who had histories of exposure to violence during childhood were at increased risk for experiencing emotional-behavioural or school difficulties. However, where parents reported a history of childhood abuse but not adult experience of violence, their children had similar odds of experiencing difficulties as the children of parents who had not been exposed to any violence in their lifetime. Children of parents who had been exposed to violence only during adulthood were at higher risk of experiencing emotional-behavioural difficulties compared with children of parents with no violence exposure. Children of parents with histories of exposure to violence during both childhood and adulthood had the highest prevalence of experiencing emotional/behavioural and school difficulties. Conclusion: These findings highlight the intergenerational impacts of violence exposure and the complex intersections between parents' and children's life experiences. Our findings suggest the need for violence prevention initiatives to foster the development of safe, stable and nurturing relationships and to expand services for parents already exposed to violence to build resilience and to break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage.