Environmental influences on childhood obesity: ethnic and cultural influences in context.

PubMed

Kumanyika, Shiriki K

2008-04-22

Ethnicity is associated with differences in food-related beliefs, preferences, and behaviors, and cultural influences may contribute to the higher than average risk of obesity among children and youth in U.S. ethnic minority populations. However, cultural attitudes and beliefs are not the only potential source of ethnic variation in childhood obesity prevalence and should not be studied in isolation. Demographic, socio-structural, and environmental variables must also be considered. Available evidence indicates ethnic differences along several pathways that may increase risks of obesity development during gestation, infancy, childhood and adolescence. These include above-average prevalence of obesity in adult females and of maternal diabetes during pregnancy, parental attitudes and practices that may lead to overfeeding children, above-average levels of consumption of certain high calorie foods and beverages, and inadequate physical activity. Environments with lower than average neighborhood availability of healthful foods and higher than average availability of fast food restaurants, along with exposure to ethnically targeted food marketing may contribute to reliance on high calorie foods and beverages, and these foods may be socially and culturally valued. Attitudes about and environmental contexts for physical activity are also relevant. Increasingly, it is acknowledged that individual behaviors and lifestyles, e.g. food choices or child feeding practices, are responsive to the ecological contexts in which they are practiced. Focusing attention on the fluid interactions of cultural influences with contextual factors, of recognized importance for the study of childhood undernutrition, can also lead to further understanding of how to address ethnic disparities in childhood obesity.

The Influence of Childhood Adversity on Rural Black Men's Sexual Risk Behavior.

PubMed

Kogan, Steven M; Cho, Junhan; Oshri, Assaf

2016-12-01

Young Black men living in resource-poor rural environments are disproportionately affected by both adverse childhood experiences and HIV/STIs. The influence of childhood adversity on sexual risk behavior remains to be examined among this vulnerable population. In this study, we investigated the influence of overall adversity as well as three subcomponents, abusive parenting, parental neglect, and witnessing family violence, on men's engagement in sexual risk behavior. We hypothesized that adverse experiences would predict engagement in sexual risk behaviors including multiple sexual partnerships, inconsistent condom use, frequent sexual activity, and concurrent substance abuse and sexual activity. We tested formally the extent to which defensive relational schemas mediated these associations. Hypotheses were tested with data from 505 rural Black men (M age = 20.29, SD = 1.10) participating in the African American Men's Health Project. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling. Self-report data were gathered from participants via audio computer-assisted self-interviews. Bi-factor analyses revealed that, in addition to a common adversity factor, neglect independently predicted sexual risk behavior. Men's defensive relational schemas partially mediated the influence of the common adversity factor as well as the neglect subcomponent on sexual risk behavior. The present research identified a potential risk factor for sexual risk behavior in an understudied and vulnerable population. Adverse childhood experiences in general, and neglect in particular, may place many young Black men at risk for engaging in sexual risk behavior due in part to the influence of these experiences on men's development of relational schemas characterized by defensiveness and mistrust.

How do mothers and fathers influence pediatric injury risk in middle childhood?

PubMed

Schwebel, David C; Brezausek, Carl M

2010-09-01

Parental influences are among the strongest behavioral correlates to unintentional injury outcome in early childhood, but are less well understood as children develop. We implemented a prospective research design to study how parenting style, parent-child relationships, and parental mental health influence injury during middle childhood. We also considered the roles of parent and child gender. Parental influences were assessed from a sample of 584 first graders, plus their mothers and fathers. Injuries requiring medical treatment were assessed regularly over the subsequent 5 years. Logistic regression models examined how maternal and paternal parenting factors predicted injury among all children, just boys, and just girls. Fathers who reported more positive relationships with their children had children protected from injury. This was particularly true of father-son relationships. No maternal traits predicted injury. A positive father-child, and especially a positive father-son relationship, may protect children from injury during middle childhood.

Community Stakeholders' Perceptions of Major Factors Influencing Childhood Obesity, the Feasibility of Programs Addressing Childhood Obesity, and Persisting Gaps.

PubMed

Ganter, Claudia; Aftosmes-Tobio, Alyssa; Chuang, Emmeline; Blaine, Rachel E; Land, Thomas; Davison, Kirsten K

2016-04-01

Prior research has identified numerous factors contributing to increased rates of childhood obesity. However, few studies have focused explicitly on the experience of community stakeholders in low-income communities. This study sought to capture the perspectives of these on-the-ground experts regarding major factors contributing to childhood obesity as well as gaps in current prevention and control efforts. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 39 stakeholders from different community sectors (e.g., healthcare providers, childcare providers, teachers). Data were drawn from the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration project, a multi-level, multi-sector intervention designed to reduce childhood obesity being implemented in two low-income communities in Massachusetts. Interviews were conducted at baseline, transcribed, coded using grounded theory approach, and analyzed in NVivo 10.0. The vast majority of stakeholders had recently participated in obesity prevention strategies, and nearly all of them identified gaps in prevention efforts either within their organizations or in the broader community. In addition to factors previously identified in the literature, several themes emerged including the need to change policies to increase physical activity during school, offer healthier snacks in schools and afterschool programs, and increase communication and collaboration within the community in prevention efforts. Community stakeholders can impact the success of interventions by bridging the gap between science and lived experience. The results of this study can guide future research by highlighting the importance of including stakeholders' frontline experiences with target populations, and using information on identified gaps to augment intervention planning efforts.

Childhood experiences and psychosocial influences on HIV risk among adolescent Latinas in southern California.

PubMed

Newcomb, Michael D; Locke, Thomas F; Goodyear, Rodney K

2003-08-01

This study determined how adverse childhood experiences influenced risky sexual behavior in a community sample of Latina adolescents in Los Angeles (N = 904) within a modified ecodevelopmental perspective. Psychosocial, sociocultural, and environmental mediators of the relations between childhood experiences and risky sexual behavior were tested. Many direct and mediated paths were revealed using structural equation modeling. Childhood maltreatment was associated with risk sexual practices, including more partners, less condom use, more frequent intercourse, and less HIV testing. Drug use and general self-efficacy mediated several relationships. Reducing childhood maltreatment reduced HIV risk and improved psychosocial functioning. Many factors tested did not influence HIV risk. Much of what is known about HIV risk among other populations may not apply to young Latina women.

Prenatal endocrine influences on sexual orientation and on sexually differentiated childhood behavior

PubMed Central

Hines, Melissa

2012-01-01

Both sexual orientation and sex-typical childhood behaviors, such as toy, playmate and activity preferences, show substantial sex differences, as well as substantial variability within each sex. In other species, behaviors that show sex differences are typically influenced by exposure to gonadal steroids, particularly testosterone and its metabolites, during early development (prenatally or neonatally). This article reviews the evidence regarding prenatal influences of gonadal steroids on human sexual orientation, as well as sex-typed childhood behaviors that predict subsequent sexual orientation. The evidence supports a role for prenatal testosterone exposure in the development of sex-typed interests in childhood, as well as in sexual orientation in later life, at least for some individuals. It appears, however, that other factors, in addition to hormones, play an important role in determining sexual orientation. These factors have not been well-characterized, but possibilities include direct genetic effects, and effects of maternal factors during pregnancy. Although a role for hormones during early development has been established, it also appears that there may be multiple pathways to a given sexual orientation outcome and some of these pathways may not involve hormones. PMID:21333673

Prenatal endocrine influences on sexual orientation and on sexually differentiated childhood behavior.

PubMed

Hines, Melissa

2011-04-01

Both sexual orientation and sex-typical childhood behaviors, such as toy, playmate and activity preferences, show substantial sex differences, as well as substantial variability within each sex. In other species, behaviors that show sex differences are typically influenced by exposure to gonadal steroids, particularly testosterone and its metabolites, during early development (prenatally or neonatally). This article reviews the evidence regarding prenatal influences of gonadal steroids on human sexual orientation, as well as sex-typed childhood behaviors that predict subsequent sexual orientation. The evidence supports a role for prenatal testosterone exposure in the development of sex-typed interests in childhood, as well as in sexual orientation in later life, at least for some individuals. It appears, however, that other factors, in addition to hormones, play an important role in determining sexual orientation. These factors have not been well-characterized, but possibilities include direct genetic effects, and effects of maternal factors during pregnancy. Although a role for hormones during early development has been established, it also appears that there may be multiple pathways to a given sexual orientation outcome and some of these pathways may not involve hormones. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The long arm of community: the influence of childhood community contexts across the early life course.

PubMed

Wickrama, K A S; Noh, Samuel

2010-08-01

This study examines the longitudinal effects of childhood community contexts on young adult outcomes. The study uses a sample of 14,000 adolescents (52% female) derived from the 1990 US Census and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Addhealth). The study examines whether community and family environments exert separate and/or joint long-term influences on young adult achievement and depression. We found both direct and indirect long-term influences of childhood community adversity on young adult educational attainment. The indirect influences of childhood community adversity operated through family and individual-level factors. The long-term influence of childhood community adversity on young adult depression was only indirect. Overall, community influences on young adult achievement outcomes were mediated by family context and by the adolescents' adjustments and transitions, including adolescent depression, school adjustment, and disruptive transitional events. The moderating effect of childhood community adversity suggests that the protective effects of family resources on young adult outcomes dissipate significantly in extremely adverse neighborhoods. The findings demonstrate the importance of integrating multiple theoretical perspectives for longitudinal research to capture pathways of community influence on adolescent developmental and young adulthood outcomes.

Home Environmental Influences on Childhood Obesity in the Latino Population: A Decade Review of Literature.

PubMed

Ochoa, Alejandra; Berge, Jerica M

2017-04-01

Latinos are the largest and fastest-growing ethnically diverse group in the United States. Latino children are also among the most overweight and obese ethnic groups of children in the United States. Research over the last decade has identified the home environment as a key influence on the diet and physical activity of children. To summarize cross-sectional and longitudinal research that has identified factors within the home environment of Latino families that are associated with childhood obesity and to provide recommendations for future research and intervention development with Latino families. A decade review from 2005 to 2015 was conducted. Studies identifying factors within the home environments of Latino families that were associated with childhood obesity were examined. Five main factors were identified across the literature as home environment factors that are associated with childhood obesity in Latino children. These factors included: parental influences (e.g., parent feeding practices, modeling), screen time, physical activity/sedentary behavior, socioeconomic status/food security and sleep duration. The current review identified several home environment factors that may contribute to the disparities in childhood obesity for Latino children. Results from this review such as, focusing on decreasing controlling parent feeding practices, and increasing parent modeling of healthy behaviors and child sleep duration, can be used in developing culturally-specific interventions for Latino children.

Etiological influences on the stability of autistic traits from childhood to early adulthood: evidence from a twin study.

PubMed

Taylor, Mark J; Gillberg, Christopher; Lichtenstein, Paul; Lundström, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are persistent and lifelong conditions. Despite this, almost all twin studies focus on childhood. This twin study investigated the stability of autistic traits from childhood to early adulthood and explored the degree to which any stability could be explained by genetic or environmental factors. Parents of over 2500 twin pairs completed questionnaires assessing autistic traits when twins were aged either 9 or 12 years and again when twins were aged 18. Bivariate twin analysis assessed the degree of phenotypic and etiological stability in autistic traits across this period. Genetic overlap in autistic traits across development was also tested in individuals displaying a broad ASD phenotype, defined as scoring within the highest 5% of the sample. Autistic traits displayed moderate phenotypic stability ( r  = .39). The heritability of autistic traits was 76-77% in childhood and 60-62% in adulthood. A moderate degree of genetic influences on childhood autistic traits were carried across into adulthood (genetic correlation = .49). The majority (85%) of the stability in autistic traits was attributable to genetic factors. Genetic influences on autistic traits were moderately stable from childhood to early adulthood at the extremes (genetic correlation = .64). Broad autistic traits display moderate phenotypic and etiological stability from childhood to early adulthood. Genetic factors accounted for almost all phenotypic stability, although there was some phenotypic and etiological instability in autistic traits. Thus, autistic traits in adulthood are influenced by a combination of enduring and unique genetic factors.

CHILDHOOD PARENTAL LOSS AND ADULT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: EFFECTS OF LOSS CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS*

PubMed Central

TYRKA, AUDREY R.; WIER, LAUREN; PRICE, LAWRENCE H.; ROSS, NICOLE S.; CARPENTER, LINDA L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether childhood parental death and childhood parental separation are linked to lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders after controlling for related risk factors. Participants were 105 individuals from the community, including a group with separation/desertion from a parent, a group with childhood parental death, and a matched control group whose parents remained married and living together. Participants completed interviews and questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression, family psychiatric history, childhood maltreatment, and childhood parental relationships. Participants with separation/desertion and those with parental death were significantly more likely than the control subjects to report the subsequent onset of symptoms of a depressive or anxiety disorder. These effects were not fully explained by parental relationships or childhood maltreatment. However, in the group with parental separation only, family history of depressive and anxiety disorders accounted for the apparent effect of parental separation. These findings indicate that parental death may be a specific risk factor for depressive and anxiety disorders. For parental separation/desertion, our results highlight the overriding influence of risk factors that commonly co-occur with this form of parental loss. PMID:19069576

Factors Influencing Teaching Choice in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilinc, Ahmet; Watt, Helen M. G.; Richardson, Paul W.

2012-01-01

Why choose to become a teacher in Turkey? The authors examined motivations and perceptions among preservice teachers (N = 1577) encompassing early childhood, primary and secondary education. The Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) instrument was translated into Turkish and its construct validity and reliability assessed. Altruistic…

Factors influencing knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate Medical, Nursing and Psychology students of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Igwe, Monday N; Bakare, Muideen O; Agomoh, Ahamefule O; Onyeama, Gabriel M; Okonkwo, Kevin O

2010-06-13

Knowledge and awareness about childhood autism is low among health care workers and the general populace in Nigeria. Poor knowledge about childhood autism among final year medical, nursing and psychology students who would form tomorrow's child health care professionals can compromise early recognition and interventions that are known to improve prognosis in childhood autism. Educational factors that could be influencing knowledge about childhood autism among these future health care professionals are unknown. This study assessed knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate medical, nursing and psychology students in south-eastern Nigeria and determined the factors that could be influencing such knowledge. One hundred final year undergraduate students were randomly selected from each of the Departments of Medicine, Nursing Science and Psychology respectively of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria making a sample size of three hundred. A socio-demographic questionnaire and knowledge about childhood autism among health workers (KCAHW) questionnaire were administered to the students. The total mean score for the three groups of students on the KCAHW questionnaire was 10.67+/-3.73 out of a possible total score of 19, with medical, nursing and psychology students having total mean scores of 12.24+/-3.24, 10.76+/-3.50 and 9.01+/-3.76 respectively. The mean scores for the three groups showed statistically significant difference for domain 1 (p=0.000), domain 3 (p=0.029), domain 4 (p=0.000) and total score (p=0.000), with medical students more likely to recognise symptoms and signs of autism compared to nursing and psychology students. The mean score in domain 2 did not show statistically significant difference among the three groups (p=0.769). The total score on the KCAHW questionnaire is positively correlated with the number of weeks of posting in psychiatry (r=0.319, p=0.000) and the number of weeks of posting in paediatrics (r=0.372, p=0

Interpersonal Callousness from Childhood to Adolescence: Developmental Trajectories and Early Risk Factors.

PubMed

Byrd, Amy L; Hawes, Samuel W; Loeber, Rolf; Pardini, Dustin A

2018-01-01

Youth with a callous interpersonal style, consistent with features of adult psychopathy (e.g., lack of guilt, deceitful), are at risk for exhibiting severe and protracted antisocial behaviors. However, no studies have examined changes that occur in interpersonal callousness (IC) from childhood to adolescence, and little is known about the influence of early child, social, and contextual factors on trajectories of IC. The current study examined distinct patterns of IC across childhood and adolescence and associations with early risk factors. Participants were an at-risk sample of 503 boys (56% African American) assessed annually from around ages 7-15. Analyses examined child (anger dysregulation, fearfulness), social (peer, family, maltreatment), and contextual (psychosocial adversity) factors associated with teacher-reported IC trajectories across childhood and adolescence. Using latent class growth analysis, five trajectories of IC were identified (early-onset chronic, childhood-limited, adolescent-onset, moderate, low). Approximately 10% of boys followed an early-onset chronic trajectory, and a roughly equal percent of youth followed childhood-limited trajectory (10%) or an adolescent-onset trajectory (12%) of IC across development. Specifically, half of the boys with high IC in childhood did not continue to exhibit significant levels of these features into adolescence, whereas an equal proportion of youth with low IC in childhood demonstrated increasing levels during the transition to adolescence. Boys in the early-onset chronic group were characterized by the most risk factors and were differentiated from those with childhood-limited and adolescent-onset IC only by higher conduct problems, fearlessness, and emotional abuse/neglect. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental models of IC and several avenues for early targeted interventions.

Ecological influences of early childhood obesity: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Boonpleng, Wannaporn; Park, Chang Gi; Gallo, Agatha M; Corte, Colleen; McCreary, Linda; Bergren, Martha Dewey

2013-07-01

This study aims to determine the contributing factors for early childhood overweight/obesity within the contexts of the child's home, school, and community, and to determine how much each of the ecological contexts contributes to childhood overweight/obesity. The framework was developed from Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Data for 2,100 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, were used in a series of multilevel modeling analyses. There was significant variation in childhood overweight/obesity by school and community. The majority of variation in childhood overweight/obesity was explained by the child and family factors in addition to school and community factors. Explained variance of childhood overweight/obesity at the school level was 27% and at the community level, 2%. The variance composition at children's family level alone was 71%. Therefore, overweight/obesity prevention efforts should focus primarily on child, family, and school factors and then community factors, to be more effective.

Environmental factors that distinguish between clinical and healthy samples with childhood experiences of abuse and neglect.

PubMed

Infurna, Maria Rita; Giannone, Francesca; Guarnaccia, Cinzia; Lo Cascio, Maria; Parzer, Peter; Kaess, Michael

2015-01-01

Childhood maltreatment is associated with a wide range of problems in adulthood. However, specific environmental factors (either positive or negative) influence mental health outcomes in maltreated children. The present study investigated the effect of environmental factors by comparing a group of clinical participants with experiences of abuse/neglect with a healthy group with similar patterns of experiences. Environmental factors selected were: separation from parents, financial hardship, parental psychiatric disorders, and low social involvement. The study included 55 mixed clinical participants and 23 healthy participants. All participants were investigated using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) interview. The two groups were specifically matched with regard to patterns of childhood maltreatment. The findings indicated that psychopathological outcome was associated with a greater presence of negative environmental factors (p < 0.001). In particular, lack of social support seemed to be the only one predictor (OR = 27.86). This study is the first to investigate the influence of specific environmental factors in two groups with similar childhood experiences of abuse/neglect but different mental health outcomes. These findings suggest that efforts should be made to incorporate both familial and external sources of social support in promoting mental health for maltreated children. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Do Maternal Caregiver Perceptions of Childhood Obesity Risk Factors and Obesity Complications Predict Support for Prevention Initiatives Among African Americans?

PubMed

Alexander, Dayna S; Alfonso, Moya L; Cao, Chunhua; Wright, Alesha R

2017-07-01

Objectives African American maternal caregiver support for prevention of childhood obesity may be a factor in implementing, monitoring, and sustaining children's positive health behaviors. However, little is known about how perceptions of childhood obesity risk factors and health complications influence caregivers' support of childhood obesity prevention strategies. The objective of this study was to determine if childhood obesity risk factors and health complications were associated with maternal caregivers' support for prevention initiatives. Methods A convenience sample of maternal caregivers (N = 129, ages 22-65 years) completed the childhood obesity perceptions (COP) survey. A linear regression was conducted to determine whether perceptions about childhood obesity risk factors and subsequent health complications influenced caregivers' support for prevention strategies. Results Caregivers' perceptions of childhood obesity risk factors were moderate (M = 3.4; SD = 0.64), as were their perceptions of obesity-related health complications (M = 3.3; SD = 0.75); however, they perceived a high level of support for prevention strategies (M = 4.2; SD = 0.74). In the regression model, only health complications were significantly associated with caregiver support (β = 0.348; p < 0.004). Conclusions Childhood obesity prevention efforts should emphasize health complications by providing education and strategies that promote self-efficacy and outcome expectations among maternal caregivers.

Factors influencing knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate Medical, Nursing and Psychology students of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Knowledge and awareness about childhood autism is low among health care workers and the general populace in Nigeria. Poor knowledge about childhood autism among final year medical, nursing and psychology students who would form tomorrow's child health care professionals can compromise early recognition and interventions that are known to improve prognosis in childhood autism. Educational factors that could be influencing knowledge about childhood autism among these future health care professionals are unknown. This study assessed knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate medical, nursing and psychology students in south-eastern Nigeria and determined the factors that could be influencing such knowledge. Methods One hundred final year undergraduate students were randomly selected from each of the Departments of Medicine, Nursing Science and Psychology respectively of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria making a sample size of three hundred. A socio-demographic questionnaire and knowledge about childhood autism among health workers (KCAHW) questionnaire were administered to the students. Results The total mean score for the three groups of students on the KCAHW questionnaire was 10.67 ± 3.73 out of a possible total score of 19, with medical, nursing and psychology students having total mean scores of 12.24 ± 3.24, 10.76 ± 3.50 and 9.01 ± 3.76 respectively. The mean scores for the three groups showed statistically significant difference for domain 1 (p = 0.000), domain 3 (p = 0.029), domain 4 (p = 0.000) and total score (p = 0.000), with medical students more likely to recognise symptoms and signs of autism compared to nursing and psychology students. The mean score in domain 2 did not show statistically significant difference among the three groups (p = 0.769). The total score on the KCAHW questionnaire is positively correlated with the number of weeks of posting in psychiatry (r = 0.319, p = 0.000) and the number of weeks

Influencing factors of alexithymia in Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhu, Yaxin; Luo, Ting; Liu, Jie; Qu, Bo

2017-04-04

A much higher prevalence of alexithymia has been reported in medical students compared with the general population, and alexithymia is a risk factor that increases vulnerability to mental disorders. Our aim was to evaluate the level of alexithymia in Chinese medical students and to explore its influencing factors. A cross-sectional study of 1,950 medical students at Shenyang Medical College was conducted in May 2014 to evaluate alexithymia in medical students using the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach's α coefficient and mean inter-item correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate construct validity. The relationships between alexithymia and influencing factors were examined using Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0. Of the 1,950 medical students, 1,886 (96.7%) completed questionnaires. Overall, Cronbach's α coefficient of the TAS-20 questionnaire was 0.868. The results of CFA showed that the original three-factor structure produced an acceptable fit to the data. By univariate analysis, gender, grade (academic year of study), smoking behavior, alcohol use, physical activity, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were influencing factors of TAS-20 scores (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, physical activity, grade, living with parents, and childhood trauma also had statistically significant association with total TAS-20 score (p < 0.05). Gender, physical activity, grade, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were all factors determining the level of alexithymia. To prevent alexithymia, it will be advisable to promote adequate physical activity and pay greater attention to male medical students and those who are in the final year of training.

Factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia: findings from a nationwide qualitative study

PubMed Central

Tadesse, Tefera; Getachew, Kinde; Assefa, Tersit; Ababu, Yohannes; Simireta, Tesfaye; Birhanu, Zewdie; Hailemichael, Yohannes

2017-01-01

Introduction While the routine childhood immunization program might be affected by several factors, its identification using qualitative evidence of caretakers is generally minimal. This article explores the various factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia and provides possible recommendations to mitigate them. Methods In this study, we used a qualitative multiple case study design collecting primary data from 63 focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with a purposefully selected sample of children's caretakers (n = 630). Results According to the results of this study, the use of routine childhood immunization is dependent on four major factors: caretakers' behavior, family characteristics, information and communication and immunization service system. In addition, the participants had some misperceptions about routine childhood immunization. For example, immunization should be taken when the child gets sick and a single dose vaccine is enough for a child. These factors and misperceptions are complex and sometimes context-specific and vary between categories of caretakers. Conclusion Our interpretations suggest that no single factor affects immunization service uptake alone in a unique way. Rather, it is the synergy among the factors that has a collective influence on the childhood immunization system. Therefore, intervention efforts should target these multiple factors simultaneously. Importantly, this study recommends improving the quality of existing childhood immunization services and building awareness among caretakers as crucial components. PMID:29675124

Childhood Risk Factors in Dually Diagnosed Homeless Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankertz, Laura E.; And Others

1993-01-01

Examined prevalence of five childhood risk factors (sexual abuse, physical abuse, parental mental illness, substance abuse, out-of-home placement) among dually diagnosed (mentally ill and substance abusing) homeless adults (n=156) in rehabilitation programs. Findings suggest that childhood risk factors, whether single or multiple, are very…

Reduced genetic influence on childhood obesity in small for gestational age children

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) are at increased risk of developing obesity and metabolic diseases later in life, a risk which is magnified if followed by accelerated postnatal growth. We investigated whether common gene variants associated with adult obesity were associated with increased postnatal growth, as measured by BMI z-score, in children born SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative. Methods A total of 37 candidate SNPs were genotyped on 547 European children (228 SGA and 319 AGA). Repeated measures of BMI (z-score) were used for assessing obesity status, and results were corrected for multiple testing using the false discovery rate. Results SGA children had a lower BMI z-score than non-SGA children at assessment age 3.5, 7 and 11 years. We confirmed 27 variants within 14 obesity risk genes to be individually associated with increasing early childhood BMI, predominantly in those born AGA. Conclusions Genetic risk variants are less important in influencing early childhood BMI in those born SGA than in those born AGA, suggesting that non-genetic or environmental factors may be more important in influencing childhood BMI in those born SGA. PMID:23339409

Impact of parental socioeconomic factors on childhood cancer mortality: a population-based registry study.

PubMed

Tolkkinen, Anniina; Madanat-Harjuoja, Laura; Taskinen, Mervi; Rantanen, Matti; Malila, Nea; Pitkäniemi, Janne

2018-06-04

Parental socioeconomic status has been proposed to have an influence on childhood cancer mortality even in high-income countries. Our study investigated the influence of parental socioeconomic factors on childhood cancer mortality. We identified 4437 patients diagnosed with cancer under the age of 20 from 1990 to 2009 and their parents from the Finnish cancer and central population registers. Information on death from primary cancer during five-year follow-up and parental socioeconomic factors was obtained from Statistics Finland. Poisson regression modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for factors related to cause-specific mortality and recursive tree based survival analysis to identify important risk factors and interactions. Mortality was lower in the highest quartile of combined parental disposable income (HR 0.68, CI 95% 0.52-0.89) compared to the lowest quartile. In the most recent diagnostic period from 2000 to 2009, highest attained education of either parent being post-secondary predicted lower mortality (HR 0.73, CI 95% 0.60-0.88) compared to parents who had attained primary or lower education. Despite high quality public health care and comprehensive social security, both high parental income and education were associated with lower mortality after childhood cancer. Lower health literacy and financial pressures limiting treatment adherence may explain higher mortality in children with less educated parents and parents with lower income. Motivation and support during treatment and follow-up period is needed concerning the families of these patients.

Sociological Factors Affecting Childhood Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forster-Scott, Latisha

2007-01-01

According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, childhood obesity rates are highest among ethnic minorities. It is very helpful to consider the role of culture when attempting to analyze and explain obesity rates in ethnic minority populations. Culture influences the attitudes and beliefs toward exercise, food and nutrition, and…

Factors Influencing Parental Engagement in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program Implemented at Scale: The Infant Program.

PubMed

Love, Penelope; Laws, Rachel; Litterbach, Eloise; Campbell, Karen J

2018-04-19

The ‘early years’ is a crucial period for the prevention of childhood obesity. Health services are well placed to deliver preventive programs to families, however, they usually rely on voluntary attendance, which is challenging given low parental engagement. This study explored factors influencing engagement in the Infant Program : a group-based obesity prevention program facilitated by maternal and child health nurses within first-time parent groups. Six 1.5 h sessions were delivered at three-month intervals when the infants were 3⁻18 months. A multi-site qualitative exploratory approach was used, and program service providers and parents were interviewed. Numerous interrelated factors were identified, linked to two themes: the transition to parenthood, and program processes. Personal factors enabling engagement included parents’ heightened need for knowledge, affirmation and social connections. Adjusting to the baby’s routine and increased parental self-efficacy were associated with diminished engagement. Organisational factors that challenged embedding program delivery into routine practice included aspects of program promotion, referral and scheduling and workforce resources. Program factors encompassed program content, format, resources and facilitators, with the program being described as meeting parental expectations, although some messages were perceived as difficult to implement. The study findings provide insight into potential strategies to address modifiable barriers to parental engagement in early-year interventions.

Factors Influencing Parental Engagement in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program Implemented at Scale: The Infant Program

PubMed Central

Laws, Rachel; Litterbach, Eloise; Campbell, Karen J.

2018-01-01

The ‘early years’ is a crucial period for the prevention of childhood obesity. Health services are well placed to deliver preventive programs to families, however, they usually rely on voluntary attendance, which is challenging given low parental engagement. This study explored factors influencing engagement in the Infant Program: a group-based obesity prevention program facilitated by maternal and child health nurses within first-time parent groups. Six 1.5 h sessions were delivered at three-month intervals when the infants were 3–18 months. A multi-site qualitative exploratory approach was used, and program service providers and parents were interviewed. Numerous interrelated factors were identified, linked to two themes: the transition to parenthood, and program processes. Personal factors enabling engagement included parents’ heightened need for knowledge, affirmation and social connections. Adjusting to the baby’s routine and increased parental self-efficacy were associated with diminished engagement. Organisational factors that challenged embedding program delivery into routine practice included aspects of program promotion, referral and scheduling and workforce resources. Program factors encompassed program content, format, resources and facilitators, with the program being described as meeting parental expectations, although some messages were perceived as difficult to implement. The study findings provide insight into potential strategies to address modifiable barriers to parental engagement in early-year interventions. PMID:29671815

Socioeconomic factors and childhood overweight in Europe: results from the multi-centre IDEFICS study.

PubMed

Bammann, K; Gwozdz, W; Lanfer, A; Barba, G; De Henauw, S; Eiben, G; Fernandez-Alvira, J M; Kovács, E; Lissner, L; Moreno, L A; Tornaritis, M; Veidebaum, T; Pigeot, I

2013-02-01

What is already known about this subject Overweight and obesity can be linked to different parental socioeconomic factors already in very young children. In Western developed countries, the association of childhood overweight and obesity and parental socioeconomic status shows a negative gradient. Ambiguous results have been obtained regarding the association between socioeconomic factors and childhood overweight and obesity in different countries and over time. What this study adds European regions show heterogeneous associations between socioeconomic factors and overweight and obesity in a multi-centre study with highly standardized study protocol. The strength of association between SES and overweight and obesity varies across European regions. In our study, the SES gradient is correlated with the regional mean income and the country-specific Human development index indicating a strong influence not only of the family but also of region and country on the overweight and obesity prevalence. To assess the association between different macro- and micro-level socioeconomic factors and childhood overweight. Data from the IDEFICS baseline survey is used to investigate the cross-sectional association between socioeconomic factors, like socioeconomic status (SES), and the prevalence of childhood overweight. Differences and similarities regarding this relationship in eight European regions (located in Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden) are explored. 11 994 children (50.9% boys, 49.1% girls) and their parents were included in the analyses. In five of the eight investigated regions (in Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Spain and Sweden), the prevalence of childhood overweight followed an inverse SES gradient. In the other three regions (in Cyprus, Hungary and Italy), no association between SES and childhood overweight was found. The SES-overweight association in a region was best explained by the country-specific human development index and the

Factors influencing children's food choice.

PubMed

Koivisto Hursti, U K

1999-04-01

Although food habits are not stable and unchanging during a person's lifetime, a base for healthy food habits can be created in early childhood. Children's food habits can be assumed to be influenced by their parents' food habits and choices. The aim of this article is to review factors influencing food choice in children as well as in adults. The results demonstrate that the development of children's food habits is influenced by a multitude of factors. Parents play an important role in the formation of food habits and preferences of young children. They can influence their children's food choice by making specific foods available, by acting as models for their children and by their behaviour in specific situations. Children tend to be afraid of new foods and do not readily accept them. However, experience is known to enhance preference, and earlier experiences of a particular food are the major determinants of the development of children's food acceptance patterns. Thus, parents should be encouraged to make healthy foods easily available to the child and serve these foods in positive mealtime situations in order to help their child to develop healthy food habits.

Factors influencing children's food choice.

PubMed

Hursti, Ulla-Kaisa Koivisto

1999-01-01

Although food habits arc not stable and unchanging during a person's lifetime, a base for healthy food habits can be created in early childhood. Children's food habits can be assumed to be influenced by their parents' food habits and choices. The aim of this article is to review factors influencing food choice in children as well as in adults. The results demonstrate that the development of children's food habits is influenced by a multitude of factors. Parents play an important role in the formation of food habits and preferences of young children. They can influence their children's food choice by making specific foods available, by acting as models for their children and by their behaviour in specific situations. Children tend to be afraid of new foods and do not readily accept them. However, experience is known to enhance preference, and earlier experiences of a particular food are the major determinants of the development of children's food acceptance patterns. Thus, parents should be encouraged to make healthy foods easily available to the child and serve these foods in positive mealtime situations in order to help their child to develop healthy food habits.

Social influence in childhood obesity interventions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Jalali, M S; Sharafi-Avarzaman, Z; Rahmandad, H; Ammerman, A S

2016-09-01

The objective of this study is to understand the pathways through which social influence at the family level moderates the impact of childhood obesity interventions. We conducted a systematic review of obesity interventions in which parents' behaviours are targeted to change children's obesity outcomes, because of the potential social and environmental influence of parents on the nutrition and physical activity behaviours of children. PubMed (1966-2013) and the Web of Science (1900-2013) were searched, and 32 studies satisfied our inclusion criteria. Results for existing mechanisms that moderate parents' influence on children's behaviour are discussed, and a causal pathway diagram is developed to map out social influence mechanisms that affect childhood obesity. We provide health professionals and researchers with recommendations for leveraging family-based social influence mechanisms to increase the efficacy of obesity intervention programmes. © 2016 World Obesity. © 2016 World Obesity.

Childhood abuse and late-life depression: Mediating effects of psychosocial factors for early- and late-onset depression.

PubMed

Wielaard, Ilse; Hoyer, Mathijs; Rhebergen, Didi; Stek, Max L; Comijs, Hannie C

2018-03-01

Childhood abuse makes people vulnerable to developing depression, even in late life. Psychosocial factors that are common in late life, such as loneliness or lack of a partner, may explain this association. Our aim was to investigate whether the association between childhood abuse and depression in older adults can be explained by psychosocial factors. Cross-sectional data were derived from the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (aged 60-93), including 132 without lifetime depression, 242 persons with an early-onset depression (<60 years), and 125 with a late-onset (≥60 years) depression. Childhood abuse (yes/no) and a frequency-based childhood abuse index were included. Multinomial regression and multivariable mediation analyses were used to examine the association between childhood abuse and the onset of depression, and the influence of loneliness, social network, and partner status. Multinomial regression analyses showed a significant association between childhood abuse and the childhood abuse index with early- and late-onset depression. Multivariable mediation analyses showed that the association between childhood abuse and early-onset depression was partly mediated by social network size and loneliness. This was particularly present for emotional neglect and psychological abuse, but not for physical and sexual abuse. No psychosocial mediators were found for the association between childhood abuse and late-onset depression. A smaller social network and feelings of loneliness mediate the association between childhood abuse and early-onset depression in older adults. Our findings show the importance of detecting childhood abuse as well as the age at depression onset and mapping of relevant psychosocial factors in the treatment of late-life depression. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Parental Factors Influencing the Development of Early Childhood Caries in Developing Nations: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Rai, Nayanjot Kaur; Tiwari, Tamanna

2018-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most prevalent and chronic conditions of childhood. Various factors including biological and dietary factors along with an overlay of parental social factors have been found to be associated with the progression of ECC. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize available literature and to identify parent-level proximal and distal risk factors associated with the development of ECC in developing nations. Studies conducted in developing nations, published between 2005 and 2017 in English, that included children younger than 6 years and examined ECC were included. The outcome of interest were parental risk factors, which included parental knowledge, behavior, attitudes, sense of coherence (SOC), stress, socioeconomic status (SES), education, and breastfeeding duration. The studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, Ovid Medline, and PubMed. The search yielded 325 studies, of which 18 were considered eligible for inclusion in this review. Ten studies found maternal education, and seven studies found parental education to be significantly associated with ECC. SES was significantly associated with ECC in 13 studies in the form of annual household income and occupation level. Four studies observed the significant association between oral health knowledge and attitudes with ECC, whereas only two studies found maternal attitude to be associated with ECC. Breastfeeding duration was a significant risk factor in four studies. One study each found significant associations of SOC, parental distress, and secondary smoke with ECC. To date, most of the researches done in developing countries have reported distal parental factors such as income and education being significant risk factors in caries development compared to proximal risk factors in low-income groups. Only a few studies analyzed the psychosocial and behavioral factors. Interventions could be designed to improve parental oral health knowledge and behaviors in these

Childhood and family influences on body mass index in early adulthood: findings from the Ontario Child Health Study.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Andrea; Boyle, Michael H; Georgiades, Katholiki; Duncan, Laura; Atkinson, Leslie R; MacMillan, Harriet L

2012-09-09

Overweight and obesity are steadily increasing worldwide with the greatest prevalence occurring in high-income countries. Many factors influence body mass index (BMI); however multiple influences assessed in families and individuals are rarely studied together in a prospective design. Our objective was to model the impact of multiple influences at the child (low birth weight, history of maltreatment, a history of childhood mental and physical conditions, and school difficulties) and family level (parental income and education, parental mental and physical health, and family functioning) on BMI in early adulthood. We used data from the Ontario Child Health Study, a prospective, population-based study of 3,294 children (ages 4-16 years) enrolled in 1983 and followed up in 2001 (N = 1,928; ages 21-35 years). Using multilevel models, we tested the association between family and child-level variables and adult BMI after controlling for sociodemographic variables and health status in early adulthood. At the child level, presence of psychiatric disorder and school difficulties were related to higher BMI in early adulthood. At the family level, receipt of social assistance was associated with higher BMI, whereas family functioning, having immigrant parents and higher levels of parental education were associated with lower BMI. We found that gender moderated the effect of two risk factors on BMI: receipt of social assistance and presence of a medical condition in childhood. In females, but not in males, the presence of these risk factors was associated with higher BMI in early adulthood. Overall, these findings indicate that childhood risk factors associated with higher BMI in early adulthood are multi-faceted and long-lasting. These findings highlight the need for preventive interventions to be implemented at the family level in childhood.

[Study on the relationship between childhood obesity and various determinants, including socioeconomic factors, in an urban area].

PubMed

Kang, Hee-Tae; Ju, Young-Su; Park, Kyung-Hee; Kwon, Young-Jun; Im, Hyoung-June; Paek, Do-Myung; Lee, Hyun-Joo

2006-09-01

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of childhood obesity, the association between the undesirable lifestyles and socioeconomic factors, the association between childhood obesity and various risk factors, including socioeconomic factors, and the agreement between the body mass index (BMI) classification and the body fat percentage. The study subjects were all the 5th grade students from all the elementary schools in Gunpo City, Kyunggi Province, South Korea (4043 children at 22 schools). The subjects were measured for their height, weight and percent body fat etc. and they were also surveyed by questionnaire from March 18th to April 25th, 2005. To determine whether the children were within normal limits or not, standardized BMIs for each age group were used. The data was analyzed by logistic regression analysis using SAS 9.0 version. The prevalence of childhood obesity prevalence was 25.1%. Boys had a higher prevalence of obesity (27.5%) than did the girls (22.5%). Children had tendencies of having undesirable lifestyles and getting obese if they had a lower socioeconomic status. The risk factors for childhood obesity were low paternal education (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.97-1.42) and non-parental caregivers (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.98-1.82). Other risk factors for childhood obesity were a high birth-weight, longer TV/computer-using time, a lower fruit-eating frequency, short sleeping hours and parental obesity. The agreement rate between the BMI classification and the body fat percentage was 93.1%. This study showed the children had a higher prevalence of obesity: further, not only individual lifestyles, but also socioeconomic factors could influence childhood obesity. Childhood obesity was especially more problematic for children with a low socioeconomic status.

Childhood quality influences genetic sensitivity to environmental influences across adulthood: A life-course Gene × Environment interaction study.

PubMed

Keers, Robert; Pluess, Michael

2017-12-01

While environmental adversity has been shown to increase risk for psychopathology, individuals differ in their sensitivity to these effects. Both genes and childhood experiences are thought to influence sensitivity to the environment, and these factors may operate synergistically such that the effects of childhood experiences on later sensitivity are greater in individuals who are more genetically sensitive. In line with this hypothesis, several recent studies have reported a significant three-way interaction (Gene × Environment × Environment) between two candidate genes and childhood and adult environment on adult psychopathology. We aimed to replicate and extend these findings in a large, prospective multiwave longitudinal study using a polygenic score of environmental sensitivity and objectively measured childhood and adult material environmental quality. We found evidence for both Environment × Environment and Gene × Environment × Environment effects on psychological distress. Children with a poor-quality material environment were more sensitive to the negative effects of a poor environment as adults, reporting significantly higher psychological distress scores. These effects were further moderated by a polygenic score of environmental sensitivity. Genetically sensitive children were more vulnerable to adversity as adults, if they had experienced a poor childhood environment but were significantly less vulnerable if their childhood environment was positive. These findings are in line with the differential susceptibility hypothesis and suggest that a life course approach is necessary to elucidate the role of Gene × Environment in the development of mental illnesses.

Childhood factors associated with mammographic density in adult women.

PubMed

Lope, Virginia; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Moreno, María Pilar; Vidal, Carmen; Salas-Trejo, Dolores; Ascunce, Nieves; Román, Isabel González; Sánchez-Contador, Carmen; Santamariña, María Carmen; Carrete, Jose Antonio Vázquez; Collado-García, Francisca; Pedraz-Pingarrón, Carmen; Ederra, María; Ruiz-Perales, Francisco; Peris, Mercé; Abad, Soledad; Cabanes, Anna; Pollán, Marina

2011-12-01

Growth and development factors could contribute to the development of breast cancer associated with an increase in mammographic density. This study examines the influence of certain childhood-related, socio-demographic and anthropometric variables on mammographic density in adult woman. The study covered 3574 women aged 45-68 years, participating in breast cancer-screening programmes in seven Spanish cities. Based on a craniocaudal mammogram, blind, anonymous measurement of mammographic density was made by a single radiologist, using Boyd's semiquantitative scale. Data associated with the early stages of life were obtained from a direct survey. Ordinal logistic regression and generalised linear models were employed to estimate the association between mammographic density and the variables covered by the questionnaire. Screening programme was introduced as a random effects term. Age, number of children, body mass index (BMI) and other childhood-related variables were used as adjustment variables, and stratified by menopausal status. A total of 811 women (23%) presented mammographic density of over 50%, and 5% of densities exceeded 75%. Our results show a greater prevalence of high mammographic density in women with low prepubertal weight (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02-1.36); marked prepubertal height (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.97-1.60) and advanced age of their mothers at their birth (>39 years: OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03-1.60); and a lower prevalence of high mammographic density in women with higher prepubertal weight, low birth weight and earlier menarche. The influence of these early-life factors may be explained by greater exposure to hormones and growth factors during the development of the breast gland, when breast tissue would be particularly susceptible to proliferative and carcinogenic stimulus.

[The Influence of Media Consumption During Early Childhood on Media Use and Psychological Disorders in Adolescence].

PubMed

Grund, Julius; Schulz, Wolfgang

2017-10-01

The Influence of Media Consumption During Early Childhood on Media Use and Psychological Disorders in Adolescence There are many studies that suggest that there is a link between high media consumption and psychological, physiological and social disorders. Nevertheless, there are also inconsistent results, methodical limitations and a lack of longitudinal studies. The present study analyses habits of media consumption in children and adolescents, the influence of different early childhood risk factors on the use of the media in adolescence and the links between early childhood media consumption and disorders in adolescence. The source of the data is the longitudinal project Future Family III. 249 families participated in the last data collection in the adolescence. Adolescents use the media more than five hours per day on average, nearly fifty percent of these adolescents can be considered as internet addicted and a majority consumes violent contents. A low socioeconomic status, low socio-emotional competences and low intelligence of the child as well as unfavorable educational style and psychological stress of the mother are risk factors for the media use in adolescence. Adolescents with a migration background have an increased risk of internet and computer game dependency. On the other hand, the overall utilization of media in the early childhood has only a low predictive power. The results indicate that these connections seem to be more complex than assumed. There is a need for more longitudinal studies in order to get a better understanding of the consequences of media consumption.

Childhood and adolescent injuries in elementary schools in north-western Uganda: extent, risk and associated factors.

PubMed

Mutto, Milton; Lawoko, Stephen; Ovuga, Emilio; Svanstrom, Leif

2012-01-01

Childhood injuries remain understudied in Uganda. The objective of this study was to determine the extent, nature and determinants of school-related childhood injury risk in north-western Uganda. A cohort of 1000 grade fives from 13 elementary schools was followed-up for one term. Survival and multi-level modelling techniques compared the risk rates across gender, schools and locations. Childhood injuries are common in north-western Uganda. Most of them occur during travel, breaks, practical classes and gardening, while walking, playing, learning and digging. Most injuries result from collisions with objects, sports and falls. Two-thirds of children receive first aid and hospital care. Times to injury were 72.1 and 192.9 person days (p = 0.0000). Gender differences in time to event were significant (p = 0.0091). Girls had better survival rates: cumulative prevalence of childhood injury was 36.1%; with significant gender differences (p = 0.007). Injury rate was 12.3/1000 person days, with a hazard ratio of 1.4. Compared to girls, boys had a 37% higher injury rate (p = 0.004). Rates varied among schools. Associated factors include sex and school. Rural-urban location and school differences do influence childhood injury risk. Childhood injuries are common: the risk is high, gender- and school-specific. Determinants include gender and school. Location and school contexts influence injury risk.

The Impact of Childhood on Disabled Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Sonali; Arnold, John; Travers, Cheryl

2004-01-01

The impact of childhood on success in adulthood has been much researched. This paper discusses how parental expectations, social class, childhood experiences and gender influenced the career success of disabled people. For respondents with congenital disabilities, disability was perceived as a primary factor influencing parental expectations, but…

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR): Interventions Addressing Multiple Influences in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

PubMed Central

Pratt, Charlotte A.; Boyington, Josephine; Esposito, Layla; Pemberton, Victoria L.; Bonds, Denise; Kelley, Melinda; Yang, Song; Murray, David; Stevens, June

2018-01-01

Obesity is a major public health problem affecting more than 12 million (~17%)U.S. children. The scientific community agrees that tackling this problem must begin in childhood to reduce risk of subsequent development of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic diseases. The Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) Consortium, initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is conducting intervention studies to prevent obesity in pre-schoolers and treat overweight or obese 7–13 year olds. Four randomized controlled trials plan to enroll a total of 1,700 children and adolescents (~ 50% female, 70% minorities), and are testing innovative multi-level and multi-component interventions in multiple settings involving primary care physicians, parks and recreational centers, family advocates, and schools. For all the studies, the primary outcome measure is body mass index; secondary outcomes, moderators and mediators of intervention include diet, physical activity, home and neighborhood influences, and psychosocial factors. COPTR is being conducted collaboratively among four participating field centers, a coordinating center, and NIH project offices. PMID:23999502

Factors Associated with Whether Pediatricians Inquire about Parents’ Adverse Childhood Experiences

PubMed Central

Szilagyi, Moira; Kerker, Bonnie D.; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Stein, Ruth E.K.; Garner, Andrew; O’Connor, Karen G.; Hoagwood, Kimberly E.; Horwitz, Sarah McCue

2017-01-01

Objective Cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can have profound and lasting effects on parenting. Parents with a history of multiple ACE have greater challenges modulating their own stress responses and helping their children adapt to life stressors. This paper examines pediatric practice in inquiring about parents’ childhood adversities as of 2013. Methods Using data from the 85th Periodic Survey of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we restricted analyses to the 302 pediatricians exclusively practicing general pediatrics who answered questions regarding their beliefs about childhood stressors, their role in advising parents, and whether they asked about parents’ ACE. Weighted descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results Despite endorsing the influence of positive parenting on a child’s life-course trajectory (96%), that their advice can impact parenting skills (79%), and that screening for social-emotional risks is within their scope of practice ((81%), most pediatricians (61%) did not inquire about parents’ ACE. Pediatricians who believed that their advice influences positive parenting skills inquired about more parents’ ACE Conclusion As of 2013, few pediatricians inquired about parents’ ACE despite recognizing their negative impact on parenting behaviors and child development‥ Research is needed regarding the best approaches to the prevention and amelioration of ACE and the promotion of family and child resilience. Pediatricians need resources and education about the AAP’s proposed dyadic approach to assessing family and child risk factors and strengths and to providing guidance and management. PMID:27157045

Factors Associated With Whether Pediatricians Inquire About Parents' Adverse Childhood Experiences.

PubMed

Szilagyi, Moira; Kerker, Bonnie D; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Stein, Ruth E K; Garner, Andrew; O'Connor, Karen G; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; McCue Horwitz, Sarah

2016-01-01

Cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can have profound and lasting effects on parenting. Parents with a history of multiple ACE have greater challenges modulating their own stress responses and helping their children adapt to life stressors. We examined pediatric practice in inquiring about parents' childhood adversities as of 2013. Using data from the 85th Periodic Survey of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), we restricted analyses to the 302 pediatricians exclusively practicing general pediatrics who answered questions regarding their beliefs about childhood stressors, their role in advising parents, and whether they asked about parents' ACEs. Weighted descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Despite endorsing the influence of positive parenting on a child's life-course trajectory (96%), that their advice can impact parenting skills (79%), and that screening for social-emotional risks is within their scope of practice (81%), most pediatricians (61%) did not inquire about parents' ACE. Pediatricians who believed that their advice influences positive parenting skills inquired about more parents' ACE. As of 2013, few pediatricians inquired about parents' ACEs despite recognizing their negative impact on parenting behaviors and child development. Research is needed regarding the best approaches to the prevention and amelioration of ACEs and the promotion of family and child resilience. Pediatricians need resources and education about the AAP's proposed dyadic approach to assessing family and child risk factors and strengths and to providing guidance and management. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the quality of life in childhood epilepsy in China.

PubMed

Yong, L; Chengye, J; Jiong, Q

2006-03-01

To explore the level of, and factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) in childhood epilepsy in China. At the Peking University First Hospital, we consecutively identified 418 parents whose children were with known epilepsy to complete a questionnaire, which included children's demographic characteristics, clinical message of epilepsy, QOL, familial message, parental symptoms of anxiety/depression. Significant (p<0.05) affecting factors of children's quality of life included current educational degree, mental development, age at diagnosis, age at onset, seizure frequency, duration, AED number; parental significant (p<0.05) affecting factors included anxiety, depression and health. On regression analysis, parental anxiety was the most important factor in explaining lower QOL in childhood epilepsy. AEDs, familial economic state, paternal career, seizure frequency were also significant factors. Parental anxiety outweighed the physical factors in determining QOL in childhood epilepsy. Recognition of this will be helpful for professionals to treat disease and improve the QOL of childhood epilepsy.

No Genetic Influence for Childhood Behavior Problems From DNA Analysis

PubMed Central

Trzaskowski, Maciej; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

Objective Twin studies of behavior problems in childhood point to substantial genetic influence. It is now possible to estimate genetic influence using DNA alone in samples of unrelated individuals, not relying on family-based designs such as twins. A linear mixed model, which incorporates DNA microarray data, has confirmed twin results by showing substantial genetic influence for diverse traits in adults. Here we present direct comparisons between twin and DNA heritability estimates for childhood behavior problems as rated by parents, teachers, and children themselves. Method Behavior problem data from 2,500 UK-representative 12-year-old twin pairs were used in twin analyses; DNA analyses were based on 1 member of the twin pair with genotype data for 1.7 million DNA markers. Diverse behavior problems were assessed, including autistic, depressive, and hyperactive symptoms. Genetic influence from DNA was estimated using genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA), and the twin estimates of heritability were based on standard twin model fitting. Results Behavior problems in childhood—whether rated by parents, teachers, or children themselves—show no significant genetic influence using GCTA, even though twin study estimates of heritability are substantial in the same sample, and even though both GCTA and twin study estimates of genetic influence are substantial for cognitive and anthropometric traits. Conclusions We suggest that this new type of “missing heritability,” that is, the gap between GCTA and twin study estimates for behavior problems in childhood, is due to nonadditive genetic influence, which will make it more difficult to identify genes responsible for heritability. PMID:24074471

Heritable influences on behavioural problems from early childhood to mid-adolescence: evidence for genetic stability and innovation.

PubMed

Lewis, G J; Plomin, R

2015-07-01

Although behavioural problems (e.g., anxiety, conduct, hyperactivity, peer problems) are known to be heritable both in early childhood and in adolescence, limited work has examined prediction across these ages, and none using a genetically informative sample. We examined, first, whether parental ratings of behavioural problems (indexed by the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire) at ages 4, 7, 9, 12, and 16 years were stable across these ages. Second, we examined the extent to which stability reflected genetic or environmental effects through multivariate quantitative genetic analysis on data from a large (n > 3000) population (UK) sample of monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Behavioural problems in early childhood (age 4 years) showed significant associations with the corresponding behavioural problem at all subsequent ages. Moreover, stable genetic influences were observed across ages, indicating that biological bases underlying behavioural problems in adolescence are underpinned by genetic influences expressed as early as age 4 years. However, genetic and environmental innovations were also observed at each age. These observations indicate that genetic factors are important for understanding stable individual differences in behavioural problems across childhood and adolescence, although novel genetic influences also facilitate change in such behaviours.

Influence of early-life and parental factors on childhood overweight and obesity.

PubMed

Parrino, C; Vinciguerra, F; La Spina, N; Romeo, L; Tumminia, A; Baratta, R; Squatrito, S; Vigneri, R; Frittitta, L

2016-11-01

We recently reported that a high BMI and high waist circumference prevalence is present in Sicilian children and that the male gender is associated with a significant risk of obesity. Early-life and parent-related risk factors were investigated 1521 Sicilian children (752 females and 769 males, aged 9.0-14.0 years) to identify biological and environmental factors that can contribute to obesity onset. Anthropometric measurements of children, their urban vs rural area provenience, birth weight and neonatal feeding were collected. In addition, the BMI and educational level of their parents and the perception of their child weight status were investigated. In the study cohort, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 27.2 and 14.1 %, respectively, significantly (p < 0.05) higher in males than in females. Breastfeeding emerged as a protective factor (OR 0.64; p < 0.0005), while risk factors for developing childhood obesity were a birth weight ≥4.0 kg (OR 1.83; p < 0.05), an overweight or obese mother (OR 2.33; p < 0.0001) or father (OR 1.68; p < 0.0001) and a mother with a low/medium education level (OR 1.72; p < 0.005). Understanding risk factors for pediatric obesity is a prerequisite to identify children at highly risk of being obese and to predispose early intervention strategies.

Cardiovascular disease risk factors: a childhood perspective.

PubMed

Praveen, Pradeep A; Roy, Ambuj; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2013-03-01

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide including in developing countries like India. Indians are known to be predisposed to CVD, which occur almost a decade earlier in them. Though these diseases manifest in the middle age and beyond, it is now clear that the roots of CVD lie in childhood and adolescence. Many of the conventional risk factors of CVD such as high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity have their beginnings in childhood and then track overtime. It is thus important to screen and identify these risk factors early and treat them to prevent onset of CVD. Similarly community based strategies to prevent onset of these risk factors is imperative to tackle this burgeoning public health crisis especially in countries like ours with limited resources.

Psychological factors in childhood headaches.

PubMed

Farmer, Kathleen; Dunn, David; Scott, Eric

2010-06-01

Recurrent headaches in children are most often migraines and are based in a genetic predisposition with a low headache threshold. As with any pain experience, there is a large emotional component associated with an attack of migraines that grows in amplitude as the headaches become more frequent and resistant to medicine, sleep, or other agents that used to work. Childhood headaches are especially complicated for 3 reasons: (1) the parents' fear (communicated to the child that serious medical pathology underlies the head pain), (2) the lack of evidence-based pharmacologic treatment, and (3) the belief that these headaches are largely psychological. This article addresses the mystery surrounding childhood headaches by delving into the influence of school, friends, and family; the impact of divorce; the coping skills required for a child to manage a migrainous nervous system; the potential secondary gain from headaches; psychiatric comorbidities and how to treat them; and the role of psychological intervention. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Friend Influence on Achievement during Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLay, Dawn

2013-01-01

This study was designed to investigate friend influence on academic achievement and task avoidance during middle childhood in a sample of 794 participants in 397 stable same-sex friendship dyads (205 girl dyads and 192 boy dyads) from four municipalities in Finland: two in Central Finland, one in Western Finland, and one in Eastern Finland.…

Modifiable Risk Factors and Interventions for Childhood Obesity Prevention within the First 1,000 Days.

PubMed

Dattilo, Anne M

2017-01-01

Worldwide, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased, amounting to 42 million overweight or obese children, and there is increasing evidence that the origins are within the first 1,000 days: the period of conception through 2 years. Antecedents of early childhood obesity are multifactorial, and associations of varying strength have been documented for genetic/epigenetic, biologic, dietary, environmental, social, and behavioral influences. Modifiable factors in pregnancy and early infancy associated with childhood obesity include maternal overweight/obesity, maternal smoking, gestational weight gain, infant and young child feeding, caregiver responsive feeding practices, as well as sleep duration, and physical activity. Promising obesity prevention interventions include those beginning during the first 1,000 days, using a multicomponent approach, with roots in nutrition education theories or behavior change communication that can continue over time. However, the limited number of completed interventions to date (within pediatric clinics or in home-based or community settings) may not be scalable to the magnitude needed for sustainable obesity prevention. Scale-up interventions that can be maintained for the durations needed, addressing infant and young child feeding and other modifiable risk factors associated with childhood obesity are needed. © 2017 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prevention of childhood obesity: sociocultural and familial factors.

PubMed

Bruss, Mozhdeh B; Morris, Joseph; Dannison, Linda

2003-08-01

This study examined sociocultural and familial factors related to the prevention of childhood obesity. Primary caregivers of 6- to 10-year-old children representing several ethnic populations in Saipan participated in 4 focus groups (N=32). Trained moderators used semi-structured interviews and qualitative methods were used in data analysis. A central theme with several related factors emerged. The theme was a conflict expressed by the primary caregiver between sociocultural values, family expectations, traditional dietary beliefs and attitudes, and knowledge about food and disease. These findings have important implications for designing culturally sensitive interventions for prevention of childhood obesity.

Childhood Experiences and Psychosocial Influences on HIV Risk among Adolescent Latinas in Southern California.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcomb, Michael D.; Locke, Thomas F.; Goodyear, Rodney K.

2003-01-01

This study determined how adverse childhood experiences influenced risky sexual behavior in a community sample of Latina adolescents in Los Angeles. Psychosocial, sociocultural, and environmental mediators of the relations between childhood experiences and risky sexual behavior were tested. Childhood maltreatment was associated with risky sexual…

Factors associated with childhood constipation.

PubMed

Inan, Mustafa; Aydiner, Cagatay Y; Tokuc, Burcu; Aksu, Burhan; Ayvaz, Suleyman; Ayhan, Sinan; Ceylan, Turan; Basaran, Umit N

2007-10-01

To evaluate factors associated with constipation, determine its risk factors and identify common methods of managing constipation among schoolchildren from ages 7-12 in Edirne, Turkey. This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study and 1900 children were stratified by the school population, age and gender. The questionnaire collected information from parents about the prevalence of constipation and associated factors as well. It asked about bowel movements, socio-demographic data, personal and family stressors, parental concern about constipation, and treatment methods. The overall prevalence of constipation was 7.2%. It was 7.3% in boys and 7.2% in girls (P > 0.05). The parameters of siblings with health problems, constipation history in family members, abnormal oral habits, and little regular sporting activity were more common in constipated children than in non-constipated ones (P < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, never having used school toilets (OR: 5.9) and having problem to control their bowel after 2 years of age (OR: 3.1) were found to be major risk factors for constipation in schoolchildren ages 7-12 years. Constipated children had a lower consumption rate of fruits and vegetables and a higher consumption rate of milk-group foods, biscuits and macaroni than non-constipated children. Parental concern was at 90% and the rate of medical consultation was 23.2% for constipated children. The risk factors for childhood constipation may be genetic, psychological or organic. Bowel functions may be affected by dietary habits. Parents, health and education professionals should give special attention to childhood constipation.

Childhood friends who smoke: do they influence adolescents to make smoking transitions?

PubMed

Bricker, Jonathan B; Peterson, Arthur V; Andersen, M Robyn; Rajan, K Bharat; Leroux, Brian G; Sarason, Irwin G

2006-05-01

This study investigated longitudinally the extent to which childhood friends who smoke influence adolescents' smoking transitions, and compared that influence with that of parents who smoke. In a sample of 4744 children, results showed that the probability, per close friend, that a smoking close friend influenced the adolescent to make the first transition to trying smoking was 38% (95% CI: 28%, 46%); to make the second transition from trying to monthly smoking, 10% (95% CI: 5%, 15%); and to make the third transition from monthly to daily smoking, 11% (95% CI: 5%, 17%). Compared to parents' smoking, close friends' smoking was 12% (p=0.03) more influential for the first transition, no different for the second transition (p=0.53), and 16% (p=0.01) less influential for the third transition. Results provide new evidence suggesting that childhood close friends who smoke influence not only initiation but also escalation of adolescents' smoking. Results also confirmed the important role of parents' smoking. Targeting both childhood close friends' and parents' smoking would be valuable in prevention research.

Social Factors Influencing Child Health in Ghana

PubMed Central

Quansah, Emmanuel; Ohene, Lilian Akorfa; Norman, Linda; Mireku, Michael Osei; Karikari, Thomas K.

2016-01-01

Objectives Social factors have profound effects on health. Children are especially vulnerable to social influences, particularly in their early years. Adverse social exposures in childhood can lead to chronic disorders later in life. Here, we sought to identify and evaluate the impact of social factors on child health in Ghana. As Ghana is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ target of reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, we deemed it necessary to identify social determinants that might have contributed to the non-realisation of this goal. Methods ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE via EBSCO and Google Scholar were searched for published articles reporting on the influence of social factors on child health in Ghana. After screening the 98 articles identified, 34 of them that met our inclusion criteria were selected for qualitative review. Results Major social factors influencing child health in the country include maternal education, rural-urban disparities (place of residence), family income (wealth/poverty) and high dependency (multiparousity). These factors are associated with child mortality, nutritional status of children, completion of immunisation programmes, health-seeking behaviour and hygiene practices. Conclusions Several social factors influence child health outcomes in Ghana. Developing more effective responses to these social determinants would require sustainable efforts from all stakeholders including the Government, healthcare providers and families. We recommend the development of interventions that would support families through direct social support initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and inequality, and indirect approaches targeted at eliminating the dependence of poor health outcomes on social factors. Importantly, the expansion of quality free education interventions to improve would-be-mother’s health knowledge is emphasised. PMID:26745277

Social Factors Influencing Child Health in Ghana.

PubMed

Quansah, Emmanuel; Ohene, Lilian Akorfa; Norman, Linda; Mireku, Michael Osei; Karikari, Thomas K

2016-01-01

Social factors have profound effects on health. Children are especially vulnerable to social influences, particularly in their early years. Adverse social exposures in childhood can lead to chronic disorders later in life. Here, we sought to identify and evaluate the impact of social factors on child health in Ghana. As Ghana is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals' target of reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, we deemed it necessary to identify social determinants that might have contributed to the non-realisation of this goal. ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE via EBSCO and Google Scholar were searched for published articles reporting on the influence of social factors on child health in Ghana. After screening the 98 articles identified, 34 of them that met our inclusion criteria were selected for qualitative review. Major social factors influencing child health in the country include maternal education, rural-urban disparities (place of residence), family income (wealth/poverty) and high dependency (multiparousity). These factors are associated with child mortality, nutritional status of children, completion of immunisation programmes, health-seeking behaviour and hygiene practices. Several social factors influence child health outcomes in Ghana. Developing more effective responses to these social determinants would require sustainable efforts from all stakeholders including the Government, healthcare providers and families. We recommend the development of interventions that would support families through direct social support initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and inequality, and indirect approaches targeted at eliminating the dependence of poor health outcomes on social factors. Importantly, the expansion of quality free education interventions to improve would-be-mother's health knowledge is emphasised.

Precision Dentistry in Early Childhood: The Central Role of Genomics.

PubMed

Divaris, Kimon

2017-07-01

Pediatric oral health is determined by the interaction of environmental factors and genetic influences. This is the case for early childhood caries, the most common disease of childhood. The complexity of exogenous-environmental factors interacting with innate biological predispositions results in a continuum of normal variation, as well as oral health and disease outcomes. Optimal oral health and care or precision dentistry warrants comprehensive understanding of these influences and tools enabling intervention on modifiable factors. This article reviews the current knowledge of the genomic basis of pediatric oral health and highlights known and postulated mechanistic pathways of action relevant to early childhood caries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

PubMed

Wesseldijk, Laura W; Bartels, Meike; Vink, Jacqueline M; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Ligthart, Lannie; Boomsma, Dorret I; Middeldorp, Christel M

2017-06-21

Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis. We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental factors on variation in conduct problems measured at childhood and adolescence and antisocial personality problems measured at adulthood and on the covariation across ages. We also tested whether these estimates differed by sex. Longitudinal data were collected in the Netherlands Twin Register over a period of 27 years. Age appropriate and comparable measures of conduct and antisocial personality problems, assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, were available for 9783 9-10-year-old, 6839 13-18-year-old, and 7909 19-65-year-old twin pairs, respectively; 5114 twins have two or more assessments. At all ages, men scored higher than women. There were no sex differences in the estimates of the genetic and environmental influences. During childhood, genetic and environmental factors shared by children in families explained 43 and 44% of the variance of conduct problems, with the remaining variance due to unique environment. During adolescence and adulthood, genetic and unique environmental factors equally explained the variation. Longitudinal correlations across age varied between 0.20 and 0.38 and were mainly due to stable genetic factors. We conclude that shared environment is mainly of importance during childhood, while genetic factors contribute to variation in conduct and antisocial personality problems at all ages, and also underlie its stability over age.

UNRECOGNIZED OR POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER

EPA Science Inventory

Traditional epidemiological studies suggest that the contribution of environmental agents to childhood cancer may be minor. However, epidemiological methods can only seldom identify causal factors associated with a relative risk of less than a factor of one and a half to two. App...

Antenatal depression and offspring psychopathology: the influence of childhood maltreatment.

PubMed

Pawlby, Susan; Hay, Dale; Sharp, Deborah; Waters, Cerith S; Pariante, Carmine M

2011-08-01

Antenatal depression and childhood maltreatment have each been associated with offspring psychopathology, but have never been examined in the same sample. To determine whether childhood maltreatment influences the association between antenatal depression and offspring psychopathology. Prospectively collected data on antenatal depression, offspring maltreatment (age 11) and offspring psychopathology (age 11 and 16) were analysed in 120 mother-offspring dyads from the community-based South London Child Development Study. Antenatal depression increased the risk of maltreatment in the offspring by almost four times. Children exposed only to antenatal depression or only to childhood maltreatment were no more at risk of developing psychopathology; however, children exposed to both antenatal depression and childhood maltreatment were at almost 12 times greater risk of developing psychopathology than offspring not so exposed. Research investigating exposure to adverse events in utero and offspring psychopathology should take account of postnatal adverse events such as maltreatment.

Pathways to substance-related disorder: a structural model approach exploring the influence of temperament, character, and childhood adversity in a national cohort of prisoners.

PubMed

Lukasiewicz, Michael; Neveu, Xavier; Blecha, Lisa; Falissard, Bruno; Reynaud, Michel; Gasquet, Isabelle

2008-01-01

Using Cloninger's model of personality, we aimed to specify the relative influence of the more biologically determined variables, temperament and character and more environmentally driven influence, childhood adversity in the development of addiction; and to compare patterns found among alcoholics with those found among drug addicts. We studied a group of prisoners, at a high risk of substance abuse and past history of childhood adversity. Using a stratified random strategy we selected (i) 23 prisons among the different types of prison in France, (ii) 998 prisoners. Each prisoner was assessed by two psychiatrists--one junior, using a structured interview (MINI 5 plus), and one senior, completing the procedure with an open clinical interview. At the end of the interview the clinicians met and agreed on a list of diagnoses. Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory was used to measure personality. Structural equations models, which have been advocated to disentangle the respective influence of complex risk factors, were used. The "novelty seeking" temperament was a crucial vulnerability factor, for both alcoholics and drug addicts, in the same proportion. Character and childhood adversity played a significant part only in the development of drug abuse. In a prison population, a common biological loaded factor, novelty seeking is found both at the core of alcohol- and drug-related disorder whereas environmentally loaded factors play a greater role in drug problems.

Observed Personality in Childhood: Psychometric and Behavioral Genetic Evidence of Two Broad Personality Factors

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhe; Chen, Nan; Petrill, Stephen A.; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2014-01-01

We examined broad dimensions of children’s personalities (total n = 1056; age = 3.5 to 12 years) based on observers’ perceptions following a few hours of structured interaction. Siblings’ behaviors during a two-hour cognitive assessment in the home were rated separately by two different observers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses clearly revealed a two-factor solution in three different samples. There was correspondence between parent-rated temperament and the observer-rated factors. Cross-sectional analyses indicated lower Plasticity among older children and higher Stability among older children. Sex differences were negligible. Plasticity and Stability were correlated in the .2 to .3 range. Most of the sibling similarity in the Plasticity was due to additive genetic influences, whereas most sibling similarity in Stability was attributable to shared environmental influences. The findings implicate a biometric factor structure to childhood personality that fits well with emerging bio-social theories of personality development. PMID:24932065

Obesity and growth during childhood and puberty.

PubMed

Marcovecchio, M Loredana; Chiarelli, Francesco

2013-01-01

Growth during childhood and adolescence occurs at different rates and is influenced by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Nutritional status plays an important role in regulating growth, and excess body weight early in life can influence growth patterns. Childhood obesity is a growing and alarming problem, associated with several short-term and long-term metabolic and cardiovascular complications. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that excess adiposity during childhood influences growth patterns and pubertal development. Several studies have shown that during prepubertal years obese children have higher height velocity and accelerated bone age compared to lean subjects. However, this prepubertal advantage in growth tends to gradually decrease during puberty, when obese children show a reduced growth spurt compared with lean subjects. Growth hormone (GH) secretion in obese children is reduced, therefore suggesting that increased growth is GH independent. Factors which have been implicated in the accelerated growth in obese children include increased leptin and insulin levels, adrenal androgens, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-binding protein-1 and GH-binding proteins. Excess body weight during childhood can also influence pubertal development, through an effect on timing of pubertal onset and levels of pubertal hormonal levels. There is clear evidence indicating that obesity leads to early appearance of pubertal signs in girls. In addition, obese girls are also at increased risk of hyperandrogenism. In boys, excess adiposity has been associated with advanced puberty in some studies, whereas others have reported a delay in pubertal onset. The existing evidence on the association between childhood and adolescence obesity underlines a further reason for fighting the epidemics of childhood obesity; that is preventing abnormal growth and pubertal patterns. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A Prospective, Longitudinal Examination of the Influence of Childhood Home and School Contexts on Psychopathic Characteristics in Adolescence.

PubMed

Fisher, Jacqueline Horan; Brown, Joshua L

2018-05-28

Much of the existing research examining etiological contributors to psychopathic characteristics considers only biological and physiological deficits, with little consideration given to contextual factors that may play a role in their development. This prospective, longitudinal study examined the influence of childhood home and school environments on adolescent psychopathic characteristics among 390 youth (50.5% female; 46.2% Black/African American, 44.9% Hispanic/Latino, 6.9% Asian or Native American/Alaska Native, and 2.1% Non-Hispanic White). Specifically, this study examined (1) the effect of home chaos and poor parental monitoring on adolescent primary and secondary psychopathy and callous-unemotional traits through the lens of multiple reporters, and (2) whether classroom climate quality across three years of childhood moderated these relationships. The results indicated that delinquency and home chaos in childhood were related to primary psychopathy in adolescence and that exposure to higher quality classroom climates across childhood acted as a buffer by mitigating the negative relationship between parental monitoring in childhood and secondary psychopathy in adolescence. These findings have implications for designing interventions to mitigate the manifestation of youth psychopathy.

Genetic and environmental influences on female sexual orientation, childhood gender typicality and adult gender identity.

PubMed

Burri, Andrea; Cherkas, Lynn; Spector, Timothy; Rahman, Qazi

2011-01-01

Human sexual orientation is influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors as are two important psychological correlates--childhood gender typicality (CGT) and adult gender identity (AGI). However, researchers have been unable to resolve the genetic and non-genetic components that contribute to the covariation between these traits, particularly in women. Here we performed a multivariate genetic analysis in a large sample of British female twins (N = 4,426) who completed a questionnaire assessing sexual attraction, CGT and AGI. Univariate genetic models indicated modest genetic influences on sexual attraction (25%), AGI (11%) and CGT (31%). For the multivariate analyses, a common pathway model best fitted the data. This indicated that a single latent variable influenced by a genetic component and common non-shared environmental component explained the association between the three traits but there was substantial measurement error. These findings highlight common developmental factors affecting differences in sexual orientation.

Maternal haemoglobin levels and cardio-metabolic risk factors in childhood: the Generation R study.

PubMed

Welten, M; Gaillard, R; Hofman, A; de Jonge, L L; Jaddoe, V W V

2015-05-01

To assess whether variations in maternal haemoglobin levels during pregnancy are associated with cardio-metabolic risk factors in school age children. Population-based prospective cohort study. Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2002-2012. Mothers and children (n = 5002) participating in the Generation R Study. We obtained maternal haemoglobin levels during early pregnancy (median gestational age 14.6 weeks [95% range 10.3, 25.3]) from venous blood samples. Maternal anaemia and elevated haemoglobin levels were based on World Health Organization criteria. We measured childhood cardio-metabolic risk factors at age 6 years. Cardio-metabolic risk factors included body mass index, total fat mass percentage, android/gynoid fat mass ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular mass, and blood levels of cholesterol, insulin and C-peptide. Maternal haemoglobin levels were not associated with childhood body mass index, total fat mass percentage, android/gynoid fat mass ratio, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol or insulin levels. Compared with children with normal maternal haemoglobin levels, children from anaemic mothers had slightly higher diastolic blood pressures (difference 0.70 mmHg, 95% CI 0.12, 1.29) and lower C-peptide levels (difference factor 0.93, 95% CI 0.88, 0.98), and children of mothers with elevated haemoglobin levels had lower left ventricular masses (difference -1.08 g, 95% CI -1.88, -0.29). These associations attenuated after adjustment for multiple testing and were not consistent within linear models. These results do not strongly support the hypothesis that variations in maternal haemoglobin levels during pregnancy influence cardio-metabolic risk factors in childhood. © 2014 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Modeling social norms increasingly influences costly sharing in middle childhood.

PubMed

House, Bailey R; Tomasello, Michael

2018-07-01

Prosocial and normative behavior emerges in early childhood, but substantial changes in prosocial behavior in middle childhood may be due to it becoming integrated with children's understanding of what is normative. Here we show that information about what is normative begins influencing children's costly sharing in middle childhood in a sample of 6- to 11-year-old German children. Information about what is normative was most influential when indicating what was "right" (i.e., "The right thing is to choose this"). It was less influential when indicating what was prescribed by a rule (i.e., "There is a rule that says to choose this") or when it indicated what the majority of people do (i.e., "Most people choose this"). These findings support the idea that middle childhood is when social norms begin to shape children's costly sharing and provide insight into the psychological foundations of the relationship between norms and prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factor Structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory--18 in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Recklitis, Christopher J.; Parsons, Susan K.; Shih, Mei-Chiung; Mertens, Ann; Robison, Leslie L.; Zeltzer, Lonnie

2006-01-01

The factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory--18 (BSI-18; L. R. Derogatis, 2000) was investigated in a sample of adult survivors of childhood cancer enrolled in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS; N = 8,945). An exploratory factor analysis with a randomly chosen subsample supported a 3-factor structure closely corresponding to the 3…

Women Engineers and the Influence of Childhood Technologic Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazdeh, Shahla

2011-01-01

This phenomenological multi-case study investigated the influence of women engineers' childhood exposure to engineering concepts on their preparation for an engineering profession. An ecologic model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) was used as the conceptual framework of this research. Twelve professional women engineers from various age and…

Factors influencing the food choices of Irish children and adolescents: a qualitative investigation.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Amanda; Heary, Caroline; Nixon, Elizabeth; Kelly, Colette

2010-09-01

Food choices established during childhood and adolescence tend to persist into adulthood with consequences for long-term health. Yet, to date, relatively little research has examined factors that influence the food choices of children and adolescents from their perspectives. In this article, previous research is extended by examining developmental differences between children's and adolescents' perceptions of factors influencing their food choices. Focus group discussions were conducted with 29 young people from three age groups (9-10, 13-14 and 16-18 years). An inductive thematic analysis identified three key factors as influencing food choices. These factors included intra-individual factors: the link between food preferences and awareness of healthy eating; intra-familial factors: the role of the home food environment; and extra-familial factors: eating away from the home. Findings indicate that there were developmental differences between children's and adolescents' perceptions of factors influencing food choice. Among adolescents, parental control began to diminish and adolescents exercised increased autonomy over their food choices compared with children. To develop effective nutrition interventions, it is important to gather child and adolescent input regarding factors perceived as influencing their food choices.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Female Sexual Orientation, Childhood Gender Typicality and Adult Gender Identity

PubMed Central

Burri, Andrea; Cherkas, Lynn; Spector, Timothy; Rahman, Qazi

2011-01-01

Background Human sexual orientation is influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors as are two important psychological correlates – childhood gender typicality (CGT) and adult gender identity (AGI). However, researchers have been unable to resolve the genetic and non-genetic components that contribute to the covariation between these traits, particularly in women. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we performed a multivariate genetic analysis in a large sample of British female twins (N = 4,426) who completed a questionnaire assessing sexual attraction, CGT and AGI. Univariate genetic models indicated modest genetic influences on sexual attraction (25%), AGI (11%) and CGT (31%). For the multivariate analyses, a common pathway model best fitted the data. Conclusions/Significance This indicated that a single latent variable influenced by a genetic component and common non-shared environmental component explained the association between the three traits but there was substantial measurement error. These findings highlight common developmental factors affecting differences in sexual orientation. PMID:21760939

Effects of socio-economic and behavioural factors on childhood malnutrition in Yemen.

PubMed

Sunil, T S

2009-07-01

This study examined the effects of socio-economic and behavioural factors on childhood malnutrition in Yemen. The three anthropometric indicators such as height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age are used to examine the nutritional status of children aged less 5 years in Yemen. The independent variables include background characteristics, behavioural risk factors and illness characteristics. Data for the study come the most recent Yemen Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative sample, conducted in Yemen in 1997. Logistic regression analysis is used to estimate the odds of being malnourished. The three anthropometric indicators show high to very high levels of child malnutrition in Yemen. The prevalence of stunting and underweight is so widespread that almost every other child under the age of 5 is either stunted or underweight. Social, economic and behavioural factors show very significant association with childhood malnutrition. The study results indicate the importance of social and behavioural factors in describing childhood malnutrition in Yemen. The study results will help develop nutritional and health promotion policies in order to improve childhood malnutrition in this country.

[Association between food and nutrition insecurity with cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood and adolescence: a systematic review].

PubMed

Rocha, Naruna Pereira; Milagres, Luana Cupertino; Novaes, Juliana Farias de; Franceschini, Sylvia do Carmo Castro

2016-06-01

To address the association between food and nutrition insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood and adolescence. Articles were selected from the Medline, Lilacs and SciELO databases with no publication date limit, involving children and adolescents, using the descriptors: food and nutrition security, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, stress and dyslipidemia. The terms were used in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The search was carried out systematically and independently by two reviewers. Exposure to food insecurity during childhood and adolescence ranged from 3.3% to 82% in the selected publications. Exposure to food insecurity was associated with stress, anxiety, greater chance of hospitalization, nutritional deficiencies, excess weight and inadequate diets with reduced intake of fruits and vegetables and increased consumption of refined carbohydrates and fats. Food and nutrition insecurity was associated with the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors in the assessed publications. Childhood and adolescence constitute a period of life that is vulnerable to food insecurity consequences, making it extremely important to ensure the regular and permanent access to food. Because this is a complex association, some difficulties are found, such as the synergy between risk factors, the assessment of heterogeneous groups and extrapolation of data to other populations, in addition to the influence of environmental factors. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Predicting risk for childhood asthma by pre-pregnancy, perinatal, and postnatal factors.

PubMed

Wen, Hui-Ju; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Guo, Yue Leon

2015-05-01

Symptoms of atopic disease start early in human life. Predicting risk for childhood asthma by early-life exposure would contribute to disease prevention. A birth cohort study was conducted to investigate early-life risk factors for childhood asthma and to develop a predictive model for the development of asthma. National representative samples of newborn babies were obtained by multistage stratified systematic sampling from the 2005 Taiwan Birth Registry. Information on potential risk factors and children's health was collected by home interview when babies were 6 months old and 5 yr old, respectively. Backward stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of childhood asthma for predictive models that were used to calculate the probability of childhood asthma. A total of 19,192 children completed the study satisfactorily. Physician-diagnosed asthma was reported in 6.6% of 5-yr-old children. Pre-pregnancy factors (parental atopy and socioeconomic status), perinatal factors (place of residence, exposure to indoor mold and painting/renovations during pregnancy), and postnatal factors (maternal postpartum depression and the presence of atopic dermatitis before 6 months of age) were chosen for the predictive models, and the highest predicted probability of asthma in 5-yr-old children was 68.1% in boys and 78.1% in girls; the lowest probability in boys and girls was 4.1% and 3.2%, respectively. This investigation provides a technique for predicting risk of childhood asthma that can be used to developing a preventive strategy against asthma. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Starting Strong II: Early Childhood Education and Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ3), 2006

2006-01-01

This review of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in twenty OECD countries describes the social, economic, conceptual and research factors that influence early childhood policy. These include increasing women's labour market participation; reconciling work and family responsibilities on a more equitable basis for women; confronting the…

Integrated and Early Childhood Education: Preparation for Social Development. Theme A: Relevant Provision for Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axton, J. H. M.

Factors which influence child development are listed and briefly discussed. These factors are (1) mother's childhood, (2) mother's age, (3) care during pregnancy and delivery, (4) early neonatal factors, (5) birth interval, (6) effect of repeated infection and malnutrition on brain growth and intellectual development, and (7) home environment. The…

Perinatal and childhood factors and risk of breast cancer subtypes in adulthood.

PubMed

Lope, Virginia; García-Esquinas, Esther; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Altzibar, Jone M; Gracia-Lavedan, Esther; Ederra, María; Molina de la Torre, Antonio José; LLorca, Francisco Javier; Tardón, Adonina; Moreno, Víctor; Bayo, Juan; Salas-Trejo, Dolores; Marcos-Gragera, Rafael; Pumarega, José; Dierssen-Sotos, Trinidad; Lera, Juan Pablo Barrio; de Miguel Medina, M A Concepción; Tusquets, Ignasi; Amiano, Pilar; Boldo, Elena; Kogevinas, Manolis; Aragonés, Nuria; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Pollán, Marina

2016-02-01

Accumulated exposure to hormones and growth factors during early life may influence the future risk of breast cancer (BC). This study examines the influence of childhood-related, socio-demographic and anthropometric variables on BC risk, overall and by specific pathologic subtypes. This is a case-control study where 1539 histologically-confirmed BC cases (23-85 years) and 1621 population controls, frequency matched by age, were recruited in 10 Spanish provinces. Perinatal and childhood-related characteristics were directly surveyed by trained staff. The association with BC risk, globally and according to menopausal status and pathologic subtypes, was evaluated using logistic and multinomial regression models, adjusting for tumor specific risk factors. Birth characteristics were not related with BC risk. However, women with high socioeconomic level at birth presented a decreased BC risk (OR=0.45; 95% CI=0.29-0.70), while those whose mothers were aged over 39 years at their birth showed an almost significant excess risk of hormone receptor positive tumors (HR+) (OR=1.35; 95% CI=0.99-1.84). Women who were taller than their girl mates before puberty showed increased postmenopausal BC risk (OR=1.26; 95% CI=1.03-1.54) and increased HR+ BC risk (OR=1.26; 95% CI=1.04-1.52). Regarding prepubertal weight, while those women who were thinner than average showed higher postmenopausal BC risk (OR=1.46; 95% CI=1.20-1.78), associated with HR+ tumors (OR=1.34; 95% CI=1.12-1.61) and with triple negative tumors (OR=1.56; 95% CI=1.03-2.35), those who were heavier than average presented lower premenopausal BC risk (OR=0.64; 95% CI=0.46-0.90) and lower risk of epidermal growth factor receptor positive tumors (OR=0.61; 95% CI=0.40-0.93). These data reflect the importance of hormones and growth factors in the early stages of life, when the mammary gland is in development and therefore more vulnerable to proliferative stimuli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Influence of interleukin-1 beta gene polymorphism and childhood maltreatment on antidepressant treatment].

PubMed

Chen, Ying; Zhang, Zhijun; Xu, Zhi; Pu, Mengjia; Geng, Leiyu

2015-12-01

To explore the influence of interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) gene polymorphism and childhood maltreatment on antidepressant treatment. Two hundred and four patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) have received treatment with single antidepressant drugs and were followed up for 8 weeks. Hamilton depression scale-17 (HAMD-17) was used to evaluate the severity of depressive symptoms and therapeutic effect. Childhood maltreatment was assessed using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, a 28-item Short Form (CTQ-SF). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the IL1B gene was determined using a SNaPshot method. Correlation of rs16944 gene polymorphism with response to treatment was analyzed using Unphased 3.0.13 software. The main and interactive effects of SNP and childhood maltreatment on the antidepressant treatment were analyzed using Logistic regression analysis. No significant difference of gender, age, year of education, family history, episode time, and antidepressant agents was detected between the remitters and non-remitters. Association analysis has found that the SNP rs16944 in the IL1B AA genotype carriers antidepressant response was poorer (χ2=3.931, P=0.047). No significant difference was detected in the CTQ scores between the two groups. Genetic and environmental interaction analysis has demonstrated a significant correlation between rs16944 AA genotype and childhood maltreatment and poorer response to antidepressant treatment. The SNP rs16944 in the IL1B gene and its interaction with childhood maltreatment may influence the effect of antidepressant treatment for patients with MDD.

Serotonin transporter gene and childhood trauma--a G × E effect on anxiety sensitivity.

PubMed

Klauke, Benedikt; Deckert, Jürgen; Reif, Andreas; Pauli, Paul; Zwanzger, Peter; Baumann, Christian; Arolt, Volker; Glöckner-Rist, Angelika; Domschke, Katharina

2011-12-21

Genetic factors and environmental factors are assumed to interactively influence the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders. Thus, a gene-environment interaction (G × E) study was conducted with respect to anxiety sensitivity (AS) as a promising intermediate phenotype of anxiety disorders. Healthy subjects (N = 363) were assessed for AS, childhood maltreatment (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), and genotyped for functional serotonin transporter gene variants (5-HTTLPR/5-HTT rs25531). The influence of genetic and environmental variables on AS and its subdimensions was determined by a step-wise hierarchical regression and a multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model. A significant G × E effect of the more active 5-HTT genotypes and childhood maltreatment on AS was observed. Furthermore, genotype (LL)-childhood trauma interaction particularly influenced somatic AS subdimensions, whereas cognitive subdimensions were affected by childhood maltreatment only. Results indicate a G × E effect of the more active 5-HTT genotypes and childhood maltreatment on AS, with particular impact on its somatic subcomponent. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

History of childhood abuse, sensation seeking, and intimate partner violence under/not under the influence of a substance: a cross-sectional study in Russia.

PubMed

Zhan, Weihai; Shaboltas, Alla V; Skochilov, Roman V; Krasnoselskikh, Tatiana V; Abdala, Nadia

2013-01-01

To examine correlates of perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) under and not under the influence of a substance, we conducted a study among women in Russia. In 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients receiving services at a clinic for sexually transmitted infections in St. Petersburg, Russia. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analysis. Of 299 women, 104 (34.8%) and 113 (37.8%) reported a history of IPV perpetration and victimization, respectively. Nearly half (47.1%) of perpetrators and 61.1% of victims reported that the latest IPV event (perpetration and victimization, respectively) was experienced under the influence of a substance. Factors independently associated with IPV victimization under the influence of a substance were alcohol misuse and a higher number of lifetime sex partners, whereas only experience of childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV victimization that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Childhood physical abuse, lower age of first sex, sensation seeking, and alcohol misuse were independently associated with IPV perpetration under the influence of a substance, while only childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV perpetration that did not occur under the influence of a substance. IPV under and not under the influence of a substance had different correlates (e.g., alcohol misuse and sensation seeking). Despite the strong association between substance use and IPV, experience of childhood abuse is an important predictor of IPV perpetration and victimization in Russia, above and beyond substance use.

History of Childhood Abuse, Sensation Seeking, and Intimate Partner Violence under/Not under the Influence of a Substance: A Cross-Sectional Study in Russia

PubMed Central

Zhan, Weihai; Shaboltas, Alla V.; Skochilov, Roman V.; Krasnoselskikh, Tatiana V.; Abdala, Nadia

2013-01-01

Objectives To examine correlates of perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) under and not under the influence of a substance, we conducted a study among women in Russia. Methods In 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients receiving services at a clinic for sexually transmitted infections in St. Petersburg, Russia. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analysis. Results Of 299 women, 104 (34.8%) and 113 (37.8%) reported a history of IPV perpetration and victimization, respectively. Nearly half (47.1%) of perpetrators and 61.1% of victims reported that the latest IPV event (perpetration and victimization, respectively) was experienced under the influence of a substance. Factors independently associated with IPV victimization under the influence of a substance were alcohol misuse and a higher number of lifetime sex partners, whereas only experience of childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV victimization that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Childhood physical abuse, lower age of first sex, sensation seeking, and alcohol misuse were independently associated with IPV perpetration under the influence of a substance, while only childhood abuse (emotional and physical abuse) was independently associated with IPV perpetration that did not occur under the influence of a substance. Conclusions IPV under and not under the influence of a substance had different correlates (e.g., alcohol misuse and sensation seeking). Despite the strong association between substance use and IPV, experience of childhood abuse is an important predictor of IPV perpetration and victimization in Russia, above and beyond substance use. PMID:23844148

Beyond Behavioral Inhibition: Etiological Factors in Childhood Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manassis, Katharina; Hudson, Jennifer L.; Webb, Alicia; Albano, Anne Marie

2004-01-01

Theoretical models of childhood anxiety have emphasized temperamental vulnerability, principally behavioral inhibition, and its interaction with various environmental factors promoting anxiety (for example, overprotective parenting, insecure attachment, life stress). Although clearly establishing the importance of both nature and nurture in…

Is childhood cat ownership a risk factor for schizophrenia later in life?

PubMed

Fuller Torrey, E; Simmons, Wendy; Yolken, Robert H

2015-06-01

Two previous studies suggested that childhood cat ownership is a possible risk factor for later developing schizophrenia or other serious mental illness. We therefore used an earlier, large NAMI questionnaire to try and replicate this finding. The results were the same, suggesting that cat ownership in childhood is significantly more common in families in which the child later becomes seriously mentally ill. If true, an explanatory mechanism may be Toxoplasma gondii. We urge our colleagues to try and replicate these findings to clarify whether childhood cat ownership is truly a risk factor for later schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk and protective factors for childhood asthma: what is the evidence?

PubMed Central

Castro-Rodriguez, Jose A.; Forno, Erick; Rodriguez-Martinez, Carlos E.; Celedón, Juan C.

2016-01-01

In order to summarize the principal findings on risk and protective factors for childhood asthma, we retrieved systematic reviews on these topics in children (ages 1 to 18 years), up to January 2016, through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS and CDSR. Two hundred twenty seven studies were searched from databases. Among those, 41 systematic reviews (SRs) were included: 9 focused on prenatal factors, 5 on perinatal factors, and 27 on postnatal factors. Of these 41 SRs, 83% had good methodological quality, as determined by the AMSTAR tool. After reviewing all evidence, parental asthma, prenatal environmental tobacco smoke and prematurity (particularly very preterm birth) are well-established risk factors for childhood asthma. Current findings do suggest mild to moderate causal effects of certain modifiable behaviors or exposures during pregnancy (maternal weight gain or obesity, maternal use of antibiotics or paracetamol, and maternal stress), the perinatal period (birth by Caesarean delivery), or postnatal life (severe RSV infection, overweight or obesity, indoor exposure to mold or fungi, and outdoor air pollution) on childhood asthma, but this suggestive evidence must be confirmed in interventional studies or (if interventions are not feasible) well-designed prospective studies. PMID:27286779

Mechanisms by which childhood personality traits influence adult health status: educational attainment and healthy behaviors.

PubMed

Hampson, Sarah E; Goldberg, Lewis R; Vogt, Thomas M; Dubanoski, Joan P

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test a life span health behavior model in which educational attainment and health behaviors (eating habits, smoking, and physical activity) were hypothesized as mechanisms to account for relations between teacher ratings of childhood personality traits and self-reported health status at midlife. The model was tested on 1,054 members of the Hawaii Personality and Health cohort, which is a population-based cohort participating in a longitudinal study of personality and health spanning 40 years from childhood to midlife. Childhood Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Intellect-Imagination influenced adult health status indirectly through educational attainment, healthy eating habits, and smoking. Several direct effects of childhood traits on health behaviors and health status were also observed. The model extends past associations found between personality traits and health behaviors or health status by identifying a life-course pathway based on the health behavior model through which early childhood traits influence adult health status. The additional direct effects of personality traits indicate that health behavior mechanisms may not provide a complete account of relations between personality and health.

Childhood Sexual Abuse Severity Reconsidered: A Factor Structure of CSA Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, T. Lorraine; Riggs, Matt; Robinson, Jill L.

2011-01-01

To address the lack of empirically grounded measures of childhood sexual abuse severity, a survey of self-report items was developed following a thorough review of the childhood sexual abuse literature. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using data collected from a convenience sample of college students that included 275 females and…

Factors Moderating the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Premorbid Adjustment in First-Episode Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Kilian, S.; Burns, J. K.; Seedat, S.; Asmal, L.; Chiliza, B.; Du Plessis, S.; Olivier, M. R.; Kidd, M.; Emsley, R.

2017-01-01

Childhood trauma is a recognised risk factor for schizophrenia. It has been proposed that childhood trauma interferes with normal neurodevelopment, thereby establishing a biological vulnerability to schizophrenia. Poor premorbid adjustment is frequently a precursor to schizophrenia, and may be a manifestation of neurodevelopmental compromise. We investigated the relationship between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment in 77 patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We also investigated possible mediating roles for other selected risk factors in the relationship. We found several significant correlations between different trauma types and both social and academic premorbid adjustment from childhood to late adolescence. There were no significant moderating effects for family history of schizophrenia or family history of psychiatric disorder. History of obstetric complications, substance abuse and poor motor coordination weakened some of the associations between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment, while poor sequencing of motor acts strengthened the association. Our results confirm previous studies indicating an association between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment. Results indicate a general rather than specific association, apparent with different types of trauma, and affecting both social and academic components of premorbid adjustment across childhood, early and late adolescence. Further, our results suggest a complex interplay of various risk factors, supporting the notion of different pathways to psychosis. PMID:28107388

Factors Moderating the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Premorbid Adjustment in First-Episode Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Kilian, S; Burns, J K; Seedat, S; Asmal, L; Chiliza, B; Du Plessis, S; Olivier, M R; Kidd, M; Emsley, R

2017-01-01

Childhood trauma is a recognised risk factor for schizophrenia. It has been proposed that childhood trauma interferes with normal neurodevelopment, thereby establishing a biological vulnerability to schizophrenia. Poor premorbid adjustment is frequently a precursor to schizophrenia, and may be a manifestation of neurodevelopmental compromise. We investigated the relationship between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment in 77 patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We also investigated possible mediating roles for other selected risk factors in the relationship. We found several significant correlations between different trauma types and both social and academic premorbid adjustment from childhood to late adolescence. There were no significant moderating effects for family history of schizophrenia or family history of psychiatric disorder. History of obstetric complications, substance abuse and poor motor coordination weakened some of the associations between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment, while poor sequencing of motor acts strengthened the association. Our results confirm previous studies indicating an association between childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment. Results indicate a general rather than specific association, apparent with different types of trauma, and affecting both social and academic components of premorbid adjustment across childhood, early and late adolescence. Further, our results suggest a complex interplay of various risk factors, supporting the notion of different pathways to psychosis.

Influence of 5-HTT variation, childhood trauma and self-efficacy on anxiety traits: a gene-environment-coping interaction study.

PubMed

Schiele, Miriam A; Ziegler, Christiane; Holitschke, Karoline; Schartner, Christoph; Schmidt, Brigitte; Weber, Heike; Reif, Andreas; Romanos, Marcel; Pauli, Paul; Zwanzger, Peter; Deckert, Jürgen; Domschke, Katharina

2016-08-01

Environmental vulnerability factors such as adverse childhood experiences in interaction with genetic risk variants, e.g., the serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), are assumed to play a role in the development of anxiety and affective disorders. However, positive influences such as general self-efficacy (GSE) may exert a compensatory effect on genetic disposition, environmental adversity, and anxiety traits. We, thus, assessed childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ) and GSE in 678 adults genotyped for 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 and their interaction on agoraphobic cognitions (Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire, ACQ), social anxiety (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, LSAS), and trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI-T). The relationship between anxiety traits and childhood trauma was moderated by self-efficacy in 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 LALA genotype carriers: LALA probands maltreated as children showed high anxiety scores when self-efficacy was low, but low anxiety scores in the presence of high self-efficacy despite childhood maltreatment. Our results extend previous findings regarding anxiety-related traits showing an interactive relationship between 5-HTT genotype and adverse childhood experiences by suggesting coping-related measures to function as an additional dimension buffering the effects of a gene-environment risk constellation. Given that anxiety disorders manifest already early in childhood, this insight could contribute to the improvement of psychotherapeutic interventions by including measures strengthening self-efficacy and inform early targeted preventive interventions in at-risk populations, particularly within the crucial time window of childhood and adolescence.

Factors Influencing the Link between Social Anxiety and Peer Acceptance: Contributions of Social Skills and Close Friendships during Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greco, Laurie A.; Morris, Tracy L.

2005-01-01

Childhood social anxiety consistently has been linked with low levels of peer acceptance, yet little is known about the factors contributing to this association. We therefore examined the mediating and moderating role of social skills and close friendships, two conceptually and empirically relevant variables which were hypothesized to contribute…

Factors associated with desistence and persistence of childhood gender dysphoria: a quantitative follow-up study.

PubMed

Steensma, Thomas D; McGuire, Jenifer K; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P C; Beekman, Anneke J; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T

2013-06-01

To examine the factors associated with the persistence of childhood gender dysphoria (GD), and to assess the feelings of GD, body image, and sexual orientation in adolescence. The sample consisted of 127 adolescents (79 boys, 48 girls), who were referred for GD in childhood (<12 years of age) and followed up in adolescence. We examined childhood differences among persisters and desisters in demographics, psychological functioning, quality of peer relations and childhood GD, and adolescent reports of GD, body image, and sexual orientation. We examined contributions of childhood factors on the probability of persistence of GD into adolescence. We found a link between the intensity of GD in childhood and persistence of GD, as well as a higher probability of persistence among natal girls. Psychological functioning and the quality of peer relations did not predict the persistence of childhood GD. Formerly nonsignificant (age at childhood assessment) and unstudied factors (a cognitive and/or affective cross-gender identification and a social role transition) were associated with the persistence of childhood GD, and varied among natal boys and girls. Intensity of early GD appears to be an important predictor of persistence of GD. Clinical recommendations for the support of children with GD may need to be developed independently for natal boys and for girls, as the presentation of boys and girls with GD is different, and different factors are predictive for the persistence of GD. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional Awareness Moderates the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptom Factors.

PubMed

Westbrook, John; Berenbaum, Howard

2017-07-01

To examine pathways to borderline personality disorder (BPD), focusing on childhood abuse and emotional attention and clarity. Among 293 community residents (mean age = 43.1; 53.9% female), measured associations between the BPD symptom factors of disturbed relatedness, affective dysregulation, and behavioral dysregulation and (a) childhood abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual); (b) emotional attention and clarity; and (c) negative affect, using structured interviews, the Schedule for Non-Adaptive and Adaptive Personality-2, the Trait Meta Mood Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, respectively. All forms of childhood abuse were associated with BPD symptom factors. Emotional attention and clarity moderated the effects of childhood physical and emotional abuse on behavioral dysregulation and disturbed relatedness. All results held when controlling for negative affect. The relations between childhood abuse and BPD are robust. Emotional attention and clarity may help elucidate the links between childhood abuse and BPD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity in the First 1,000 Days: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Woo Baidal, Jennifer A; Locks, Lindsey M; Cheng, Erika R; Blake-Lamb, Tiffany L; Perkins, Meghan E; Taveras, Elsie M

2016-06-01

Mounting evidence suggests that the origins of childhood obesity and related disparities can be found as early as the "first 1,000 days"-the period from conception to age 2 years. The main goal of this study is to systematically review existing evidence for modifiable childhood obesity risk factors present from conception to age 2 years. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies published between January 1, 1980, and December 12, 2014, of childhood obesity risk factors present during the first 1,000 days. Prospective, original human subject, English-language research with exposure occurrence during the first 1,000 days and with the outcome of childhood overweight or obesity (BMI ≥85th percentile for age and sex) collected between age 6 months and 18 years were analyzed between December 13, 2014, and March 15, 2015. Of 5,952 identified citations, 282 studies met inclusion criteria. Several risk factors during the first 1,000 days were consistently associated with later childhood obesity. These included higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, prenatal tobacco exposure, maternal excess gestational weight gain, high infant birth weight, and accelerated infant weight gain. Fewer studies also supported gestational diabetes, child care attendance, low strength of maternal-infant relationship, low SES, curtailed infant sleep, inappropriate bottle use, introduction of solid food intake before age 4 months, and infant antibiotic exposure as risk factors for childhood obesity. Modifiable risk factors in the first 1,000 days can inform future research and policy priorities and intervention efforts to prevent childhood obesity. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do Maternal Knowledge and Attitudes towards Childhood Immunizations in Rural Uganda Correlate with Complete Childhood Vaccination?

PubMed Central

Vonasek, Bryan J.; Bajunirwe, Francis; Jacobson, Laura E.; Twesigye, Leonidas; Dahm, James; Grant, Monica J.; Sethi, Ajay K.; Conway, James H.

2016-01-01

Improving childhood vaccination coverage and timeliness is a key health policy objective in many developing countries such as Uganda. Of the many factors known to influence uptake of childhood immunizations in under resourced settings, parents’ understanding and perception of childhood immunizations has largely been overlooked. The aims of this study were to survey mothers’ knowledge and attitudes towards childhood immunizations and then determine if these variables correlate with the timely vaccination coverage of their children. From September to December 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1,000 parous women in rural Sheema district in southwest Uganda. The survey collected socio-demographic data and knowledge and attitudes towards childhood immunizations. For the women with at least one child between the age of one month and five years who also had a vaccination card available for the child (N = 302), the vaccination status of this child was assessed. 88% of these children received age-appropriate, on-time immunizations. 93.5% of the women were able to state that childhood immunizations protect children from diseases. The women not able to point this out were significantly more likely to have an under-vaccinated child (PR 1.354: 95% CI 1.018–1.802). When asked why vaccination rates may be low in their community, the two most common responses were “fearful of side effects” and “ignorance/disinterest/laziness” (44% each). The factors influencing caregivers’ demand for childhood immunizations vary widely between, and also within, developing countries. Research that elucidates local knowledge and attitudes, like this study, allows for decisions and policy pertaining to vaccination programs to be more effective at improving child vaccination rates. PMID:26918890

Do Maternal Knowledge and Attitudes towards Childhood Immunizations in Rural Uganda Correlate with Complete Childhood Vaccination?

PubMed

Vonasek, Bryan J; Bajunirwe, Francis; Jacobson, Laura E; Twesigye, Leonidas; Dahm, James; Grant, Monica J; Sethi, Ajay K; Conway, James H

2016-01-01

Improving childhood vaccination coverage and timeliness is a key health policy objective in many developing countries such as Uganda. Of the many factors known to influence uptake of childhood immunizations in under resourced settings, parents' understanding and perception of childhood immunizations has largely been overlooked. The aims of this study were to survey mothers' knowledge and attitudes towards childhood immunizations and then determine if these variables correlate with the timely vaccination coverage of their children. From September to December 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1,000 parous women in rural Sheema district in southwest Uganda. The survey collected socio-demographic data and knowledge and attitudes towards childhood immunizations. For the women with at least one child between the age of one month and five years who also had a vaccination card available for the child (N = 302), the vaccination status of this child was assessed. 88% of these children received age-appropriate, on-time immunizations. 93.5% of the women were able to state that childhood immunizations protect children from diseases. The women not able to point this out were significantly more likely to have an under-vaccinated child (PR 1.354: 95% CI 1.018-1.802). When asked why vaccination rates may be low in their community, the two most common responses were "fearful of side effects" and "ignorance/disinterest/laziness" (44% each). The factors influencing caregivers' demand for childhood immunizations vary widely between, and also within, developing countries. Research that elucidates local knowledge and attitudes, like this study, allows for decisions and policy pertaining to vaccination programs to be more effective at improving child vaccination rates.

Childhood ADHD and Adolescent Substance Use: An Examination of Deviant Peer Group Affiliation as a Risk Factor

PubMed Central

Marshal, Michael P.; Molina, Brooke S. G.; Pelham, William E.

2009-01-01

Deviant peer group affiliation was evaluated as a risk factor for substance use in adolescents with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results showed that deviant peer affiliation mediated the relationship between ADHD and substance use, suggesting that children with ADHD are more likely than children without ADHD to become involved with deviant peers and, as a result, more likely to use substances. Moreover, the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and substance use was stronger for adolescents with ADHD, suggesting that once they are immersed in a deviant peer group, adolescents with ADHD are more vulnerable to the negative social influences of that group. This study is the first step in identifying high-risk pathways from childhood ADHD to substance use in adolescence. PMID:14640825

An exploratory qualitative assessment of factors influencing childhood vaccine providers' intention to recommend immunization in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Mollema, Liesbeth; Staal, Jojet M; van Steenbergen, Jim E; Paulussen, Theo Gwm; de Melker, Hester E

2012-02-14

Under the Dutch national immunization program (NIP), childhood vaccination is not mandatory, but its recommendation by childhood vaccine providers (CVP) is important for maintaining high vaccination coverage. We therefore examined factors related to providers' intentions to recommend vaccinations to parents of young children. We conducted four focus group discussions with nurses and physicians who provide vaccines to children 0-4 years old in diverse regions of the Netherlands. Three groups represented CVPs at child welfare centers (CWCs) serving the general population, with the fourth representing anthroposophical CWCs. Elements of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) were used to design the groups; thematic analysis was used to structure and analyze the dataset. Four main themes emerged, including 1) perceived responsibility: to promote vaccines and discuss pros and cons with parents (although this was usually not done if parents readily accepted the vaccination); 2) attitudes toward the NIP: mainly positive, but doubts as to NIP plans to vaccinate against diseases with a low perceived burden; 3) organizational factors: limited time and information can hamper discussions with parents; 4) relationship with parents: crucial and based mainly on communication to establish trust. Compared to CVPs at standard CWCs, the anthroposophical CWCs spent more time communicating and were more willing to adapt the NIP to individual cases. Our qualitative assessment provides an overview of beliefs associated with providers' intention to recommend vaccinations. They were motivated to support the NIP, but their intentions to recommend vaccinations were affected by the perceived relevance of the vaccines, practical issues like limited time and by certain types of resistant parents. These results will inform future studies to test the magnitude and relative impact of these factors.

A Conceptual Model of Childhood Adaptation to Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Whittemore, Robin; Jaser, Sarah; Guo, Jia; Grey, Margaret

2010-01-01

The Childhood Adaptation Model to Chronic Illness: Diabetes Mellitus was developed to identify factors that influence childhood adaptation to type 1 diabetes (T1D). Since this model was proposed, considerable research has been completed. The purpose of this paper is to update the model on childhood adaptation to T1D using research conducted since the original model was proposed. The framework suggests that individual and family characteristics, such as age, socioeconomic status, and in children with T1D, treatment modality (pump vs. injections), psychosocial responses (depressive symptoms and anxiety), and individual and family responses (self-management, coping, self-efficacy, family functioning, social competence) influence the level of adaptation. Adaptation has both physiologic (metabolic control) and psychosocial (QOL) components. This revised model provides greater specificity to the factors that influence adaptation to chronic illness in children. Research and clinical implications are discussed. PMID:20934079

Risk and Protective Factors for Childhood Asthma: What Is the Evidence?

PubMed

Castro-Rodriguez, Jose A; Forno, Erick; Rodriguez-Martinez, Carlos E; Celedón, Juan C

To summarize the principal findings on risk and protective factors for childhood asthma, we retrieved systematic reviews on these topics in children (aged 1 to 18 years), up to January 2016, through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and CDSR. A total of 227 studies were searched from databases. Among those, 41 systematic reviews (SRs) were included: 9 focused on prenatal factors, 5 on perinatal factors, and 27 on postnatal factors. Of these 41 SRs, 83% had good methodological quality, as determined by the Assess Systematic Reviews tool. After reviewing all evidence, parental asthma, prenatal environmental tobacco smoke, and prematurity (particularly very preterm birth) are well-established risk factors for childhood asthma. Current findings do suggest mild-to-moderate causal effects of certain modifiable behaviors or exposures during pregnancy (maternal weight gain or obesity, maternal use of antibiotics or paracetamol, and maternal stress), the perinatal period (birth by Caesarean delivery), or postnatal life (severe respiratory syncytial virus infection, overweight or obesity, indoor exposure to mold or fungi, and outdoor air pollution) on childhood asthma, but this suggestive evidence must be confirmed in interventional studies or (if interventions are not feasible) well-designed prospective studies. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnicity-specific factors influencing childhood immunisation decisions among Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups in the UK: a systematic review of qualitative research

PubMed Central

Forster, Alice S; Rockliffe, Lauren; Chorley, Amanda J; Marlow, Laura A V; Bedford, Helen; Smith, Samuel G; Waller, Jo

2017-01-01

Background Uptake of some childhood immunisations in the UK is lower among those from some Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. This systematic review of qualitative research sought to understand the factors that are associated with ethnicity that influence the immunisation decisions of parents from BAME backgrounds living in the UK. Methods Databases were searched on 2 December 2014 for studies published at any time using the terms ‘UK’ and ‘vaccination’ and ‘qualitative methods’ (and variations of these). Included articles comprised participants who were parents from BAME backgrounds. Thematic synthesis methods were used to develop descriptive and higher order themes. Themes specific to ethnicity and associated factors are reported. Results Eight papers were included in the review. Most participants were from Black (n=62) or Asian (n=38) backgrounds. Two ethnicity-related factors affected immunisation decisions. First, factors that are related to ethnicity itself (namely religion, upbringing and migration, and language) affected parents' perceived importance of immunisations, whether immunisations were permitted or culturally acceptable and their understanding of immunisation/the immunisation schedule. Second, perceived biological differences affected decision-making and demand for information. Conclusions Factors related to ethnicity must be considered when seeking to understand immunisation decisions among parents from BAME backgrounds. Where appropriate and feasible, vaccination information should be targeted to address beliefs about ethnic differences held by some individuals from some BAME backgrounds. PMID:27531844

Prenatal environmental factors influencing IgE levels, atopy and early asthma.

PubMed

Peters, Junenette L; Boynton-Jarrett, Renée; Sandel, Megan

2013-04-01

There is increasing evidence that the prenatal window represents a critical period in which the developing immune system may be primed toward an allergic phenotype. Studies have investigated the role of a number of maternal environmental exposures on subsequent allergic disorders in the offspring. We summarize findings from recent studies on prenatal environmental factors influencing IgE levels, atopy, and early asthma. A building literature supports the influence of maternal exposure to environmental pollutants, such as allergens, traffic-related air pollution, tobacco smoke, and organochlorine compounds and social factors on allergic outcomes. More novel associations have been investigated, such as the effect of prenatal exposures to phthalates, bisphenol A, and magnetic fields. There is also rising interest in epigenetics as a pathway of action by which maternal exposure affect immune health. Emerging research highlights the challenges of investigating in-utero exposures and of relating exposures to such a heterogeneous and complex outcome as allergic disease. Further research is needed on the mechanisms by which prenatal exposure influences allergic response in childhood and how postnatal, familial and social factors, and sex can modify disease outcomes. Epigenetics is a promising new frontier, and likely one of several explanatory factors.

Early Childhood Caries: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Prevention

PubMed Central

Anil, Sukumaran; Anand, Pradeep S.

2017-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is major oral health problem, mainly in socially disadvantaged populations. ECC affects infants and preschool children worldwide. The prevalence of ECC differs according to the group examined, and a prevalence of up to 85% has been reported for disadvantaged groups. ECC is the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled primary teeth in children aged 71 months (5 years) or younger. It begins with white-spot lesions in the upper primary incisors along the margin of the gingiva. If the disease continues, caries can progress, leading to complete destruction of the crown. The main risk factors in the development of ECC can be categorized as microbiological, dietary, and environmental risk factors. Even though it is largely a preventable condition, ECC remains one of the most common childhood diseases. The major contributing factors for the for the high prevalence of ECC are improper feeding practices, familial socioeconomic background, lack of parental education, and lack of access to dental care. Oral health plays an important role in children to maintain the oral functions and is required for eating, speech development, and a positive self-image. The review will focus on the prevalence, risk factors, and preventive strategies and the management of ECC. PMID:28770188

A Five-Factor Model framework for understanding childhood personality disorder antecedents.

PubMed

De Clercq, Barbara; De Fruyt, Filip

2012-12-01

The present contribution reviews evidence that supports the relevance of childhood antecedents of personality disorders, and advocates that the validity of a Five-Factor Model framework for describing general trait differences in childhood can be extended towards the field of developmental personality difficulties. In addition, we suggest that several traditional childhood Axis I conditions include a substantial trait component that may be responsible for the recurring finding that childhood Axis I disorders are predictive for adult Axis II disorders. Given the valuable information provided by a trait assessment, we further propose to integrate dimensional personality and personality pathology measures as standard tools in mental health assessments at a young age. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Personality © 2012, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identifying the Factors that Influence Computer Use in the Early Childhood Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Suzy

2005-01-01

Computers have become an increasingly accepted learning tool in the early childhood classroom. Despite initial concerns regarding the effect of computers on children's development, past research has indicated that computer use by young children can support their learning and developmental outcomes (Siraj-Blatchford & Whitebread, 2003; Yelland,…

Influence of childhood adversity on health among male UK military personnel.

PubMed

Iversen, Amy C; Fear, Nicola T; Simonoff, Emily; Hull, Lisa; Horn, Oded; Greenberg, Neil; Hotopf, Matthew; Rona, Roberto; Wessely, Simon

2007-12-01

Exposure to childhood adversity may explain why only a minority of combatants exposed to trauma develop psychological problems. To examine the association between self-reported childhood vulnerability and later health outcomes in a large randomly selected male military cohort. Data are derived from the first stage of a cohort study comparing Iraq veterans and non-deployed UK military personnel. We describe data collected by questionnaire from males in the regular UK armed forces (n=7937). Pre-enlistment vulnerability is associated with being single, of lower rank, having low educational attainment and serving in the Army. Pre-enlistment vulnerability is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes. Two main factors emerge as important predictors of ill health: a 'family relationships' factor reflecting the home environment and an 'externalising behaviour' factor reflecting behavioural disturbance. Pre-enlistment vulnerability is an important individual risk factor for ill health in military men. Awareness of such factors is important in understanding post-combat psychiatric disorder.

Adverse childhood experiences and gender influence treatment seeking behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Benedetti, Francesco; Poletti, Sara; Radaelli, Daniele; Pozzi, Elena; Giacosa, Chiara; Smeraldi, Enrico

2014-02-01

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) increases the risk of adult physical and mental health disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and influences adult brain structure and function. ACE could influence the use of psychotropic drugs in adulthood, and treatment seeking behaviors. We assessed the severity of ACE in a sample of 31 healthy controls and 66 patients with OCD who were consecutively referred for hospitalization and were either drug-naïve or drug-treated. In addition, we explored the possible clinical relevance of ACE with two additional analyses: (a) a discriminant function analysis with sex and ACE as factors, and (b) a logistic regression with use of medication as dependent variable and ACE as factor. Despite comparable age, years at school, age at onset of illness, duration of illness, and severity of illness (Y-BOCS), adult drug-naïve patients reported lower exposure to ACE and later contacts with mental health professionals than drug-treated. This effect was particularly evident in female patients compared to males. The interaction of gender with factors linked with the early familial environment biased access to psychiatric care and use of medication, independent of OCD-associated factors such as severity of symptoms or duration of illness. The need for medications of patients could be higher in families where OCD symptomatology is associated with ACE. © 2014.

Impact of early psychosocial factors (childhood socioeconomic factors and adversities) on future risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic disturbances and obesity: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Psychological factors and socioeconomic status (SES) have a notable impact on health disparities, including type 2 diabetes risk. However, the link between childhood psychosocial factors, such as childhood adversities or parental SES, and metabolic disturbances is less well established. In addition, the lifetime perspective including adult socioeconomic factors remains of further interest. We carried out a systematic review with the main question if there is evidence in population- or community-based studies that childhood adversities (like neglect, traumata and deprivation) have considerable impact on type 2 diabetes incidence and other metabolic disturbances. Also, parental SES was included in the search as risk factor for both, diabetes and adverse childhood experiences. Finally, we assumed that obesity might be a mediator for the association of childhood adversities with diabetes incidence. Therefore, we carried out a second review on obesity, applying a similar search strategy. Methods Two systematic reviews were carried out. Longitudinal, population- or community-based studies were included if they contained data on psychosocial factors in childhood and either diabetes incidence or obesity risk. Results We included ten studies comprising a total of 200,381 individuals. Eight out of ten studies indicated that low parental status was associated with type 2 diabetes incidence or the development of metabolic abnormalities. Adjustment for adult SES and obesity tended to attenuate the childhood SES-attributable risk but the association remained. For obesity, eleven studies were included with a total sample size of 70,420 participants. Four out of eleven studies observed an independent association of low childhood SES on the risk for overweight and obesity later in life. Conclusions Taken together, there is evidence that childhood SES is associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity in later life. The database on the role of psychological factors such as

Influence of Perceptions on School Nurse Practices to Prevent Childhood Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quelly, Susan B.

2014-01-01

Comprehensive childhood obesity prevention (COP) strategies should include increasing school nurse involvement. This study was conducted to determine the influence of key school nurse perceptions (self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers) on participation in COP practices at the individual child and school level. Florida…

Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour: a review.

PubMed

Gifford, Robert; Nilsson, Andreas

2014-06-01

We review the personal and social influences on pro-environmental concern and behaviour, with an emphasis on recent research. The number of these influences suggests that understanding pro-environmental concern and behaviour is far more complex than previously thought. The influences are grouped into 18 personal and social factors. The personal factors include childhood experience, knowledge and education, personality and self-construal, sense of control, values, political and world views, goals, felt responsibility, cognitive biases, place attachment, age, gender and chosen activities. The social factors include religion, urban-rural differences, norms, social class, proximity to problematic environmental sites and cultural and ethnic variations We also recognize that pro-environmental behaviour often is undertaken based on none of the above influences, but because individuals have non-environmental goals such as to save money or to improve their health. Finally, environmental outcomes that are a result of these influences undoubtedly are determined by combinations of the 18 categories. Therefore, a primary goal of researchers now should be to learn more about how these many influences moderate and mediate one another to determine pro-environmental behaviour. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Beginning in Childhood

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Although the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease, appear from middle age, the process of atherosclerosis can begin early in childhood. The early stage and progression of atherosclerosis in youth are influenced by risk factors that include obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking, and by the presence of specific diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and Kawasaki disease (KD). The existing evidence indicates that primary prevention of atherosclerotic disease should begin in childhood. Identification of children at risk for atherosclerosis may allow early intervention to decrease the atherosclerotic process, thereby preventing or delaying CVD. This review will describe the origin and progression of atherosclerosis in childhood, and the identification and management of known risk factors for atherosclerotic CVD in children and young adults. PMID:20111646

A conceptual model of childhood adaptation to type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Whittemore, Robin; Jaser, Sarah; Guo, Jia; Grey, Margaret

2010-01-01

The Childhood Adaptation Model to Chronic Illness: Diabetes Mellitus was developed to identify factors that influence childhood adaptation to type 1 diabetes (T1D). Since this model was proposed, considerable research has been completed. The purpose of this article is to update the model on childhood adaptation to T1D using research conducted since the original model was proposed. The framework suggests that, in individuals and families, characteristics such as age and socioeconomic status as well as the individuals' and families' responses (self-management, coping, self-efficacy, family functioning, social competence) influence the level of adaptation; in children with T1D, characteristics such as treatment modality (pump vs injections) and psychosocial responses (depressive symptoms and anxiety) also influence the level of adaptation. Adaptation has both physiologic (metabolic control) and psychosocial (Quality of Life [QOL]) components. This revised model provides greater specificity to the factors that influence adaptation to chronic illness in children. Research and clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of genetic variants associated with body mass index on eating behavior in childhood

PubMed Central

Monnereau, Claire; Jansen, Pauline W; Tiemeier, Henning; Jaddoe, Vincent WV; Felix, Janine F

2017-01-01

Objective Childhood eating behaviors are associated with body mass index (BMI). Recent genome-wide association studies have identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with adult and childhood BMI. We hypothesized that these SNPs also influence eating behavior. Methods In a population-based prospective cohort study among 3,179 children (mean age (standard deviation): 4.0 (0.1) years), we tested two weighted genetic risk scores, based on 15 childhood and 97 adult BMI SNPs, and ten individual appetite and/or satiety related SNPs for association with food fussiness, food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness, slowness in eating. Results The 15 SNP-based childhood BMI genetic risk score was not associated with the eating behavior subscales. The 97 SNP-based adult BMI genetic risk score was nominally associated with satiety responsiveness (β: -0.007 standard deviation, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.013, 0.000). Of the ten individual SNPs, rs11030104 in BDNF and rs10733682 in LMX1B were nominally associated with satiety responsiveness (β: -0.057 standard deviation, 95% CI -0.112, -0.002). Conclusion Our findings do not strongly support the hypothesis that BMI associated SNPs also influence eating behavior at this age. A potential role for BMI SNPs in satiety responsiveness during childhood was observed, however, no associations with the other eating behavior subscales. PMID:28245097

Psychopathological, temperamental, and characteristic factors in adults with remaining childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity symptoms.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung Min; Nam, Sojeong; Kim, Soo Yeon; Lee, Soo Min; Choi, Jae-Won; Kang, Taewoong; Kim, Jun Won

2017-09-01

To investigate differences in psychopathological, temperamental and characteristic factors between young adults with and without persistent Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. A total of 429 university students were divided into three groups: persistent adult ADHD (n = 53), only childhood ADHD (n = 56) and healthy controls (n = 320). The Korean Adult ADHD Scale, Korean Wender-Utah Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Korean Young Internet Addiction Scale, and Temperament Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R; based on Cloninger's seven factor model of temperament and character) were used to evaluate psychopathological factors. Participants with persistent adult ADHD symptoms had significantly higher levels of childhood ADHD, depression, anxiety and the Internet addiction symptoms than did the only-childhood ADHD and control groups. The adult ADHD group also had significantly higher tendencies toward novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and self-transcendence, as well as low self-directedness and cooperativeness. Results suggest that persistent ADHD is associated with several unfavourable psychopathological, temperamental and characteristic factors. Therefore, thorough evaluation of these factors for childhood ADHD could help predict prognoses and provide treatment plans for preventing persistent ADHD into adulthood.

The Influencing and Effective Model of Early Childhood: Teachers' Job Satisfaction in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Yong

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the influencing and effective models of Chinese early childhood teachers' job satisfaction. Using a questionnaire of 317 teachers from 21 kindergartens in Shanghai, China, the present study established the influencing and effective structure model of teachers' job satisfaction. The results demonstrated that…

Characterization of Childhood Obesity and Behavioral Factors.

PubMed

Olson, Jessica; Aldrich, Heather; Callahan, Tiffany J; Matthews, Ellyn E; Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie

2016-01-01

Childhood obesity is a major public health threat in the United States. Recent data indicate that 34.2% of children ages 6 to 11 years are overweight or obese. The purpose of this study is to describe childhood obesity levels and identify risk behaviors in two school-based health centers in Michigan, one urban and one rural. This study is a secondary data analysis from a multicenter comparative effectiveness trial. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine behavioral factors associated with overweight/obesity in children. In this sample (n = 105), 41.9% were obese and 16.2% were overweight. The duration of sleep per night (p = .04) and the frequency of eating breakfast (p = .04) were significant predictors of being overweight/obese. Health care providers in school-based health centers must be comfortable assessing, preventing, and treating childhood obesity in this high-risk group of patients. Interventions should encourage children to eat breakfast daily and to get adequate sleep. Copyright © 2015 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal anxiety and depression, poverty and marital relationship factors during early childhood as predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescence.

PubMed

Spence, Susan H; Najman, Jake M; Bor, William; O'Callaghan, Michael J; Williams, Gail M

2002-05-01

This paper examines the degree to which symptoms of anxiety and depression at age 14 years are associated with early childhood experience of maternal anxiety and depression, poverty, and mother's marital relationship distress and break-up. In a longitudinal study, 4434 families were followed-up from infancy to adolescence. Maternal anxiety and depression during early childhood were found to have small, but significant, influences upon the development of high anxiety-depression symptoms at age 14, after controlling for the effects of poverty and marital relationship factors. This effect was greater with repeated exposure to high maternal anxiety and depression. Poverty, distressed marital relationship and marital break-up during the child's first five years also produced small, but significant, increases in risk of high anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescence. Stable, single-parent status was not found to be a risk factor. There was no evidence of marked gender differences in risk factors, other than poverty, which had a stronger impact for girls than boys. Overall, the results suggest that maternal anxiety and depression, poverty, parent relationship conflict and marital break-up during early childhood are associated with small, but significant, increased risk of anxiety-depression symptoms in adolescence.

Early life course risk factors for childhood obesity: the IDEFICS case-control study.

PubMed

Bammann, Karin; Peplies, Jenny; De Henauw, Stefaan; Hunsberger, Monica; Molnar, Denes; Moreno, Luis A; Tornaritis, Michael; Veidebaum, Toomas; Ahrens, Wolfgang; Siani, Alfonso

2014-01-01

The early life course is assumed to be a critical phase for childhood obesity; however the significance of single factors and their interplay is not well studied in childhood populations. The investigation of pre-, peri- and postpartum risk factors on the risk of obesity at age 2 to 9. A case-control study with 1,024 1:1-matched case-control pairs was nested in the baseline survey (09/2007-05/2008) of the IDEFICS study, a population-based intervention study on childhood obesity carried out in 8 European countries in pre- and primary school settings. Conditional logistic regression was used for identification of risk factors. For many of the investigated risk factors, we found a raw effect in our study. In multivariate models, we could establish an effect for gestational weight gain (adjusted OR = 1.02; 95%CI 1.00-1.04), smoking during pregnancy (adjusted OR = 1.48; 95%CI 1.08-2.01), Caesarian section (adjusted OR = 1.38; 95%CI 1.10-1.74), and breastfeeding 4 to 11 months (adjusted OR = 0.77; 95%CI 0.62-0.96). Birth weight was related to lean mass rather than to fat mass, the effect of smoking was found only in boys, but not in girls. After additional adjustment for parental BMI and parental educational status, only gestational weight gain remained statistically significant. Both, maternal as well as paternal BMI were the strongest risk factors in our study, and they confounded several of the investigated associations. Key risk factors of childhood obesity in our study are parental BMI and gestational weight gain; consequently prevention approaches should target not only children but also adults. The monitoring of gestational weight seems to be of particular importance for early prevention of childhood obesity.

Impact of innate and environmental factors on wheezing persistence during childhood.

PubMed

Just, Jocelyne; Belfar, Samira; Wanin, Stéphanie; Pribil, Céline; Grimfeld, Alain; Duru, Gérard

2010-05-01

Persistent asthma in adults starts often early in childhood and is associated with alterations in respiratory function that occur early in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of innate and environmental factors associated with occurrence of asthma during childhood in a population of recurrent wheezing infants followed prospectively. A cohort of infants less than 30 months old with recurrent wheezing was established in order to assess severity of respiratory symptoms and to look for the presence of atopy and environmental risk factors. At the age of 6 years, they were reevaluated with respect to remission or persistence of wheezing over the previous 12-month period. Data were available for 219 subjects aged 15 +/- 5 months. In 27% of the infants with recurrent wheeze, wheezing persisted until the age of 6 years. In multivariate analysis, stepwise logit analysis showed that the risk factors for persistent wheezing are eosinophilia >or=470/mm(3), allergenic sensitization, and a father with asthma. Environmental factors present during the first year of life that protect from persistence of wheezing are ( 1 ) breastfeeding for longer than 3 months, ( 2 ) pets at home, and ( 3 ) >or=3 siblings. The detection rate for persistent wheezing in this model is 72%. The persistence score showed good specificity 91% but low sensitivity 35%. This study confirms the role of atopic host factors on wheezing persistence during childhood and detected protective environmental factors.

Factors influencing the implementation of integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) by healthcare workers at public health centers & dispensaries in Mwanza, Tanzania.

PubMed

Kiplagat, Augustine; Musto, Richard; Mwizamholya, Damas; Morona, Domenica

2014-03-25

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and aims at reducing childhood morbidity and mortality in resource-limited settings including Tanzania. It was introduced in 1996 and has been scaled up in all districts in the country. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the implementation of IMCI in the health facilities in Mwanza, Tanzania since reports indicates that the guidelines are not full adhered to by the healthcare workers. A cross-sectional study design was used and a sample size of 95 healthcare workers drawn from health centers and dispensaries within Mwanza city were interviewed using self-administered questionnaires. Structured interview was also used to get views from the city IMCI focal person and the 2 facilitators. Data were analyzed using SPSS and presented using figures and tables. Only 51% of healthcare workers interviewed had been trained. 69% of trained Healthcare workers expressed understanding of the IMCI approach. Most of the respondents (77%) had a positive attitude that IMCI approach was a better approach in managing common childhood illnesses especially with the reality of resource constraint in the health facilities. The main challenges identified in the implementation of IMCI are low initial training coverage among health care workers, lack of essential drugs and supplies, lack of onsite mentoring and lack of refresher courses and regular supportive supervision. Supporting the healthcare workers through training, onsite mentoring, supportive supervision and strengthening the healthcare system through increasing access to essential medicines, vaccines, strengthening supply chain management, increasing healthcare financing, improving leadership & management were the major interventions that could assist in IMCI implementation. The healthcare workers can implement better IMCI through the

Factors that influence engagement in collaborative practice

PubMed Central

Herbert, Carol P.; Bainbridge, Lesley; Bickford, Julia; Baptiste, Susan; Brajtman, Susan; Dryden, Trish; Hall, Pippa; Risdon, Cathy; Solomon, Patricia

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE To generate hypotheses regarding factors that might influence engagement in collaborative practice. DESIGN Qualitative study using in-depth interviews. SETTING Participants interviewed each other in dyads. The pairing was based upon geographical location and proximity to each other. PARTICIPANTS Eight professionals from the disciplines of medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and massage therapy. METHOD Semistructured interviews, lasting 30 to 45 minutes each, were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were read by all research team members using independent content analysis for common words, phrases, statements, or units of text for key themes. At a subsequent face-to-face meeting, the team used an iterative process of comparing and contrasting key themes until consensus was reached. The transcripts were then analyzed further for subthemes using NVivo software. MAIN FINDINGS Initial findings suggest that some common characteristics grounded in family history, school experiences, social interactions, and professional training might influence collaborative practice choices. The narrative form of the interview broke down interpersonal and interprofessional barriers, creating a new level of trust and respect that could improve professional collaboration. CONCLUSION This study suggests that life experiences from childhood into later adulthood can and do influence professional choices. PMID:17872847

Hygiene factors associated with childhood food allergy and asthma.

PubMed

Gupta, Ruchi S; Singh, Anne Marie; Walkner, Madeline; Caruso, Deanna; Bryce, Paul J; Wang, Xiaobin; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Smith, Bridget M

2016-11-01

Childhood food allergy and asthma rates are increasing. The hygiene hypothesis has been proposed as an explanation for the increased incidence of allergic disease. To describe the association of childhood food allergy and asthma with hygiene factors, such as the number of siblings, antibiotic use, infection history, pet exposure, child care exposure, and maternalchild factors. Children ages 021 years old (N = 1359) were recruited for a cross-sectional family-based study, including children with food allergy and children without food allergy, and their siblings. We assessed the associations between childhood food allergy and asthma with hygiene factors. Of the 1359 children, 832 (61.2%) had food allergy, and 406 (30%) had asthma. In the adjusted analysis, the prevalence of food allergy was increased if there was a history of skin infection (prevalence ratio [RRR] 1.12 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.011.24]) or eczema (RRR 1.89 [95% CI, 1.702.10]). The prevalence of asthma was increased with a history of respiratory syncytial virus infection (RRR 1.60 [95% CI, 1.341.90]) or eczema (RRR 1.54 [95% CI, 1.271.86]). A greater number of siblings were associated with a decreased prevalence of food allergy (RRR 0.79 [95% CI, 0.750.84]) and asthma (RRR 0.82 [95% CI, 0.740.91]). Our findings supported the accumulating evidence of an association between skin infections and eczema with food allergy. Because these results could be subject to recall bias, additional prospective studies are needed to substantiate these findings.

Modifiable Resilience Factors to Childhood Adversity for Clinical Pediatric Practice.

PubMed

Traub, Flora; Boynton-Jarrett, Renée

2017-05-01

Childhood adversity is highly prevalent and associated with risk for poor health outcomes in childhood and throughout the life course. Empirical literature on resilience over the past 40 years has identified protective factors for traumatized children that improve health outcomes. Despite these empirical investigations of resilience, there is limited integration of these findings into proactive strategies to mitigate the impact of adverse childhood experiences. We review the state of resilience research, with a focus on recent work, as it pertains to protecting children from the health impacts of early adversity. We identify and document evidence for 5 modifiable resilience factors to improve children's long- and short-term health outcomes, including fostering positive appraisal styles in children and bolstering executive function, improving parenting, supporting maternal mental health, teaching parents the importance of good self-care skills and consistent household routines, and offering anticipatory guidance about the impact of trauma on children. We conclude with 10 recommendations for pediatric practitioners to leverage the identified modifiable resilience factors to help children withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity. Taken together, these recommendations constitute a blueprint for a trauma-informed medical home. Building resilience in pediatric patients offers an opportunity to improve the health and well-being of the next generation, enhance national productivity, and reduce spending on health care for chronic diseases. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

[Review of risks factors in childhood for schizophrenia and severe mental disorders in adulthood].

PubMed

Artigue, Jordi; Tizón, Jorge L

2014-01-01

To provide scientific evidence, using a literature review on psychosocial risk factors in mental health, that a high exposure to psychosocial stress situations in childhood increases the risk of mental disorders in adulthood,. A literature review up to December 2011 in the electronic databases from Medline, Universitat de Barcelona, and the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. The keywords used were: childhood, prenatal, vulnerability, risk, abuse, neglect, child mental disorder, schizophrenia, and prevention. Inclusion criteria for the studies reviewed: 1) designed to investigate childhood risk factors; 2) Comparative studies with persons without risk factors; 3) Studies with sufficient statistical significance; 4) Studies with "n" participants equal to o more than 30 persons. There are a group of easily identifiable mental health risk factors in childhood that can help in the prevention of mental disorders in the adulthood. They can be grouped into four categories: A) Pregnancy, birth and perinatal problems; B) Poor interpersonal relations with parents; C) Adverse life events in the first two years of life; D) Cognitive deficits in primary school, and social isolation during school years. There are life events that may increase the possibilities of suffering some kind of Psychopathology. It is necessary to consider those events as Risk Factors for Mental Health. The accumulation of these Risk Factors increases vulnerability to Mental Disorders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Associations of adversity in childhood and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in mid-adulthood.

PubMed

Anderson, Emma L; Fraser, Abigail; Caleyachetty, Rishi; Hardy, Rebecca; Lawlor, Debbie A; Howe, Laura D

2018-02-01

Studies assessing associations of childhood psychosocial adversity (e.g. sexual abuse, physical neglect, parental death), as opposed to socioeconomic adversity, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in adulthood are scarce. The aim of this study is to assess associations of various types of psychosocial adversity and cumulative adversity in childhood, with multiple CVD risk factors in mid-life. At study enrolment, women from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N=3612) retrospectively reported: lack of maternal care, maternal overprotection, parental mental illness, household dysfunction, sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and neglect in childhood. Approximately 23 years later, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, insulin, triglycerides, low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and arterial distensibility were assessed (mean age 51 years). We examined associations of each specific type of psychosocial adversity and cumulative adversity with CVD risk factors. No specific type of psychosocial adversity was consistently associated with the CVD risk factors. There was evidence that a one standard deviation greater cumulative psychosocial adversity was associated with 0.51cm greater waist circumference (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02cm, 1.00cm, p=0.04) and a lower arterial distensibility, even after adjustment for age, ethnicity and childhood and adult socioeconomic position. We found no consistent evidence that any specific type of psychosocial adversity, or cumulative psychosocial adversity in childhood, is associated with CVD risk factors in adult women. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Factors protecting against the development of adjustment difficulties in young adults exposed to childhood sexual abuse.

PubMed

Lynskey, M T; Fergusson, D M

1997-12-01

The aims of this study were to identify the factors which discriminated young people exposed to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) who developed psychiatric disorder or adjustment difficulties in young adulthood from those young people exposed to CSA who did not develop psychiatric disorder or adjustment difficulties by age 18. Data were gathered on a birth cohort of 1,025 New Zealand children studied from birth to the age of 18 on (a) exposure to CSA; (b) patterns of psychiatric disorder and adjustment difficulties at age 18 years; (c) factors that may have influenced responses to CSA including characteristics of the abuse, parental bonding, parental characteristics, and adolescent peer affiliations. Just over 10% of the cohort reported CSA. Those reporting CSA were at increased risks of a range of difficulties at age 18 (depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, other substance abuse/dependence, post sexual abuse trauma, attempted suicide). However, not all of those exposed to CSA developed difficulties and approximately a quarter of those exposed to CSA did not meet criteria for any adjustment difficulty. Further analysis suggested that the extent of adjustment difficulties in those exposed to CSA was influenced by two additional factors: (a) the extent of affiliations with delinquent or substance using peers in adolescence; and (b) the extent of paternal care or support in childhood. The findings of this study suggest that while young people exposed to CSA are at increased risks of psychiatric disorder and adjustment difficulties in young adulthood, not all individuals exposed to CSA will develop adjustment difficulties. Important factors protecting against the development of adjustment difficulties in young people experiencing CSA appear to be the nature and quality of peer and family relationships.

Demographic factors, childhood maltreatment and psychological functioning among university students' in Ghana: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Adjorlolo, Samuel; Adu-Poku, Sarah; Andoh-Arthur, Johnny; Botchway, Irene; Mlyakado, Budeba Petro

2017-12-01

This study retrospectively investigates the influence of child (i.e., gender), care-giver (e.g., who grew up with), household size (i.e., number of siblings grew up with) and community (i.e., rural versus urban) factors on childhood maltreatment, as well as the impacts of maltreatment on psychological functioning. A cross-sectional survey and self-report methodology is used to gather data from 300 students of the University of Ghana. The results show that being a male, growing up in rural areas, living with more than 3 siblings in the same household and being raised by both biological parents have significant main effects on childhood maltreatment. Analyses of the interaction effects show that living with more than 5 siblings in a rural household with "other" parents (i.e., non-biological parents) has a significant effect on physical abuse. Furthermore, males from rural households consisting of more than 3 siblings and who did not grow up with both biological parents endorsed significantly more physical abuse and physical neglect, compared with the females. With respect to the psychological outcome, childhood maltreatment significantly predicts and account for significant variance in depression (34%), self-efficacy (18%) and life satisfaction (22%). The findings and the implications of the study are briefly discussed. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Exploring the influence of psychosocial factors on exclusive breastfeeding in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, Md Jahirul; Baird, Kathleen; Mazerolle, Paul; Broidy, Lisa

2017-02-01

Exclusive breastfeeding is a proven benefit for both mothers and infants and is, therefore, an important public health priority. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is regarded as one of the potential psychosocial risk factors that may negatively affect exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). This study aimed to explore the influence of psychosocial factors including IPV on EBF. Cross-sectional survey data was collected from October 2015 to January 2016 in Chandpur District of Bangladesh from 426 married women, aged 15-49 years, who had at least one child 6 months of age or younger. Multivariate logistic regression models were used in order to investigate whether women who experienced IPV after childbirth, as well as other risk factors such as postpartum depression (PPD) and childhood sexual abuse, were more likely to face difficulties with EBF compared with women who had not experienced these same risk factors. Whilst the initiation rate of breastfeeding was 99.3%, at the time of the woman's interview, the overall EBF rate had fallen to 43.7%. Based on the adjusted model, women who experienced physical IPV (AOR 0.17, 95% CI [0.07, 0.40]) and psychological IPV (AOR 0.51, 95% CI [0.26, 1.00]) after childbirth and women who reported childhood sexual abuse (AOR 0.32, 95% CI [0.13, 0.80]) and PPD (AOR 0.20, 95% CI [0.09, 0.44]) were significantly less likely to exclusively breastfeed their infants than those who had not reported these experiences. Moreover, women with an intended pregnancy and high social support exhibited a higher likelihood of EBF. Our results suggest that preventing or reducing the occurrence of physical IPV, PPD and childhood sexual abuse may improve the EBF duration. Support from family members can assist in this process.

Asthma prevalence and risk factors in early childhood at Northern Portugal.

PubMed

Branco, P T B S; Nunes, R A O; Alvim-Ferraz, M C M; Martins, F G; Ferraz, C; Vaz, L G; Sousa, S I V

2016-01-01

Asthma is the commonest and most important chronic non-infectious disease in childhood and it has become more prevalent in recent years. There is a shortage of studies in relation to early childhood and so, as part of the INAIRCHILD project, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma and its associated risk factors, namely demographic, environmental, psychosocial and clinical factors for infants and preschoolers living in Northern Portugal. Data concerning asthma prevalence were collected through questionnaires based on those from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC-derived), the questionnaires were distributed to 1042 children attending the 17 nurseries involved in the INAIRCHILD project (10 in urban and suburban context, and 7 in rural context). The response rate was 48%. Prevalence of asthma based on symptomatology and odds ratio was calculated. Around 52% of the studied children presented at least one of the respiratory symptoms investigated (wheeze, dyspnea and cough) in the absence of upper respiratory infections. The prevalence of asthma was 10.7%, comparable to the figures for Portuguese schoolchildren (6-7 years old) reported by the national Directorate-General of Health, thus showing that an early diagnosis might be possible and helpful for the mitigation of childhood asthma. Environmental context (urban, suburban or rural), gender and family asthma history showed clear associations with asthma prevalence, namely non-rural location, male gender, and having an asthmatic parent were found to be risk factors. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and risk factors of childhood allergic diseases in eight metropolitan cities in China: a multicenter study.

PubMed

Li, Fei; Zhou, Yingchun; Li, Shenghui; Jiang, Fan; Jin, Xingming; Yan, Chonghuai; Tian, Ying; Zhang, Yiwen; Tong, Shilu; Shen, Xiaoming

2011-06-06

Several studies conducted during the past two decades suggested increasing trend of childhood allergic diseases in China. However, few studies have provided detailed description of geographic variation and explored risk factors of these diseases. This study investigated the pattern and risk factors of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in eight metropolitan cities in China. We conducted a cross-sectional survey during November-December 2005 in eight metropolitan cities in China. A total of 23791 children aged 6-13 years participated in this survey. Questions from the standard questionnaire of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) were used to examine the pattern of current asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the risk factors for childhood allergies. The average prevalence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema across the eight cities was 3.3% (95% Confidence interval (CI): 3.1%, 3.6%), 9.8% (95% CI: 9.4%, 10.2%) and 5.5% (95% CI: 5.2%, 5.8%), respectively. Factors related to lifestyle, mental health and socio-economic status were found to be associated with the prevalence of childhood allergies. These risk factors were unevenly distributed across cities and disproportionately affected the local prevalence. There was apparent geographic variation of childhood allergies in China. Socio-environmental factors had strong impacts on the prevalence of childhood allergies; but these impacts differed across regions. Thus public health policies should specifically target at the local risk factors for each individual area.

Early life factors, childhood cognition and postal questionnaire response rate in middle age: the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s study.

PubMed

Nishiwaki, Yuji; Clark, Heather; Morton, Susan M; Leon, David A

2005-05-05

Little is known about the relationship between early life factors and survey response in epidemiological studies of adults. The Children of the 1950s cohort is composed of 12,150 children (boys 51.7%) born in Aberdeen 1950-56 and in primary schools in the city in 1962. Information on birth weight, gestational age, growth, behaviour and socio-economic position at birth and in childhood were obtained from contemporaneous records. Cognitive test scores at ages 7,9 and 11 years were also available from school records. The outcome was response to a postal questionnaire sent (2001-2003) to surviving cohort members in middle age. Of 11,282 potentially mailed subjects, 7,183 (63.7%) returned questionnaires. Response rates were highest among females, and those whose parents were married at birth, were in a non-manual social class at birth or in childhood, had fewer siblings, were taller and heavier in childhood for their age and had lower Rutter B behavioural scores. Childhood cognitive test scores at every age were strongly and positively related to the response rate to a postal questionnaire independently of other early life factors monotonically across the entire range of test scores. Those in the bottom fifth at age 11 had a response rate of 49% while those in the top fifth 75%. The strength and consistency of the association of childhood cognition with questionnaire response rate in middle age is surprisingly large. It suggests that childhood cognition across the entire normal range is a powerful influence on the complex set of later behaviours that comprise questionnaire response. The extent of possible response bias in epidemiological studies of the associations between childhood characteristics (particularly those related to cognition) and later health is probably larger than is generally realised, at least in situations where the survey instrument is a postal questionnaire.

Contributors to childhood obesity in Iran: the views of parents and school staff.

PubMed

Mohammadpour-Ahranjani, B; Pallan, M J; Rashidi, A; Adab, P

2014-01-01

To explore the contextual influences on childhood obesity in Tehran, Iran to inform future development of an obesity prevention intervention for Iranian primary school children. Qualitative study. Focus groups and interviews with parents and school staff were convened to explore their perceptions of the causes of childhood obesity. Eleven focus groups and three interviews were held with parents and school staff (88 participants in total) from three different socio-economic areas in Iran's capital city, Tehran. All the discussions were transcribed verbatim in Persian. An iterative thematic approach was used for data analysis. Overall, the causes of childhood obesity were perceived to relate to macro-level policy influences, the school environment, sociocultural factors, and family and individual behavioural factors, acting in combination. A key emergent theme was the pervasive influence of Government policies on children's food intake and physical activity. Another key theme was the political and sociocultural context that does not support girls and women in Iran in having active lifestyles. The findings suggest that parents and school staff have sophisticated views on the possible causes of childhood overweight and obesity which encompassed behavioural, structural and social causes. A prominent emerging theme was the need for state level intervention and support for a healthy environment. Any local initiatives in Iran are unlikely to be successful without such support. Childhood obesity is growing in Iran and it is seen as one of the features of the nutrition transition in developing countries. Findings from cross-sectional studies suggest a range of lifestyle factors contribute to obesity in the Iranian population. This qualitative study explores the socioenvironmental changes contributing to childhood obesity in primary school-aged children in Iran. Findings have provided important contextual data on the perceived contributors to childhood obesity in Iran, such

Ethnicity-specific factors influencing childhood immunisation decisions among Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups in the UK: a systematic review of qualitative research.

PubMed

Forster, Alice S; Rockliffe, Lauren; Chorley, Amanda J; Marlow, Laura A V; Bedford, Helen; Smith, Samuel G; Waller, Jo

2017-06-01

Uptake of some childhood immunisations in the UK is lower among those from some Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. This systematic review of qualitative research sought to understand the factors that are associated with ethnicity that influence the immunisation decisions of parents from BAME backgrounds living in the UK. Databases were searched on 2 December 2014 for studies published at any time using the terms 'UK' and 'vaccination' and 'qualitative methods' (and variations of these). Included articles comprised participants who were parents from BAME backgrounds. Thematic synthesis methods were used to develop descriptive and higher order themes. Themes specific to ethnicity and associated factors are reported. Eight papers were included in the review. Most participants were from Black (n=62) or Asian (n=38) backgrounds. Two ethnicity-related factors affected immunisation decisions. First, factors that are related to ethnicity itself (namely religion, upbringing and migration, and language) affected parents' perceived importance of immunisations, whether immunisations were permitted or culturally acceptable and their understanding of immunisation/the immunisation schedule. Second, perceived biological differences affected decision-making and demand for information. Factors related to ethnicity must be considered when seeking to understand immunisation decisions among parents from BAME backgrounds. Where appropriate and feasible, vaccination information should be targeted to address beliefs about ethnic differences held by some individuals from some BAME backgrounds. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Delinquent peer affiliation as an etiological moderator of childhood delinquency.

PubMed

Burt, S A; Klump, K L

2013-06-01

Prior research has indicated that affiliation with delinquent peers activates genetic influences on delinquency during adolescence. However, because other studies have indicated that the socializing effects of delinquent peers vary dramatically across childhood and adolescence, it is unclear whether delinquent peer affiliation (DPA) also moderates genetic influences on delinquency during childhood. Method The current study sought to evaluate whether and how DPA moderated the etiology of delinquency in a sample of 726 child twins from the Michigan State University Twin Registry (MSUTR). The results robustly supported etiological moderation of childhood delinquency by DPA. However, this effect was observed for shared environmental, rather than genetic, influences. Shared environmental influences on delinquency were found to be several-fold larger in those with higher levels of DPA as compared to those with lower levels. This pattern of results persisted even when controlling for the overlap between delinquency and DPA. Our findings bolster prior work in suggesting that, during childhood, the association between DPA and delinquency is largely (although not solely) attributable to the effects of socialization as compared to selection. They also suggest that the process of etiological moderation is not specific to genetic influences. Latent environmental influences are also amenable to moderation by measured environmental factors.

Childhood vaccination in rural southwestern Ethiopia: the nexus with demographic factors and women's autonomy.

PubMed

Wado, Yohannes Dibaba; Afework, Mesganaw Fantahun; Hindin, Michelle J

2014-01-01

Vaccination can reduce child mortality significantly and is a cost effective way to improve child health.Worldwide, more than 22 million children do not receive the basic recommended vaccinations.Vaccination coverage in Ethiopia remains low. Research on child health has focused on socio-economic factors such as maternal education and access to health care, but little attention has been given to demographic factors and women's autonomy within the household. The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of demographic factors and women's autonomy on the completion of childhood vaccination in rural Ethiopia. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in a Health and Demographic Survelliance System (HDSS) in southwestern Ethiopia. Data were drawn from a random sample of women with children aged 12-24 months (n = 889). Information on maternal socio-demographic characteristics and household variables were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Vaccination data were obtained from vaccination cards or mother's recall. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association of independent variables with completion of childhood vaccination. Of 889 children aged 12-24 months, 690 (78%) had received at least one vaccination. Only 37% (95% CI, 33.5-39.9) were fully vaccinated. Women's decision making autonomy, number of under-five children in the household, mother's education, use of antenatal care services and proximity to health facility were the main factors associated with full vaccination status. Completion of basic vaccination series is very low in the study area. Initiatives that enhance women's autonomy within the household and that promote healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies may help in improving child health through vaccination.

Maternal hookworm modifies risk factors for childhood eczema: results from a birth cohort in Uganda

PubMed Central

Mpairwe, Harriet; Ndibazza, Juliet; Webb, Emily L; Nampijja, Margaret; Muhangi, Lawrence; Apule, Barbara; Lule, Swaib; Akurut, Hellen; Kizito, Dennison; Kakande, Mohammed; Jones, Frances M; Fitzsimmons, Colin M; Muwanga, Moses; Rodrigues, Laura C; Dunne, David W; Elliott, Alison M

2014-01-01

Background Worms may protect against allergy. Early-life worm exposure may be critical, but this has not been fully investigated. Objectives To investigate whether worms in pregnancy and in early childhood are associated with childhood eczema incidence. Methods The Entebbe Mother and Baby Study, an anthelminthic treatment trial, enrolled pregnant women between 2003 and 2005 in Uganda. Mothers were investigated for worms during pregnancy and children annually. Eczema was doctor-diagnosed from birth to age five years. A planned observational analysis was conducted within the trial cohort to investigate associations between worms and eczema. Results Data for 2345 live-born children were analysed. Hookworm was the most prevalent maternal worm (45%). Childhood worms were less prevalent. Eczema incidence was 4.68/100 person-years. Maternal hookworm was associated with reduced eczema incidence [adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval), p-value: 0.71(0.51–0.99), 0.04] and modified effects of known risk factors for eczema: Dermatophagoides-specific IgE in children was positively associated with eczema incidence if the mother had no hookworm [2.72(1.11–6.63), 0.03], but not if the mother had hookworm [0.41(0.10–1.69), 0.22], interaction p-value = 0.03. Similar interactions were seen for maternal history of eczema {[2.87(1.31–6.27, 0.008) vs. [0.73(0.23–2.30), 0.60], interaction p-value = 0.05}, female gender {[1.82(1.22–2.73), 0.004 vs. [0.96(0.60–1.53), 0.87], interaction p-value = 0.04} and allergen-specific IgE. ChildhoodTrichuris trichiura and hookworm were inversely associated with eczema. Conclusions Maternal hookworm modifies effects of known risk factors for eczema. Mechanisms by which early-life worm exposures influence allergy need investigation. Worms or worm products, and intervention during pregnancy have potential for primary prevention of allergy. PMID:25171741

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology—and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity—remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children’s development. PMID:26849071

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology-and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity-remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children's development.

Childhood trauma and neighborhood-level crime interact in predicting adult posttraumatic stress and major depression symptoms.

PubMed

Lowe, Sarah R; Quinn, James W; Richards, Catherine A; Pothen, John; Rundle, Andrew; Galea, Sandro; Ressler, Kerry J; Koenen, Karestan C; Bradley, Bekh

2016-01-01

Previous research has identified several individual-level factors that modify the risk of childhood trauma on adult psychiatric symptoms, including symptoms of major depression (MD) and posttraumatic stress (PTS). Neighborhood-level factors also influence the impact of individual-level exposures on adult psychopathology. However, no prior studies to our knowledge have explored cross-level interactions between childhood trauma and neighborhood-level factors on MD and PTS symptoms. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore cross-level interactions between a neighborhood-level factor - neighborhood-level crime - and childhood trauma on MD and PTS symptoms. Participants in this study (N=3192) were recruited from a large public hospital, and completed self-report inventories of childhood trauma and MD and PTS symptoms. Participant addresses were mapped onto 2010 census tracts, and data on crime within each tract were collected. Multilevel models found a significant cross-level interaction between childhood trauma and neighborhood crime on MD symptoms, such that the influence of high levels of childhood trauma on MD symptoms was enhanced for participants living in high-crime neighborhoods. Supplementary analyses found variation in the strength of cross-level interaction terms by types of childhood trauma and crime, with the strongest associations including emotional neglect paired with personal and property crime. The results provide preliminary support for interventions that help childhood trauma survivors find housing in less vulnerable neighborhoods and build skills to cope with neighborhood crime. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Childhood Trauma and Neighborhood-Level Crime Interact in Predicting Adult Posttraumatic Stress and Major Depression Symptoms

PubMed Central

Lowe, Sarah R.; Quinn, James W.; Richards, Catherine A.; Pothen, John; Rundle, Andrew; Galea, Sandro; Ressler, Kerry J.; Koenen, Karestan C.; Bradley, Bekh

2015-01-01

Previous research has identified several individual-level factors that modify the risk of childhood trauma on adult psychiatric symptoms, including symptoms of major depression (MD) and posttraumatic stress (PTS). Neighborhood-level factors also influence the impact of individual-level exposures on adult psychopathology. However, no prior studies to our knowledge have explored cross-level interactions between childhood trauma and neighborhood-level factors on MD and PTS symptoms. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore cross-level interactions between a neighborhood-level factor – neighborhood-level crime – and childhood trauma on MD and PTS symptoms. Participants in this study (N = 3,192) were recruited from a large public hospital, and completed self-report inventories of childhood trauma and MD and PTS symptoms. Participant addresses were mapped onto 2010 census tracts, and data on crime within each tract was collected. Multilevel models found a significant cross-level interaction between childhood trauma and neighborhood crime on MD symptoms, such that the influence of high levels of childhood trauma on MD symptoms was enhanced for participants living in high-crime neighborhoods. Supplementary analyses found variation in the strength of cross-level interaction terms by types of childhood trauma and crime, with the strongest associations including emotional neglect paired with personal and property crime. The results provide preliminary support for interventions that help childhood trauma survivors find housing in less vulnerable neighborhoods and build skills to cope with neighborhood crime. PMID:26499372

Biological and environmental determinants of childhood obesity.

PubMed

Blass, Elliott M

2003-01-01

Childhood obesity reflects the confluence of three factors that minimize attention to internal physiologic satiety signals: the release of central opioids through ingestion of sweets and fats, which induces a preference for such foods; the phylogenetic quality of extending meals in response to environmental demands, as in work schedules, or through finding patches of agreeable food that are safe to consume (this is exacerbated in impoverished children, whose activity is limited); the determination of food preference through social interactions renders feeding systems open to external influences such as mass marketing and television advertising. Alternative feeding modes are presented based on studies of childhood food preferences and how children may be influenced to choose more balanced and healthier diets.

Factors associated with quality of life in active childhood epilepsy: a population-based study.

PubMed

Reilly, Colin; Atkinson, Patricia; Das, Krishna B; Chin, Richard F M; Aylett, Sarah E; Burch, Victoria; Gillberg, Christopher; Scott, Rod C; Neville, Brian G R

2015-05-01

Improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL), rather than just reducing seizures, should be the principal goal in comprehensive management of childhood epilepsy. There is a lack of population-based data on predictors of HRQOL in childhood epilepsy. The Children with Epilepsy in Sussex Schools (CHESS) study is a prospective, population-based study involving school-aged children (5-15 years) with active epilepsy (on one or more AED and/or had a seizure in the last year) in a defined geographical area in the UK. Eighty-five of 115 (74% of eligible population) children underwent comprehensive psychological assessment including measures of cognition, behaviour, and motor functioning. Parents of the children completed the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE).Clinical data on eligible children was extracted using a standardised pro forma. Linear regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors significantly associated with total Quality of Life in this population. Factors independently significantly associated (p < .05) with total QOLCE scores were seizures before 24 months, cognitive impairment (IQ < 85), anxiety, and parent reported school attendance difficulty. These factors were also significantly associated with total QOLCE when children with IQ < 50 were excluded from analysis. The majority of factors associated with parent reported HRQOL in active childhood epilepsy are related to neurobehavioural and/or psychosocial aspects of the condition. Copyright © 2015 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Higher and Lower Order Factor Analyses of the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire.

PubMed

Kotelnikova, Yuliya; Olino, Thomas M; Klein, Daniel N; Mackrell, Sarah V M; Hayden, Elizabeth P

2017-12-01

The Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire (TMCQ) is a widely used parent-report measure of temperament. However, neither its lower nor higher order structures has been tested via a bottom-up, empirically based approach. We conducted higher and lower order exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) of the TMCQ in a large ( N = 654) sample of 9-year-olds. Item-level EFAs identified 92 items as suitable (i.e., with loadings ≥.40) for constructing lower order factors, only half of which resembled a TMCQ scale posited by the measure's authors. Higher order EFAs of the lower order factors showed that a three-factor structure (Impulsivity/Negative Affectivity, Negative Affectivity, and Openness/Assertiveness) was the only admissible solution. Overall, many TMCQ items did not load well onto a lower order factor. In addition, only three factors, which did not show a clear resemblance to Rothbart's four-factor model of temperament in middle childhood, were needed to account for the higher order structure of the TMCQ.

Is there an association between local health department organizational and administrative factors and childhood immunization coverage rates?

PubMed

Ransom, James; Schaff, Katherine; Kan, Lilly

2012-01-01

to aligning ISD with other child-focused services within the LHD; 2) resources: organizational efforts focused on aligning federal and state ISD financing with local ISD needs; 3) politics: political advocacy and partnering with local community stakeholders, including local political entities and boards of health to better organize ISD; 4) community engagement/coalitions and partnerships: partnerships, coalitions, and community engagement to support local immunization-related decision-making and prioritization; 5) credibility: agency credibility and its ability to influence community attitudes and perspectives on the health department's value in terms of child health; and 6) cultural competency of LHD staff: LHD staff members' perceptions and understandings of its community's cultural, economic, and demographic attributes shaped their responses to and understandings of the community and how they interacted with it in terms of service delivery. Public health researchers are in a nascent stage of understanding how health department organizational factors may contribute to specific community health outcomes, such as childhood immunization coverage rates. An implicit challenge to LHD immunization programs is to implement strategies that lead to equitable and high vaccination coverage among children, despite shrinking resources and community demographic differences. Community-specific attributes (e.g., poverty, lack of health insurance, or geographic isolation) affect childhood immunization coverage rates, but internal LHD aspects such as leadership and organizational culture also likely have a significant impact.

Cumulative adversity in childhood and emergent risk factors for long-term health.

PubMed

Slopen, Natalie; Koenen, Karestan C; Kubzansky, Laura D

2014-03-01

To examine whether and when effects of cumulative adversity in the first 7 years of life are evident in relation to 3 childhood markers of risk for poor adult physical health. The study data are from an English birth cohort. Parental reports of 8 social risk factors were obtained during the child's first 7 years, and scores were created to reflect cumulative adversity at 4 developmental periods. At age 7 and 11 years, weight, height, and blood pressure (BP) were measured by clinic staff, and caregivers reported behavior problems. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of cumulative adversity with each outcome (n = 4361) and changes in these outcomes between 7 and 11 years (n = 3348). At age 7 years, mean adversity and chronic exposure to high adversity were associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) and internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .05), but not elevated BP. Adversity in all developmental periods was associated with elevated numbers of internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .0001), but associations were less robust for BMI. Adversity did not predict change in BMI or BP between age 7 and 11 years, however, it predicted increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms (P < .0001). Cumulative adversity was associated with BMI and behavior problems at age 7 years, and our data indicate that timing and chronicity of exposure to adversity differentially influence diverse indicators of long-term health risk commonly measured in childhood. This research suggests the hypothesis that interventions to address adversity could reduce the development of multiple chronic disease risk factors and limit their effects on health. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contextual factors associated with health care service utilization for children with acute childhood illnesses in Nigeria.

PubMed

Adedokun, Sulaimon T; Adekanmbi, Victor T; Uthman, Olalekan A; Lilford, Richard J

2017-01-01

To examine the independent contribution of individual, community and state-level factors to health care service utilization for children with acute childhood illnesses in Nigeria. The study was based on secondary analyses of cross-sectional population-based data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Multilevel logistic regression models were applied to the data on 6,427 under-five children who used or did not use health care service when they were sick (level 1), nested within 896 communities (level 2) from 37 states (level 3). About one-quarter of the mothers were between 15 and 24 years old and almost half of them did not have formal education (47%). While only 30% of the children utilized health service when they were sick, close to 67% lived in the rural area. In the fully adjusted model, mothers with higher education attainment (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.63; 95% credible interval [CrI] = 1.31-2.03), from rich households (aOR = 1.76; 95% CrI = 1.35-2.25), with access to media (radio, television or magazine) (aOR = 1.18; 95% CrI = 1.08-1.29), and engaging in employment (aOR = 1.18; 95% CrI = 1.02-1.37) were significantly more likely to have used healthcare services for acute childhood illnesses. On the other hand, women who experienced difficulty getting to health facilities (aOR = 0.87; 95% CrI = 0.75-0.99) were less likely to have used health service for their children. Our findings highlight that utilization of healthcare service for acute childhood illnesses was influenced by not only maternal factors but also community-level factors, suggesting that public health strategies should recognise this complex web of individual composition and contextual composition factors to guide provision of healthcare services. Such interventions could include: increase in female school enrolment, provision of interest-free loans for small and medium scale enterprises, introduction of mobile clinics and establishment of more primary health care

Sexual Functioning After Childhood Abuse: The Influence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma Exposure.

PubMed

Bornefeld-Ettmann, Pia; Steil, Regina; Lieberz, Klara A; Bohus, Martin; Rausch, Sophie; Herzog, Julia; Priebe, Kathlen; Fydrich, Thomas; Müller-Engelmann, Meike

2018-04-01

is the first comparing PTSD patients and TC with healthy women with regards to sexual functioning. Limitations are selection and size of the samples, the assessment of sexual functioning by self-report measures only, and lack of consideration of other potentially relevant factors influencing sexuality. The findings suggest that the experience of sexual abuse does not necessarily lead to sexual impairment, whereas comparably low levels of sexual functioning seem to be prominent in PTSD patients after CSA. Further research is needed on how to improve treatment for this patient group. Bornefeld-Ettmann P, Steil R, Lieberz KA, et al. Sexual Functioning After Childhood Abuse: The Influence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma Exposure. J Sex Med 2018;15:529-538. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Familial Transmission of Suicidal Behavior: Factors Mediating the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Offspring Suicide Attempts

PubMed Central

Brodsky, Beth S.; Mann, J. John; Stanley, Barbara; Tin, Adrienne; Oquendo, Maria; Birmaher, Boris; Greenhill, Laurence; Kolko, David; Zelazny, Jamie; Burke, Ainsley Keller; Melhem, Nadine; Brent, David

2009-01-01

Background Self-reported childhood sexual abuse is associated with major depression and with suicidal behavior. The current study investigates the relationship between reported childhood abuse and the familial transmission of suicidal behavior and other related risk factors. Method 507 offspring of 271 parent probands with DSM-IV major depressive disorder were compared according to the reported childhood abuse history on demographic, diagnostic, and clinical variables related to risk for suicidal behavior. Both self-report and clinical interview measures assessed history of childhood physical and sexual abuse. The study was conducted from May 1997 to February 2004. Results Reported childhood sexual abuse, but not physical abuse, in the proband correlated with suicide attempts, posttraumatic stress disorder, earlier onset of major depressive disorder, higher levels of impulsivity, and greater likelihood of childhood sexual abuse in the offspring and was rarely perpetrated by the affected parent. A reported history of childhood physical abuse was related to more lifetime aggression in the offspring. Conclusions Reported childhood sexual abuse is a risk factor for suicidal behavior in parent and offspring. Transmission of suicide risk across generations is related to the familial transmission of sexual abuse and impulsivity. Sexual abuse is not directly transmitted by the victim to the next generation and may be related to family dynamics related to sexual abuse. PMID:18373384

The effects of individual- and network-level factors on discussion of cancer experiences: Survivors of childhood cancer in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Min Ah; Yi, Jaehee; Prince, Kort C; Nagelhout, Elizabeth; Wu, Yelena P

2018-01-01

This study aimed to identify young adult Korean cancer survivors' individual- (psychological distress, stigma, sociodemographic variables, and cancer-related variables) and network-level factors (relationship type, social support type) that influence discussion of their cancer experiences. Sixty-eight survivors of childhood cancer who were recruited using snowball sampling nominated 245 individuals from their networks, including family and intimate partners (40%) and friends and acquaintances (60%), as people with whom they most frequently interacted. Results of multilevel modeling analysis indicated that higher levels of internalized shame were a prominent individual-level factor associated with a lack of discussion of cancer experiences. Relationship type and support type at the network-level were also significant correlates of discussion of cancer experiences. Programs for reducing the survivors' shame, improving illness identity, and providing professional training for building social relationships that are intimate and in which they could exchange reciprocal support may help Korean childhood cancer survivors to openly share their cancer experiences with others in their social network and to be successful in the journey of cancer survivorship.

Economic Deprivation and Its Effects on Childhood Conduct Problems: The Mediating Role of Family Stress and Investment Factors.

PubMed

Sosu, Edward M; Schmidt, Peter

2017-01-01

This study investigated the mechanisms by which experiences of poverty influence the trajectory of conduct problems among preschool children. Drawing on two theoretical perspectives, we focused on family stress (stress and harsh discipline) and investment variables (educational investment, nutrition, and cognitive ability) as key mediators. Structural equation modeling techniques with prospective longitudinal data from the Growing Up in Scotland survey ( N = 3,375) were used. Economic deprivation measured around the first birthday of the sample children had both direct and indirect effects on conduct problems across time (ages 4, 5, and 6). In line with the family stress hypothesis, higher levels of childhood poverty predicted conduct problems across time through increased parental stress and punitive discipline. Consistent with the investment model, childhood deprivation was associated with higher levels of conduct problems via educational investment and cognitive ability. The study extends previous knowledge on the mechanisms of this effect by demonstrating that cognitive ability is a key mediator between poverty and the trajectory of childhood conduct problems. This suggests that interventions aimed at reducing child conduct problems should be expanded to include factors that compromise parenting as well as improve child cognitive ability.

Economic Deprivation and Its Effects on Childhood Conduct Problems: The Mediating Role of Family Stress and Investment Factors

PubMed Central

Sosu, Edward M.; Schmidt, Peter

2017-01-01

This study investigated the mechanisms by which experiences of poverty influence the trajectory of conduct problems among preschool children. Drawing on two theoretical perspectives, we focused on family stress (stress and harsh discipline) and investment variables (educational investment, nutrition, and cognitive ability) as key mediators. Structural equation modeling techniques with prospective longitudinal data from the Growing Up in Scotland survey (N = 3,375) were used. Economic deprivation measured around the first birthday of the sample children had both direct and indirect effects on conduct problems across time (ages 4, 5, and 6). In line with the family stress hypothesis, higher levels of childhood poverty predicted conduct problems across time through increased parental stress and punitive discipline. Consistent with the investment model, childhood deprivation was associated with higher levels of conduct problems via educational investment and cognitive ability. The study extends previous knowledge on the mechanisms of this effect by demonstrating that cognitive ability is a key mediator between poverty and the trajectory of childhood conduct problems. This suggests that interventions aimed at reducing child conduct problems should be expanded to include factors that compromise parenting as well as improve child cognitive ability. PMID:28955283

Psychosocial Risk Factors for Child Welfare among Postpartum Mothers with a History of Childhood Maltreatment and Neglect.

PubMed

Koenig, A M; Schury, K; Reister, F; Köhler-Dauner, F; Schauer, M; Ruf-Leuschner, M; Gündel, H; Ziegenhain, U; Fegert, J M; Kolassa, I-T

2016-03-01

Background: Childhood maltreatment (CM) can increase the risk of psychosocial risk factors in adulthood (e. g. intimate partner violence, financial problems, substance abuse or medical problems). The transition to parenthood presents those affected by CM with particular challenges, in addition to usual birth-related stressors. Methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 240 women were interviewed in the puerperium with respect to CM experiences, using the German version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Current psychosocial risk factors (e. g. financial concerns, maternal mental illness, single parent) were assessed using the Constance Index (KINDEX) for early childhood risk factors. Associations between CM experience and psychosocial risk factors were calculated using simple correlation. Results: The average age of participants was 33 years. On the CTQ 13.8 % of participants reported emotional abuse, 6.7 % physical abuse and 12.5 % sexual abuse, while 32.1 % reported emotional neglect and 7.5 % physical neglect during childhood. With rising severity of CM, more psychosocial risk factors (KINDEX) were present. Conclusions: This study shows a clear association between experiences of maltreatment during childhood and the presence of psychosocial stressors among women in the puerperium. Regular screening for a history of CM and parental psychosocial stressors should be conducted early, i.e. during pregnancy, to avoid negative consequences for the child.

Adults' memories of childhood: true and false reports.

PubMed

Qin, Jianjian; Ogle, Christin M; Goodman, Gail S

2008-12-01

In 3 experiments, the authors examined factors that, according to the source-monitoring framework, might influence false memory formation and true/false memory discernment. In Experiment 1, combined effects of warning and visualization on false childhood memory formation were examined, as were individual differences in true and false childhood memories. Combining warnings and visualization led to the lowest false memory and highest true memory. Several individual difference factors (e.g., parental fearful attachment style) predicted false recall. In addition, true and false childhood memories differed (e.g., in amount of information). Experiment 2 examined relations between Deese/Roediger-McDermott task performance and false childhood memories. Deese/Roediger-McDermott performance (e.g., intrusion of unrelated words in free recall) was associated with false childhood memory, suggesting liberal response criteria in source decisions as a common underlying mechanism. Experiment 3 investigated adults' abilities to discern true and false childhood memory reports (e.g., by detecting differences in amount of information as identified in Experiment 1). Adults who were particularly successful in discerning such reports indicated reliance on event plausibility. Overall, the source-monitoring framework provided a viable explanatory framework. Implications for theory and clinical and forensic interviews are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

The Influence of Weight Change on Physical Fitness from Childhood to Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Han; Housner, Lynn; Gao, Yong

2017-01-01

The study aimed to explore how weight changes from childhood to adolescence influenced the performances of physical fitness. The participants (N = 115) were pre-tested when they were in kindergarten, first, or second grades (mean age = 7.25). The same participants were post-tested again after 6 years. The President's Challenge test battery was…

Sibling influences on childhood development.

PubMed

Dunn, J

1988-03-01

To summarize the main points concerning sibling influence: 1. That siblings play a causal role in the development of aggressive behavior, in children's style of conflict behavior and in cooperative fantasy play is strongly suggested by recent research. 2. Marked problems in the sibling relationship are indicative of other problems, but a causal role for siblings is not established, other than for aggressive behavior. 3. Family factors are closely involved in the quality of sibling relationships--and thus in sibling influence, namely differential parental behavior, and the emotional climate of the family. That is, it is important not to consider the sibling relationship in isolation from other family relationships. 4. Studies of families under stress indicate heightened importance of these family factors. 5. It is likely, but not yet established, that later-born siblings are influenced by first-born in socio-cognitive development and gender identity. 6. Finally it should be noted that an important theme in current research on siblings is a concern with the question of why siblings develop to be so different from one another. It has been shown that the major source of environmental influence on the development of individual differences is within-family rather than between-family differences in experience (Plomin & Daniels, 1987). The different experiences each sibling may have within their relationship is one potential source of such differential environmental influence. Thus documenting the influence of siblings upon each other takes on added significance: By clarifying the extent and nature of this influence we will gain not only useful clinical information but illumination on a developmental principle of very general significance.

The influence of place on weight gain during early childhood: a population-based, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Carter, Megan Ann; Dubois, Lise; Tremblay, Mark S; Taljaard, Monica

2013-04-01

The objective of this paper was to determine the influence of place factors on weight gain in a contemporary cohort of children while also adjusting for early life and individual/family social factors. Participants from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development comprised the sample for analysis (n = 1,580). A mixed-effects regression analysis was conducted to determine the longitudinal relationship between these place factors and standardized BMI, from age 4 to 10 years. The average relationship with time was found to be quadratic (rate of weight gain increased over time). Neighborhood material deprivation was found to be positively related to weight gain. Social deprivation, social disorder, and living in a medium density area were inversely related, while no association was found for social cohesion. Early life factors and genetic proxies appeared to be important in explaining weight gain in this sample. This study suggests that residential environments may play a role in childhood weight change; however, pathways are likely to be complex and interacting and perhaps not as important as early life factors and genetic proxies. Further work is required to clarify these relationships.

Peer influences on moral disengagement in late childhood and early adolescence.

PubMed

Caravita, Simona C S; Sijtsema, Jelle J; Rambaran, J Ashwin; Gini, Gianluca

2014-02-01

Moral disengagement processes are cognitive self-justification processes of transgressive actions that have been hypothesized to be learned and socialized within social contexts. The current study aimed at investigating socialization of moral disengagement by friends in two developmentally different age groups, namely late childhood (age: 9-10 years; n = 133, 42.9% girls) and early adolescence (age: 11-14 years; n = 236, 40.6% girls) over a 1-year period. Specifically, the current study examined whether similarity in moral disengagement between friends was the result of friends' influence or friend selection. Moreover, gender (42% girls), individual bullying behavior, and perceived popularity status were examined as potential moderators of socialization for moral disengagement within friendship networks. Self-report measures were used to assess moral disengagement, sociometric questions and a peer-nomination scale for friendship networks and bullying behavior, respectively. Longitudinal social network analysis (RSiena) was used to study change of moral disengagement in friendship networks during a 1-year interval. In early adolescence, friends were more likely to be similar to each other over time and this was explained only by influence processes and not by selection processes. Gender, bullying, and perceived popularity did not moderate the friends' influence on moral disengagement over time. Results indicate that self-justification processes change over time already in late childhood, but only in early adolescence this change is likely to be dependent upon peers' moral disengagement.

From Teachers to Students: What Influences Early Childhood Educators to Pursue College Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deutsch, Francine M.; Riffin, Catherine A.

2013-01-01

Underpaid and overworked, preschool teachers face multiple barriers in pursuing higher education. In the present study, we explored how logistical and financial barriers hinder early childhood education teachers and teacher's aides from taking college courses, as well as how academic self-concept and social support influence current enrollment.…

Individual risk factors for physician boundary violations: the role of attachment style, childhood trauma and maladaptive beliefs.

PubMed

MacDonald, Kai; Sciolla, Andrés F; Folsom, David; Bazzo, David; Searles, Chris; Moutier, Christine; Thomas, Michael L; Borton, Katherine; Norcross, Bill

2015-01-01

The assessment and remediation of boundary-challenged health care professionals is enhanced through examination of individual risk factors. We assessed three such factors - attachment style, childhood trauma and maladaptive beliefs - in 100 attendees (mostly physicians) of a continuing medical education (CME) professional boundaries course. We propose a theoretical model that draws a causal arc from childhood maltreatment through insecure attachment and maladaptive beliefs to elevated risk for boundary violations. We administered the Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire Revised (ECR-R), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) to 100 health care professionals attending a CME course on professional boundaries. Experts rated participant autobiographies to determine attachment style and early adversities. Correlations and relationships between self-ratings and expert ratings and among different risk factors were examined. One fifth of participants reported moderate to severe childhood abuse; sixty percent reported moderate to severe emotional neglect. Despite this, average attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were low, and more than half of participants were rated "secure" by experts. Childhood maltreatment was correlated with attachment anxiety and avoidance and predicted expert-rated insecure attachment and maladaptive beliefs. Our findings support a potential link between childhood adversity and boundary difficulties, partly mediated by insecure attachment and early maladaptive beliefs. Furthermore, these results suggest that boundary education programs and professional wellness programs may be enhanced with a focus on sequelae of childhood maltreatment, attachment and common maladaptive thinking patterns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DEVELOPMENT AND DISORDERS OF SPEECH IN CHILDHOOD.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KARLIN, ISAAC W.; AND OTHERS

THE GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ABNORMALITIES OF SPEECH IN CHILDHOOD ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS TEXT DESIGNED FOR PEDIATRICIANS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, EDUCATORS, MEDICAL STUDENTS, THERAPISTS, PATHOLOGISTS, AND PARENTS. THE NORMAL DEVELOPMENT OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IS DISCUSSED, INCLUDING THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF SPEECH IN MAN AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THE NORMAL…

Higher- and Lower-Order Factor Analyses of the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Kotelnikova, Yuliya; Olino, Thomas M.; Klein, Daniel N.; Mackrell, Sarah V.M.; Hayden, Elizabeth P.

2017-01-01

The Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire (TMCQ; Simonds & Rothbart, 2004) is a widely used parent-report measure of temperament. However, neither its lower- nor higher-order structures have been tested via a bottom-up, empirically based approach. We conducted higher- and lower-order exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) of the TMCQ in a large (N = 654) sample of 9-year-olds. Item-level EFAs identified 92 items as suitable (i.e., with loadings ≥.40) for constructing lower-order factors, only half of which resembled a TMCQ scale posited by the measure’s authors. Higher-order EFAs of the lower-order factors showed that a three-factor structure (Impulsivity/Negative Affectivity, Negative Affectivity, and Openness/Assertiveness) was the only admissible solution. Overall, many TMCQ items did not load well onto a lower-order factor. In addition, only three factors, which did not show a clear resemblance to Rothbart’s four-factor model of temperament in middle childhood, were needed to account for the higher-order structure of the TMCQ. PMID:27002124

Childhood Risk Factors for Early-Onset Drinking*

PubMed Central

Donovan, John E.; Molina, Brooke S. G.

2011-01-01

Objective: There is relatively little research on the childhood antecedent predictors of early-onset alcohol use. This study examined an array of psychosocial variables assessed at age 10 and reflecting Problem Behavior Theory as potential antecedent risk factors for the initiation of alcohol use at age 14 or younger. Method: A sample of 452 children (238 girls) ages 8 or 10 and their families was drawn from Allegheny County, PA, using targeted-age directory sampling and random-digit dialing procedures. Children and parents were interviewed using computer-assisted interviews. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the age-10 univariate and multivariate predictors of the initiation of alcohol use by age 14 or younger. Results: Twenty-five percent of the sample reported having more than a sip or a taste of alcohol in their life by age 14. Sex, race, and age cohort did not relate to early drinking status. Children with two parents were less likely to initiate drinking early. Early initiation of drinking related significantly to an array of antecedent risk factors (personality, social environment, and behavioral) assessed at age 10 that reflect psychosocial proneness for problem behavior. In the multivariate model, the variables most predictive of early-onset drinking were having a single parent, sipping or tasting alcohol by age 10, having parents who also started drinking at an early age, and parental drinking frequency. Conclusions: Initiation of alcohol use by age 14 reflects childhood psychosocial proneness to engage in problem behavior as measured by Problem Behavior Theory and having a family environment conducive to alcohol use. PMID:21906502

Child Care Exposure Influences Childhood Adiposity at 2 Years: Analysis from the ROLO Study.

PubMed

Scully, Helena; Alberdi, Goiuri; Segurado, Ricardo; McNamara, Aoife; Lindsay, Karen; Horan, Mary; Hennessy, Eilis; Gibney, Eileen; McAuliffe, Fionnuala

2017-04-01

The first 2 years of life are instrumental for childhood physical development. Factors contributing to childhood obesity are difficult to determine; child care exposure is one to consider, by influencing food preference and physical activity development. To investigate the association of child care exposure with adiposity at 2 years. Data were collected as part of the secondary analysis of the prospective ROLO study (randomized control trial of low glycemic index diet) in Dublin, Ireland. Mothers were recruited antenatally and followed up at 2 years postpartum. Maternal and childhood anthropometric data and lifestyle questionnaires, reporting on child care attendance (defined as nonparental care), exposure (weeks), and infant-feeding practices, were collected. Anthropometric measures and lifestyle data were collected for 273 mothers and children aged 2 years, 52.7% of whom attended child care. Child care was predominately provided by a nonrelative (83.7%), either in a crèche (57%) or by a childminder (26.7%). More than half (56.2%) of the children attended child care part-time (≤30 hours/week). Central adiposity measures (abdominal circumference, waist:height ratio) and total adiposity (sum of all skin folds) were significantly elevated in children with increasing time in child care. Children provided with "meals and snacks" had elevated adiposity measures versus those given "snacks or no food." No difference in the infant-feeding practices was identified between the child care groups. Children attending child care have higher total and central adiposity, proportional to exposure. More research is required to investigate this link to appropriately design health promotion and obesity prevention programs targeting children at 2 years.

Childhood risk factors in Korean women with anorexia nervosa: two sets of case-control studies with retrospective comparisons.

PubMed

Kim, Youl-Ri; Heo, Si Young; Kang, Heechan; Song, Ki Jun; Treasure, Janet

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the risk factors for anorexia nervosa (AN) in Korean women. Two sets of case-control comparisons were conducted, in which 52 women with lifetime AN from Seoul, S. Korea, were compared with 108 Korean healthy controls and also with 42 women with lifetime AN from the UK in terms of their childhood risk factors. A questionnaire designed to conduct a retrospective assessment of the childhood risk factors was administered to all participants. The Korean AN women were more likely to report premorbid anxiety, perfectionism, and emotional undereating and were less likely to report having supportive figures in their childhood than the Korean healthy controls. There were no overall differences in the childhood risk factors between the Korean and British women with AN. Premorbid anxiety, perfectionism, less social support, and emotional undereating merit attention as risk factors in Korean AN. The current results are informative, but an epidemiologically robust prospective case-control study would be needed to validate these findings. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Independent influences of excessive body weight and elevated blood pressure from childhood on left ventricular geometric remodeling in adulthood.

PubMed

Yan, Yinkun; Liu, Junting; Wang, Liang; Hou, Dongqing; Zhao, Xiaoyuan; Cheng, Hong; Mi, Jie

2017-09-15

Obesity and hypertension are two risk factors of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in adults. We aimed to examine the impacts of body weight and blood pressure (BP) from childhood on adult LV geometric remodeling. The study cohort consisted of 1256 adults aged 27-42years who had 2-10 measurements of body mass index (BMI) and BP from childhood in 1987 to adulthood in 2010. We calculated the cumulative and incremental values of BMI and BP from childhood to adulthood. In adulthood, four LV geometric patterns were defined based on the values of left ventricular mass index (g/m 2.7 ) and relative wall thickness: normal geometry, concentric remodeling (CR), eccentric hypertrophy (EH) and concentric hypertrophy (CH). The prevalence of abnormal LV geometric patterns in adults was 26.4% for CR, 2.0% for EH and 2.5% for CH. For childhood values, systolic BP (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.08-1.47) but not BMI (OR=1.06, 95%CI=0.93-1.18) was associated with adult CR, whereas BMI (OR=3.53, 95%CI=2.09-5.98) but not systolic BP (OR=1.04, 95%CI=0.65-1.66) was associated with adult EH. Both childhood BMI (OR=2.69, 95%CI=1.77-4.09) and systolic BP (OR=1.64, 95%CI=1.07-2.51) were independently associated with adult CH. For adulthood, cumulative and incremental values, BMI and systolic BP were independently associated with adult CR, EH and CH. Excessive body weight and elevated BP from childhood have independent influences on the development of adult LV geometric remodeling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the associations between childhood asthma and prenatal and perinatal factors.

PubMed

Kashanian, Maryam; Mohtashami, Seyyedeh Samaneh; Bemanian, Mohammad Hassan; Moosavi, Seyyed Ali Javad; Moradi Lakeh, Maziar

2017-06-01

To identify prenatal and perinatal risk factors for childhood asthma. A retrospective case-control study was undertaken among children aged 7-14 years in Tehran, Iran, between March 2009 and November 2014. Data for children with asthma (Iranian nationality, non-smoking parents, and middle-class socioeconomic status) were compared with those for an equal number of age- and sex-matched non-asthmatic children. Prenatal and perinatal risk factors were evaluated via complete data sheets of maternal pregnancy and delivery. Forward logistic regression analysis was performed. Both groups contained 134 children. Risk of asthma was shown to be associated with maternal history of asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 11.62, 95% confidence interval 1.38-96.93; P=0.024), vaginal bleeding during pregnancy (aOR 3.76, 95% CI 1.86-7.57; P<0.001), antibiotics during pregnancy (aOR 3.19, 95% CI 1.52-6.67; P=0.002), and maternal age 30 years or older (aOR 2.54, 95% CI 1.30-4.95; P=0.006). Breastfeeding was protective against childhood asthma (aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.151-0.575; P<0.001). History of maternal asthma was the most influential factor on development of childhood asthma, followed by vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, antibiotic exposure in utero, and older maternal age. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Utilizing an Early Childhood Science Curriculum: Factors Influencing Implementation and How Variations Affect Students' Skills and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamas-Brandt, Ellen

2012-01-01

Early childhood is a ripe time for students to begin learning science, but due to certain constraints, this instruction is not happening as frequently as it should. This mixed-methods, multiple case study examined how two teachers implemented an early childhood science curriculum, the "Young Scientist Series." The teacher participants…

Risk factors of non-specific spinal pain in childhood.

PubMed

Szita, Julia; Boja, Sara; Szilagyi, Agnes; Somhegyi, Annamaria; Varga, Peter Pal; Lazary, Aron

2018-05-01

Non-specific spinal pain can occur at all ages and current evidence suggests that pediatric non-specific spinal pain is predictive for adult spinal conditions. A 5-year long, prospective cohort study was conducted to identify the lifestyle and environmental factors leading to non-specific spinal pain in childhood. Data were collected from school children aged 7-16 years, who were randomly selected from three different geographic regions in Hungary. The risk factors were measured with a newly developed patient-reported questionnaire (PRQ). The quality of the instrument was assessed by the reliability with the test-retest method. Test (N = 952) and validity (N = 897) datasets were randomly formed. Risk factors were identified with uni- and multivariate logistic regression models and the predictive performance of the final model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method. The final model was built up by seven risk factors for spinal pain for days; age > 12 years, learning or watching TV for more than 2 h/day, uncomfortable school-desk, sleeping problems, general discomfort and positive familiar medical history (χ 2  = 101.07; df = 8; p < 0.001). The probabilistic performance was confirmed with ROC analysis on the test and validation cohorts (AUC = 0.76; 0.71). A simplified risk scoring system showed increasing possibility for non-specific spinal pain depending on the number of the identified risk factors (χ 2  = 65.0; df = 4; p < 0.001). Seven significant risk factors of non-specific spinal pain in childhood were identified using the new, easy to use and reliable PRQ which makes it possible to stratify the children according to their individual risk. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Direct and indirect influences of childhood abuse on depression symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Hayashi, Yumi; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Takagaki, Koki; Okada, Go; Toki, Shigeru; Inoue, Takeshi; Tanabe, Hajime; Kobayakawa, Makoto; Yamawaki, Shigeto

2015-10-14

It is known that the onset, progression, and prognosis of major depressive disorder are affected by interactions between a number of factors. This study investigated how childhood abuse, personality, and stress of life events were associated with symptoms of depression in depressed people. Patients with major depressive disorder (N = 113, 58 women and 55 men) completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Neuroticism Extroversion Openness Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS), and the Life Experiences Survey (LES), which are self-report scales. Results were analyzed with correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), by using SPSS AMOS 21.0. Childhood abuse directly predicted the severity of depression and indirectly predicted the severity of depression through the mediation of personality. Negative life change score of the LES was affected by childhood abuse, however it did not predict the severity of depression. This study is the first to report a relationship between childhood abuse, personality, adulthood life stresses and the severity of depression in depressed patients. Childhood abuse directly and indirectly predicted the severity of depression. These results suggest the need for clinicians to be receptive to the possibility of childhood abuse in patients suffering from depression. SEM is a procedure used for hypothesis modeling and not for causal modeling. Therefore, the possibility of developing more appropriate models that include other variables cannot be excluded.

An increase in circulating B cell-activating factor in childhood-onset ocular myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Motobayashi, Mitsuo; Inaba, Yuji; Nishimura, Takafumi; Kobayashi, Norimoto; Nakazawa, Yozo; Koike, Kenichi

2015-04-01

Myasthenia gravis is a B cell-mediated autoimmune disorder. The pathophysiology of childhood-onset ocular myasthenia gravis remains unclear. We investigated serum B cell-activating factor levels and other immunological parameters in child patients with ocular myasthenia gravis. Blood samples were obtained from 9 children with ocular myasthenia gravis and 20 age-matched controls. We assayed serum concentrations of B cell-activating factor, anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody titers, 7 types of cytokines (interleukins-2, -4, -6, -10, and -17A; interferon-γ; tumor necrosis factor-α) as well as the percentages of peripheral blood CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ cells. Serum B cell-activating factor levels were significantly higher before immunosuppressive therapy in patients with childhood-onset ocular myasthenia gravis than in controls and decreased after immunosuppressive therapy. A significant positive correlation was observed between serum B cell-activating factor levels and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody titers in patients with myasthenia gravis. Serum B cell-activating factor concentrations did not correlate with the percentages of CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ cells or the CD4+/CD8+ ratio. No significant differences were observed in the levels of the 7 different types of cytokines examined, including interleukin-17A, between preimmunosuppressive therapy myasthenia gravis patients and controls. Circulating B cell-activating factor may play a key role in the pathophysiology of childhood-onset ocular myasthenia gravis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood trauma and factors associated with depression among inpatients with cardiovascular disease

PubMed Central

Barreto, Felipe José Nascimento; Garcia, Frederico Duarte; Prado, Paulo Henrique Teixeira; Rocha, Paulo Marcos Brasil; Las Casas, Nádia Souza; Vallt, Felipe Barbosa; Correa, Humberto; Neves, Maila Castro Lourenço

2017-01-01

AIM To identify factors associated with depressive symptoms among inpatients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS This is a cross-sectional study performed in a subsample of a large cross-sectional research that investigated affective disorders and suicide behaviour among inpatients hospitalized in non-surgical wards of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Minas Gerais from November 2013 to October 2015. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through a structured interview and medical record review. Depression was assessed by the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, with scores ≥ 8 considered as positive screening for depression. We used the Fageström Test for Nicotine Dependence to characterize nicotine dependence. For assessing resilience and early-life trauma, we used the raw scores of the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS At endpoint, we included 137 subjects. Thirty-eight (27.7%) subjects presented depressive symptoms and nine (23.7%) of those were receiving antidepressant treatment during hospitalization. The female sex; a lower mean educational level; a greater prevalence of previous suicide attempts; a higher level of pain; a higher prevalence of family antecedents of mental disorders; a lower resilience score; and higher childhood trauma score were the factors significantly associated with screening positive for major depression (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the factors independently associated with the depressive symptoms were a higher childhood trauma severity (OR = 1.06; P = 0.004); moderate to severe nicotine dependence (OR = 8.58; P = 0.008); and the number of previous hospital admissions (OR = 1.11; P = 0.034). The obtained logistic model was considered valid, indicating that the three factors together distinguished between having or not depressive symptoms, and correctly classified 74.6% of individuals in

Factors influencing practice variation in the management of nephrotic syndrome: a qualitative study of pediatric nephrology care providers

PubMed Central

Samuel, Susan M.; Flynn, Rachel; Zappitelli, Michael; Dart, Allison; Parekh, Rulan; Pinsk, Maury; Mammen, Cherry; Wade, Andrew; Scott, Shannon D.

2017-01-01

Background: Treatment protocols for childhood nephrotic syndrome are highly variable between providers and care centres. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the complex multilevel processes that lead to practice variation and influence provider management of nephrotic syndrome. Methods: Focus groups with multidisciplinary pediatric nephrology care providers (n = 67) from 10 Canadian pediatric nephrology centres that had more than 1 pediatric nephrologist were conducted between September 2013 and April 2015. Focus group discussions were guided by the Ottawa Model for Research Use. We used a semistructured interview guide to elicit participants' perspectives regarding 1) the work setting and context of the clinical environment, 2) reasons for variation at the provider level and 3) clinical practice guidelines for nephrotic syndrome. Focus group discussions were transcribed and analyzed concurrently with the use of qualitative content analysis. Results: Emerging themes were grouped into 2 categories: centre-level factors and provider-level factors. At the centre level, the type of care model used, clinic structures and resources, and lack of communication and collaboration within and between Canadian centres influenced care variation. At the provider level, use of experiential knowledge versus empirical knowledge and interpretation of patient characteristics influenced provider management of nephrotic syndrome. Interpretation: Centre- and provider-level factors play an important role in shaping practice differences in the management of childhood nephrotic syndrome. Further research is needed to determine whether variation in care is associated with disparities in outcomes. PMID:28592406

Genetic and environmental influences on growth from late childhood to adulthood: a longitudinal study of two Finnish twin cohorts.

PubMed

Jelenkovic, Aline; Ortega-Alonso, Alfredo; Rose, Richard J; Kaprio, Jaakko; Rebato, Esther; Silventoinen, Karri

2011-01-01

Human growth is a complex process that remains insufficiently understood. We aimed to analyze genetic and environmental influences on growth from late childhood to early adulthood. Two cohorts of monozygotic and dizygotic (same sex and opposite sex) Finnish twin pairs were studied longitudinally using self-reported height at 11-12, 14, and 17 years and adult age (FinnTwin12) and at 16, 17, and 18 years and adult age (FinnTwin16). Univariate and multivariate variance component models for twin data were used. From childhood to adulthood, genetic differences explained 72-81% of the variation of height in boys and 65-86% in girls. Environmental factors common to co-twins explained 5-23% of the variation of height, with the residual variation explained by environmental factors unique to each twin individual. Common environmental factors affecting height were highly correlated between the analyzed ages (0.72-0.99 and 0.91-1.00 for boys and girls, respectively). Genetic (0.58-0.99 and 0.70-0.99, respectively) and unique environmental factors (0.32-0.78 and 0.54-0.82, respectively) affecting height at different ages were more weakly, but still substantially, correlated. The genetic contribution to height is strong during adolescence. The high genetic correlations detected across the ages encourage further efforts to identify genes affecting growth. Common and unique environmental factors affecting height during adolescence are also important, and further studies are necessary to identify their nature and test whether they interact with genetic factors. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1) is a sex-specific genetic determinant of childhood-onset asthma and is expressed in testis and macrophages.

PubMed

Schieck, Maximilian; Schouten, Jan P; Michel, Sven; Suttner, Kathrin; Toncheva, Antoaneta A; Gaertner, Vincent D; Illig, Thomas; Lipinski, Simone; Franke, Andre; Klintschar, Michael; Kalayci, Omer; Sahiner, Umit M; Birben, Esra; Melén, Erik; Pershagen, Göran; Freidin, Maxim B; Ogorodova, Ludmila M; Granell, Raquel; Henderson, John; Brunekreef, Bert; Smit, Henriëtte A; Vogelberg, Christian; von Berg, Andrea; Bufe, Albrecht; Heinzmann, Andrea; Laub, Otto; Rietschel, Ernst; Simma, Burkhard; Genuneit, Jon; Jonigk, Danny; Postma, Dirkje S; Koppelman, Gerard H; Vonk, Judith M; Timens, Wim; Boezen, H Marike; Kabesch, Michael

2016-08-01

Asthma is a disease affecting more boys than girls in childhood and more women than men in adulthood. The mechanisms behind these sex-specific differences are not yet understood. We analyzed whether and how genetic factors contribute to sex-specific predisposition to childhood-onset asthma. Interactions between sex and polymorphisms on childhood asthma risk were evaluated in the Multicentre Asthma Genetics in Childhood Study (MAGICS)/Phase II International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC II) population on a genome-wide level, and findings were validated in independent populations. Genetic fine mapping of sex-specific asthma association signals was performed, and putatively causal polymorphisms were characterized in vitro by using electrophoretic mobility shift and luciferase activity assays. Gene and protein expression of the identified gene doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1) were measured in different human tissues by using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Polymorphisms in the testis-associated gene DMRT1 displayed interactions with sex on asthma status in a population of primarily clinically defined asthmatic children and nonasthmatic control subjects (lowest P = 5.21 × 10(-6)). Replication of this interaction was successful in 2 childhood populations clinically assessed for asthma but showed heterogeneous results in other population-based samples. Polymorphism rs3812523 located in the putative DMRT1 promoter was associated with allele-specific changes in transcription factor binding and promoter activity in vitro. DMRT1 expression was observed not only in the testis but also in lung macrophages. DMRT1 might influence sex-specific patterns of childhood asthma, and its expression in testis tissue and lung macrophages suggests a potential involvement in hormone or immune cell regulation. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All rights reserved.

A call for research exploring social media influences on mothers' child feeding practices and childhood obesity risk.

PubMed

Doub, Allison E; Small, Meg; Birch, Leann L

2016-04-01

There is increasing interest in leveraging social media to prevent childhood obesity, however, the evidence base for how social media currently influences related behaviors and how interventions could be developed for these platforms is lacking. This commentary calls for research on the extent to which mothers use social media to learn about child feeding practices and the mechanisms through which social media influences their child feeding practices. Such formative research could be applied to the development and dissemination of evidence-based childhood obesity prevention programs that utilize social media. Mothers are identified as a uniquely important target audience for social media-based interventions because of their proximal influence on children's eating behavior and their high engagement with social media platforms. Understanding mothers' current behaviors, interests, and needs as they relate to their social media use and child feeding practices is an integral first step in the development of interventions that aim to engage mothers for obesity prevention. This commentary highlights the importance of mothers for childhood obesity prevention; discusses theoretical and analytic frameworks that can inform research on social media and mothers' child feeding practices; provides evidence that social media is an emerging context for social influences on mothers' attitudes and behaviors in which food is a salient topic; and suggests directions for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tackling childhood obesity: the importance of understanding the context.

PubMed

Knai, Cécile; McKee, Martin

2010-12-01

Recommendations to tackle major health problems such as childhood obesity may not be appropriate if they fail to take account of the prevailing socio-political, cultural and economic context. We describe the development and application of a qualitative risk analysis approach to identify non-scientific considerations framing the policy response to obesity in Denmark and Latvia. Interviews conducted with key stakeholders in Denmark and Latvia, undertaken following a review of relevant literature on obesity and national policies. A qualitative risk analysis model was developed to help explain the findings in the light of national context. Non-scientific considerations that appeared to influence the response to obesity include the perceived relative importance of childhood obesity; the nature of stakeholder relations and its impact on decision-making; the place of obesity on the policy agenda; the legitimacy of the state to act for population health and views on alliances between public and private sectors. Better recognition of the exogenous factors affecting policy-making may lead to a more adequate policy response. The development and use of a qualitative risk analysis model enabled a better understanding of the contextual factors and processes influencing the response to childhood obesity in each country.

Consistency in adult reporting of adverse childhood experiences.

PubMed

Colman, I; Kingsbury, M; Garad, Y; Zeng, Y; Naicker, K; Patten, S; Jones, P B; Wild, T C; Thompson, A H

2016-02-01

Many studies have used retrospective reports to assess the long-term consequences of early life stress. However, current individual characteristics and experiences may bias the recall of these reports. In particular, depressed mood may increase the likelihood of recall of negative experiences. The aim of the study was to assess whether specific factors are associated with consistency in the reporting of childhood adverse experiences. The sample comprised 7466 adults from Canada's National Population Health Survey who had reported on seven childhood adverse experiences in 1994/1995 and 2006/2007. Logistic regression was used to explore differences between those who consistently reported adverse experiences and those whose reports were inconsistent. Among those retrospectively reporting on childhood traumatic experiences in 1994/1995 and 2006/2007, 39% were inconsistent in their reports of these experiences. The development of depression, increasing levels of psychological distress, as well as increasing work and chronic stress were associated with an increasing likelihood of reporting a childhood adverse experience in 2006/2007 that had not been previously reported. Increases in mastery were associated with reduced likelihood of new reporting of a childhood adverse experience in 2006/2007. The development of depression and increases in chronic stress and psychological distress were also associated with reduced likelihood of 'forgetting' a previously reported event. Concurrent mental health factors may influence the reporting of traumatic childhood experiences. Studies that use retrospective reporting to estimate associations between childhood adversity and adult outcomes associated with mental health may be biased.

Prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity and associated factors in Peru.

PubMed

Preston, Emma C; Ariana, Proochista; Penny, Mary E; Frost, Melanie; Plugge, Emma

2015-12-01

To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with childhood overweight and obesity among a cohort of children 7-8 years of age in Peru. This was a cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from the Young Lives longitudinal study of childhood poverty. The sample was a cohort of 1 737 children 7-8 years of age in 2009. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was assessed using body mass index-forage Z-scores. Logistic regression was used to determine associations with a number of individual, household, and community factors. Prevalences of overweight and obesity were 19.2% and 8.6%, respectively. A prevalence of 32.0% and 23.5% overweight and obesity was found among males and females, respectively. High socioeconomic status, living in Lima, having a mother who was overweight or obese, being male, and being an only child or having only one sibling were associated with being overweight and obese at this age. This study shows a high prevalence of childhood and maternal overweight and obesity in Peru. In contrast to findings in many high-income countries, the findings in Peru indicate that children from wealthier households were more likely to be overweight or obese than those from poorer households. In addition, there is something particularly obesogenic about the Lima environment that merits further investigation, and several key issues to consider when targeting future interventions and research.

Media framing and construction of childhood obesity: a content analysis of Swedish newspapers.

PubMed

van Hooft, J; Patterson, C; Löf, M; Alexandrou, C; Hilton, S; Nimegeer, A

2018-02-01

Despite lower prevalence than most European countries, childhood obesity is a Swedish public health priority due to its lasting health impacts and socioeconomic patterning. Mass media content influences public and political perceptions of health issues, and media framing of childhood obesity may influence perceptions of its solutions. This study examines framing of childhood obesity in Swedish morning and evening newspapers from 1996 to 2014. Content analysis of 726 articles about childhood obesity published in the five most-circulated Swedish newspapers. Article content coded quantitatively and subjected to statistical analysis, describing relationships between themes and trends over time. Childhood obesity was consistently problematised, primarily in health terms, and linked to socio-economic and geographical factors. The yearly frequency of articles peaked in 2004, followed by a decline, corresponding with evidence about prevalence. Childhood obesity was framed as being driven by individual behaviours more frequently than structural or environmental factors. Structural framings increased over time, but constructions of the problem as driven by individual behaviours, particularly parenting, remained prominent. A relative growth in structural framings of causes and solutions over time, combined with prominent coverage of socio-economic inequalities, might be indicative of public and political amenability towards societal-level solutions, but individual behaviours remain prominent in framing of the issue. Health advocates might incorporate these insights into media engagement.

Factors influencing parental readiness to let their child with cancer die.

PubMed

Kars, Marijke C; Grypdonck, Mieke H F; Beishuizen, Auke; Meijer-van den Bergh, Esther M M; van Delden, Johannes J M

2010-07-01

One in four cases of childhood cancer is incurable. In these cases death can usually be anticipated and therefore preceded by a phase of palliative care. For parents, preparing to let their child die is an extraordinarily painful process. Most struggle to preserve their child. This study identified, from a parental perspective, the main factors that influence the transition from preserving life to letting go. A multi-centre, qualitative research, study was undertaken during the end-of-life (EoL) phase, comprising single or repeated interviews with 44 parents of 23 children with incurable cancer. We discovered that uncertainty, fragmentation and anxiety underpin the preserving life perspective. A perspective of letting go could be supported by a variety of factors. These included: Certainty that the child cannot be cured, postponed grief, the perception of suffering, the ability to disentangle needs and the ability to parent meaningfully. Hope, creating a peaceful parent-child relationship, and the attitude of professionals, could support movements in either direction. Of these, certainty, and in most cases postponed grief, were pre-conditions for the transition towards letting go. Strategies such as not challenging the parents' suppression of grief, creating certainty about the child's condition and supporting parents in efforts to redefine their parental role, supported progress towards accepting a letting go perspective. Parents' internal struggle between a preserving frame of mind and one of letting go is influenced by a combination of factors. However, professionals can influence some of these factors in order to facilitate this transition. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Prevalence and influencing factors on psychological violence from parents to child].

PubMed

Chen, J Q; Jin, Y C; Li, J Y; Feng, Y N; Zhao, X X; Yu, B Y; Zhang, W J

2016-02-01

To investigate the prevalence of psychological violence against children by parents and to explore possible influencing factors. In two primary schools from a city, located in the northeast part of China, 1 164 parents of the pupils from grade 1 to 6, were anonymously surveyed by a self-administered questionnaire, to analyze the situation of psychological violence and influencing factors. Of the 1 164 parents, 78.1% reported that they practised psychological violence towards their children. Compared with girls, boys were more psychologically maltreated by their parents (81.3% vs. 74.7%,P<0.01). Data from the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that following factors increased the risk of psychological violence against children: child being male (OR=1.684); initiated by the mother (OR=1.640), parents experiences of psychologically violent victimization (OR=2.064) during their childhood, supportive or tolerant attitudes towards corporal punishment (OR=2.618) from the parents, low awareness of the harmfulness of psychological violence against children (OR=1.666) of the parents, and lower social economic status (OR=1.745) of the family, etc. Psychological violence experienced by the parents appeared very common. Prevention programs on psychological violence should be strengthened to increase the awareness of parents on this serious problem.

Socio-behavioural factors and early childhood caries: a cross-sectional study of preschool children in central Trinidad.

PubMed

Naidu, Rahul; Nunn, June; Kelly, Alan

2013-07-09

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a public health problem due to its impact on children's health, development and well being. Little is known about early childhood oral health in the West Indies or the influence of social and behavioural factors on the prevalence and severity of early childhood caries in this preschool population. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence and severity of ECC in preschool children in a region of central Trinidad and to explore its relationship with social and behavioural factors. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken on children aged 3-5 years-old from a random sample of preschools in central Trinidad. Oral health examinations were conducted for children for whom parental consent was given, using WHO criteria (visual diagnosis / cavitation at d3). A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to all parents and caregivers. Variables included socio-demographics, oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, visible caries experience and treatment need. 251 children were examined, 50.2% were male with a mean age of 3.7 years (SD 0.67) and 71% were of Indian ethnicity. The prevalence of ECC was 29.1% and the prevalence of severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) was 17.5%. 29.9% of children had some treatment need, with 12% in need of urgent care or referral. Poisson generalized linear mixed model analysis found a higher rate of visible caries experience for children who ate sweet snacks more than twice a day (p < 0.001), had poorer parental dental health ratings (p < 0.0001), a previous dental visit (p < 0.0001) and difficulty finding dental care (p < 0.001). The prevalence and severity of ECC in central Trinidad was related to oral health behaviours and access to dental care. Oral health promotion should include more supportive and practical advice for parents and caregivers of preschool children along with improved access to dental care to enable primary prevention and management of ECC.

Early Risk Factors of Overweight Developmental Trajectories during Middle Childhood

PubMed Central

Pryor, Laura E.; Brendgen, Mara; Tremblay, Richard E.; Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Liu, Xuecheng; Dubois, Lise; Touchette, Evelyne; Falissard, Bruno; Boivin, Michel; Côté, Sylvana M.

2015-01-01

Background Research is needed to identify early life risk factors associated with different developmental paths leading to overweight by adolescence. Objectives To model heterogeneity in overweight development during middle childhood and identify factors associated with differing overweight trajectories. Methods Data was drawn from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD; 1998-2010). Trained research assistants measured height and weight according to a standardized protocol and conducted yearly home interviews with the child’s caregiver (mother in 98% of cases). Information on several putative early life risk factors for the development of overweight were obtained, including factors related to the child’s perinatal, early behavioral family and social environment. Group-based trajectories of the probability of overweight (6-12 years) were identified with a semiparametric method (n=1678). Logistic regression analyses were used to identify early risk factors (5 months- 5 years) associated with each trajectory. Results Three trajectories of overweight were identified: “early-onset overweight” (11.0 %), “late-onset overweight” (16.6%) and “never overweight” (72.5%). Multinomial analyses indicated that children in the early and late-onset group, compared to the never overweight group, had 3 common types of risk factors: parental overweight, preschool overweight history, and large size for gestational age. Maternal overprotection (OR= 1.12, CI: 1.01-1.25), short nighttime sleep duration (OR=1.66, CI: 1.07-2.57), and immigrant status (OR=2.01, CI: 1.05-3.84) were factors specific to the early-onset group. Finally, family food insufficiency (OR=1.81, CI: 1.00-3.28) was weakly associated with membership in the late-onset trajectory group. Conclusions The development of overweight in childhood follows two different trajectories, which have common and distinct risk factors that could be the target of early preventive interventions. PMID

Childhood Psychosocial Cumulative Risks and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

PubMed Central

Hakulinen, Christian; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Elovainio, Marko; Kubzansky, Laura D.; Jokela, Markus; Hintsanen, Mirka; Juonala, Markus; Kivimäki, Mika; Josefsson, Kim; Hutri-Kähönen, Nina; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Raitakari, Olli T

2015-01-01

Objective Adverse experiences in childhood may influence cardiovascular risk in adulthood. We examined the prospective associations between types of psychosocial adversity as well as having multiple adversities (e.g., cumulative risk) with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and its progression among young adults. Higher cumulative risk score in childhood was expected to be associated with higher IMT and its progression. Methods Participants were 2265 men and women (age range: 24-39 years in 2001) from the on-going Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study whose carotid IMT were measured in 2001 and 2007. A cumulative psychosocial risk score, assessed at the study baseline in 1980, was derived from four separate aspects of the childhood environment that may impose risk (childhood stressful life-events, parental health behavior family, socioeconomic status, and childhood emotional environment). Results The cumulative risk score was associated with higher IMT in 2007 (b=.004; se=.001; p<.001) and increased IMT progression from 2001 to 2007 (b=.003; se=.001; p=.001). The associations were robust to adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and adulthood, including adulthood health behavior, adulthood socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms. Among the individual childhood psychosocial risk categories, having more stressful life-events was associated with higher IMT in 2001 (b=.007; se=.003; p=.016) and poorer parental health behavior predicted higher IMT in 2007 (b=.004; se=.002; p=.031) after adjustment for age, sex and childhood cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions Early life psychosocial environment influences cardiovascular risk later in life and considering cumulative childhood risk factors may be more informative than individual factors in predicting progression of preclinical atherosclerosis in adulthood. PMID:26809108

Childhood Psychosocial Cumulative Risks and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

PubMed

Hakulinen, Christian; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Elovainio, Marko; Kubzansky, Laura D; Jokela, Markus; Hintsanen, Mirka; Juonala, Markus; Kivimäki, Mika; Josefsson, Kim; Hutri-Kähönen, Nina; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Raitakari, Olli T

2016-01-01

Adverse experiences in childhood may influence cardiovascular risk in adulthood. We examined the prospective associations between types of psychosocial adversity and having multiple adversities (e.g., cumulative risk) with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and its progression among young adults. Higher cumulative risk score in childhood was expected to be associated with higher IMT and its progression. Participants were 2265 men and women (age range, 24-39 years in 2001) from the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study whose carotid IMTs were measured in 2001 and 2007. A cumulative psychosocial risk score, assessed at the study baseline in 1980, was derived from four separate aspects of the childhood environment that may impose risk (childhood stressful life events, parental health behavior family, socioeconomic status, and childhood emotional environment). The cumulative risk score was associated with higher IMT in 2007 (b = 0.004, standard error [SE] = 0.001, p < .001) and increased IMT progression from 2001 to 2007 (b = 0.003, SE = 0.001, p = .001). The associations were robust to adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and adulthood, including adulthood health behavior, adulthood socioeconomic status, and depressive symptoms. Among the individual childhood psychosocial risk categories, having more stressful life events was associated with higher IMT in 2001 (b = 0.007, SE = 0.003, p = .016) and poorer parental health behavior predicted higher IMT in 2007 (b = 0.004, SE = 0.002, p = .031) after adjustment for age, sex, and childhood cardiovascular risk factors. Early life psychosocial environment influences cardiovascular risk later in life, and considering cumulative childhood risk factors may be more informative than individual factors in predicting progression of preclinical atherosclerosis in adulthood.

Analysis of factors influencing the overall effect of racecadotril on childhood acute diarrhea. Results from a real-world and post-authorization surveillance study in Venezuela.

PubMed

Chacón, Jose

2010-07-21

Drug efficacy might differ from clinical trial results when performed in clinical daily conditions. Therefore, it is mandatory to conduct trials about effectiveness to improve external validity. This post-authorization, open-label, noncontrolled, prospective, multicenter, observational, and naturalistic trial was designed to search for factors influencing the racecadotril overall effect on childhood acute watery diarrhea in a real-world setting of Venezuela. There were 3,873 children with acute watery diarrhea treated with racecadotril, an enkephalin breakdown blocker plus oral rehydration therapy by 97 pediatricians. Evaluations were carried out daily until emission of two consecutive formed stools or absence of watery bowel movements for 24 hours. The primary end-point was time-to-relief, defined as the time from first racecadotril dose to the last watery bowel movement time. Age, gender, nursing type, nursing status during diarrhea, diarrhea severity, and co-medication were considered as factors in the statistical analysis. The primary end-point was evaluated by factors using UNIANOVA, and post-hoc tests were done. A multiple regression analysis was carried out to identify factors affecting drug performance, racecadotril effectiveness and tolerability overall assessment was searched by physicians and patients, and inter-observer agreement was evaluated by kappa statistics. The mean time-to-relief was 18.5 +/- 12.5 hours [95% confidence interval 17.9-19.0] and the diarrhea severity was the only variable with significant and independent weight on racecadotril effectiveness explaining 23% of time-to-relief variance, but even in severe diarrhea cases this time was less than 24 hours. High agreement about satisfactory perception on effectiveness and tolerability was reached among physicians and patients. In conclusion, the racecadotril overall effect, evaluated in a real-world setting of Venezuela, was in agreement with results of some earlier controlled trials. It

Analysis of factors influencing the overall effect of racecadotril on childhood acute diarrhea. Results from a real-world and post-authorization surveillance study in Venezuela

PubMed Central

Chacón, Jose

2010-01-01

Drug efficacy might differ from clinical trial results when performed in clinical daily conditions. Therefore, it is mandatory to conduct trials about effectiveness to improve external validity. This post-authorization, open-label, noncontrolled, prospective, multicenter, observational, and naturalistic trial was designed to search for factors influencing the racecadotril overall effect on childhood acute watery diarrhea in a real-world setting of Venezuela. There were 3,873 children with acute watery diarrhea treated with racecadotril, an enkephalin breakdown blocker plus oral rehydration therapy by 97 pediatricians. Evaluations were carried out daily until emission of two consecutive formed stools or absence of watery bowel movements for 24 hours. The primary end-point was time-to-relief, defined as the time from first racecadotril dose to the last watery bowel movement time. Age, gender, nursing type, nursing status during diarrhea, diarrhea severity, and co-medication were considered as factors in the statistical analysis. The primary end-point was evaluated by factors using UNIANOVA, and post-hoc tests were done. A multiple regression analysis was carried out to identify factors affecting drug performance, racecadotril effectiveness and tolerability overall assessment was searched by physicians and patients, and inter-observer agreement was evaluated by kappa statistics. The mean time-to-relief was 18.5 ± 12.5 hours [95% confidence interval 17.9–19.0] and the diarrhea severity was the only variable with significant and independent weight on racecadotril effectiveness explaining 23% of time-to-relief variance, but even in severe diarrhea cases this time was less than 24 hours. High agreement about satisfactory perception on effectiveness and tolerability was reached among physicians and patients. In conclusion, the racecadotril overall effect, evaluated in a real-world setting of Venezuela, was in agreement with results of some earlier controlled trials. It

Individual risk factors for physician boundary violations: the role of attachment style, childhood trauma and maladaptive beliefs.

PubMed

MacDonald, Kai; Sciolla, Andrés F; Folsom, David; Bazzo, David; Searles, Chris; Moutier, Christine; Thomas, Michael L; Borton, Katherine; Norcross, Bill

2015-01-01

The assessment and remediation of boundary-challenged healthcare professionals is enhanced through examination of individual risk factors. We assessed three such factors--attachment style, childhood trauma and maladaptive beliefs--in 100 attendees (mostly physicians) of a CME professional boundaries course. We propose a theoretical model which draws a causal arc from childhood maltreatment through insecure attachment and maladaptive beliefs to elevated risk for boundary violations. We administered the Experiences in Close Relationship Questionnaire (ECR-R), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) to 100 healthcare professionals (mostly physicians) attending a CME course on professional boundaries. Experts rated participant autobiographies to determine attachment style and early adversities. Correlations and relationships among self- and expert ratings and between different risk factors were examined. Five percent of participants reported CTQ total scores in the moderate to severe range; eleven percent reported moderate to severe emotional neglect or emotional abuse. Average attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were low, and more than half of participants were rated “secure” by experts. Childhood maltreatment was correlated with attachment anxiety and avoidance and predicted expert-rated insecure attachment and maladaptive beliefs. Our findings support a potential link between childhood adversity and boundary difficulties, partly mediated by insecure attachment and early maladaptive beliefs. Furthermore, these results suggest that boundary education programs and professional wellness programs may be enhanced with a focus on sequelae of childhood maltreatment, attachment and common maladaptive thinking patterns.

Adults' Memories of Childhood: True and False Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qin, Jianjian; Ogle, Christin M.; Goodman, Gail S.

2008-01-01

In 3 experiments, the authors examined factors that, according to the source-monitoring framework, might influence false memory formation and true/false memory discernment. In Experiment 1, combined effects of warning and visualization on false childhood memory formation were examined, as were individual differences in true and false childhood…

Parents' help-seeking behaviours during acute childhood illness at home: A contribution to explanatory theory.

PubMed

Neill, Sarah J; Jones, Caroline H D; Lakhanpaul, Monica; Roland, Damian T; Thompson, Matthew J

2016-03-01

Uncertainty and anxiety surround parents' decisions to seek medical help for an acutely ill child. Consultation rates for children are rising, yet little is known about factors that influence parents' help-seeking behaviours. We used focus groups and interviews to examine how 27 parents of children under five years, from a range of socioeconomic groups in the East Midlands of England, use information to make decisions during acute childhood illness at home. This article reports findings elucidating factors that influence help-seeking behaviours. Parents reported that decision-making during acute childhood illness was influenced by a range of personal, social and health service factors. Principal among these was parents' concern to do the right thing for their child. Their ability to assess the severity of the illness was influenced by knowledge and experience of childhood illness. When parents were unable to access their general practitioner (GP), feared criticism from or had lost trust in their GP, some parents reported using services elsewhere such as Accident and Emergency. These findings contribute to explanatory theory concerning parents' help-seeking behaviours. Professional and political solutions have not reduced demand; therefore, collaborative approaches involving the public and professionals are now needed to improve parents' access to information. © The Author(s) 2014.

Sibling Influences on Gender Development in Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Helms- Erikson, Heather; Crouter, Ann C.

2001-01-01

Examined development of gender role qualities from middle childhood to early adolescence to determine whether children's gender role qualities predicted siblings'. Found that firstborn children's qualities in Year 1 predicted second-born children's qualities in Year 3 when Year 1 parent and child qualities were controlled. Parental influence was…

Childhood circumstances and anthropometry: the Boyd Orr cohort.

PubMed

Whitley, Elise; Gunnell, David; Davey Smith, George; Holly, Jeff M P; Martin, Richard M

2008-01-01

Childhood environment is known to affect stature in childhood and adulthood. Peak growth for different anthropometric measures occurs at different times and so associations with childhood conditions that vary across different components of stature may indicate periods of growth that are particularly influenced by environmental factors. The study examined relationships between anthropometric measurements (foot length, shoulder breadth, height, trunk and leg length) and childhood exposures (breast-feeding, birth order, household income, household food expenditure, social class, crowding, number of children in the household, and household diet) in 2376 members of the Boyd Orr cohort aged 2-14 years. All childhood exposures were associated with childhood anthropometric measures to some degree. In multivariable models, the most consistent relationships were positive associations of anthropometric measures with ever being breast-fed, decreasing number of children in the household and, in boys, increasing household income. There was a steadily decreasing gradient in the strength of associations across different anthropometric measures; the strongest were observed with height followed by leg length, foot length, trunk and shoulder breadth. The individual components of stature most strongly associated with childhood environment in this age group were leg and foot length.

The influence of genetic variation on late toxicities in childhood cancer survivors: A review.

PubMed

Clemens, E; van der Kooi, A L F; Broer, L; van Dulmen-den Broeder, E; Visscher, H; Kremer, L; Tissing, W; Loonen, J; Ronckers, C M; Pluijm, S M F; Neggers, S J C M M; Zolk, O; Langer, T; Zehnhoff-Dinnesen, A Am; Wilson, C L; Hudson, M M; Carleton, B; Laven, J S E; Uitterlinden, A G; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M M

2018-06-01

The variability in late toxicities among childhood cancer survivors (CCS) is only partially explained by treatment and baseline patient characteristics. Inter-individual variability in the association between treatment exposure and risk of late toxicity suggests that genetic variation possibly modifies this association. We reviewed the available literature on genetic susceptibility of late toxicity after childhood cancer treatment related to components of metabolic syndrome, bone mineral density, gonadal impairment and hearing impairment. A systematic literature search was performed, using Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases. Eligible publications included all English language reports of candidate gene studies and genome wide association studies (GWAS) that aimed to identify genetic risk factors associated with the four late toxicities, defined as toxicity present after end of treatment. Twenty-seven articles were identified, including 26 candidate gene studies: metabolic syndrome (n = 6); BMD (n = 6); gonadal impairment (n = 2); hearing impairment (n = 12) and one GWAS (metabolic syndrome). Eighty percent of the genetic studies on late toxicity after childhood cancer had relatively small sample sizes (n < 200), leading to insufficient power, and lacked adjustment for multiple comparisons. Only four (4/26 = 15%) candidate gene studies had their findings validated in independent replication cohorts as part of their own report. Genetic susceptibility associations are not consistent or not replicated and therefore, currently no evidence-based recommendations can be made for hearing impairment, gonadal impairment, bone mineral density impairment and metabolic syndrome in CCS. To advance knowledge related to genetic variation influencing late toxicities among CCS, future studies need adequate power, independent cohorts for replication, harmonization of disease outcomes and sample collections, and

Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: Onset, Developmental Course and Risk Factors during Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cote, Sylvana M.; Boivin, Michel; Liu, Xuecheng; Nagin, Daniel S.; Zoccolillo, Mark; Tremblay, Richard E.

2009-01-01

Background: Depressive and anxiety disorders are among the top ten leading causes of disabilities. We know little, however, about the onset, developmental course and early risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms (DAS). Objective: Model the developmental trajectories of DAS during early childhood and to identify risk factors for atypically…

Double disadvantage: the influence of childhood maltreatment and community violence exposure on adolescent mental health.

PubMed

Cecil, Charlotte A M; Viding, Essi; Barker, Edward D; Guiney, Jo; McCrory, Eamon J

2014-07-01

Childhood maltreatment is a key risk factor for maladjustment and psychopathology. Although maltreated youth are more likely to experience community violence, both forms of adversity are generally examined separately. Consequently, little is known about the unique and interactive effects that characterize maltreatment and community violence exposure (CVE) on mental health. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was applied to data from a community sample of high-risk adolescents and young adults (n = 204, M = 18.85) to categorize groups of participants with similar patterns of childhood (i.e. past) maltreatment exposure. Associations between childhood maltreatment, CVE and mental health outcomes were then explored using multivariate regression and moderation analyses. Latent Profile Analysis identified three groups of individuals with low, moderate and severe levels of childhood maltreatment. Maltreatment was associated with more internalizing, externalizing, and trauma-related symptoms. By contrast, CVE showed independent associations with only externalizing and trauma-related symptoms. Typically, childhood maltreatment and CVE exerted additive effects; however, these forms of adversity interacted to predict levels of anger. Exposure to maltreatment and community violence is associated with increased levels of clinical symptoms. However, while maltreatment is associated with increased symptoms across a broad range of mental health domains, the impact of community violence is more constrained, suggesting that these environmental risk factors differentially impact mental health functioning. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The Childhood Leukemia International Consortium

PubMed Central

Metayer, Catherine; Milne, Elizabeth; Clavel, Jacqueline; Infante-Rivard, Claire; Petridou, Eleni; Taylor, Malcolm; Schüz, Joachim; Spector, Logan G.; Dockerty, John D.; Magnani, Corrado; Pombo-de-Oliveira, Maria S.; Sinnett, Daniel; Murphy, Michael; Roman, Eve; Monge, Patricia; Ezzat, Sameera; Mueller, Beth A.; Scheurer, Michael E.; Armstrong, Bruce K.; Birch, Jill; Kaatsch, Peter; Koifman, Sergio; Lightfoot, Tracy; Bhatti, Parveen; Bondy, Melissa L.; Rudant, Jérémie; O’Neill, Kate; Miligi, Lucia; Dessypris, Nick; Kang, Alice Y.; Buffler, Patricia A.

2013-01-01

Background Acute leukemia is the most common cancer in children under 15 years of age; 80% are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 17% are acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Childhood leukemia shows further diversity based on cytogenetic and molecular characteristics, which may relate to distinct etiologies. Case–control studies conducted worldwide, particularly of ALL, have collected a wealth of data on potential risk factors and in some studies, biospecimens. There is growing evidence for the role of infectious/immunologic factors, fetal growth, and several environmental factors in the etiology of childhood ALL. The risk of childhood leukemia, like other complex diseases, is likely to be influenced both by independent and interactive effects of genes and environmental exposures. While some studies have analyzed the role of genetic variants, few have been sufficiently powered to investigate gene–environment interactions. Objectives The Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC) was established in 2007 to promote investigations of rarer exposures, gene–environment interactions and subtype-specific associations through the pooling of data from independent studies. Methods By September 2012, CLIC included 22 studies (recruitment period: 1962–present) from 12 countries, totaling approximately 31 000 cases and 50 000 controls. Of these, 19 case–control studies have collected detailed epidemiologic data, and DNA samples have been collected from children and child–parent trios in 15 and 13 of these studies, respectively. Two registry-based studies and one study comprising hospital records routinely obtained at birth and/or diagnosis have limited interview data or biospecimens. Conclusions CLIC provides a unique opportunity to fill gaps in knowledge about the role of environmental and genetic risk factors, critical windows of exposure, the effects of gene–environment interactions and associations among specific leukemia subtypes in different ethnic

Genetic and environmental influences on Anxious/Depression during childhood: a study from the Netherlands Twin Register.

PubMed

Boomsma, D I; van Beijsterveldt, C E M; Hudziak, J J

2005-11-01

For a large sample of twin pairs from the Netherlands Twins Register who were recruited at birth and followed through childhood, we obtained parental ratings of Anxious/Depression (A/D). Maternal ratings were obtained at ages 3 years (for 9025 twin pairs), 5 years (9222 pairs), 7 years (7331 pairs), 10 years (4430 pairs) and 12 years (2363 pairs). For 60-90% of the pairs, father ratings were also available. Multivariate genetic models were used to test for rater-independent and rater-specific assessments of A/D and to determine the genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in A/D at different ages. At all ages, monozygotic twins resembled each other more closely for A/D than dizygotic twins, implying genetic influences on variation in A/D. Opposite sex twin pairs resembled each other to same extent as same-sex dizygotic twins, suggesting that the same genes are expressed in boys and girls. Heritability estimates for rater-independent A/D were high in 3-year olds (76%) and decreased in size as children grew up [60% at age 5, 67% at age 7, 53% at age 10 (60% in boys) and 48% at age 12 years]. The decrease in genetic influences was accompanied by an increase in the influence of the shared family environment [absent at ages 3 and 7, 16% at age 5, 20% at age 10 (5% in boys) and 18% at age 12 years]. The agreement between parental A/D ratings was between 0.5 and 0.7, with somewhat higher correlations for the youngest group. Disagreement in ratings between the parents was not merely the result of unreliability or rater bias. Both the parents provided unique information from their own perspective on the behavior of their children. Significant influences of genetic and shared environmental factors were found for the unique parental views. At all ages, the contribution of shared environmental factors to variation in rater-specific views was higher for father ratings. Also, at all ages except age 12, the heritability estimates for the rater

Prognostic factors for early severity in a childhood multiple sclerosis cohort.

PubMed

Mikaeloff, Yann; Caridade, Guillaume; Assi, Saada; Suissa, Samy; Tardieu, Marc

2006-09-01

The goal was to identify prognostic factors for an early severe course in a cohort of patients with childhood-onset multiple sclerosis, for the construction of a predictive tool. The cohort consisted of 197 children from the French Kid Sclérose en Plaques neuropediatric cohort with relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis beginning before the age of 16 years. Patients were included from 1990 to 2003. We used multivariate survival analysis (Cox model) to evaluate the prognostic value of clinical, MRI, and biological covariates at onset for the occurrence of a third attack or severe disability ("severity" outcome). The cohort was monitored for a mean of 5.5 +/- 3.6 years. The "severity" outcome was recorded for 144 patients (73%). The risk of severity was higher for girls, for a time between the first and second attacks of < 1 year, for childhood-onset multiple sclerosis MRI criteria at onset, for an absence of severe mental state changes at onset, and for a progressive course. A derived childhood-onset multiple sclerosis potential index for early severity was found to have a positive predictive value for severity of > 35% for the upper 2 quartiles. The clinical and MRI prognostic factors for early severity that were identified were used as the basis of a predictive tool, which will be validated in another cohort. This tool should make it possible to identify subgroups at risk of early severe disease and should facilitate therapeutic studies.

A Twin Study of Objectively Assessed Personality in Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plomin, Robert; Foch, Terryl T.

1980-01-01

Obtained objective measures of activity, fidgeting, vigilance, selective attention, and aggression for a sample of 87 twin pairs in late childhood. Little evidence for genetic influence on behavior was found. Between-family environmental sources of variance were far more important than within-family factors. (Author/RH)

Factors that Predict How Women Label Their Own Childhood Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katerndahl, David; Burge, Sandra; Kellogg, Nancy

2006-01-01

Despite the psychological impact of child sexual abuse, many victims do not acknowledge that their experiences were "abuse." This study sought to identify factors that predict how women label their own experiences of childhood sexual abuse. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a family medicine clinic with adult female patients. Subjects…

[Childhood stroke : What are the special features of childhood stroke?

PubMed

Gerstl, L; Bonfert, M V; Nicolai, T; Dieterich, M; Adamczyk, C; Heinen, F; Olivieri, M; Steinlin, M

2017-12-01

Childhood arterial ischemic stroke differs in essential aspects from adult stroke. It is rare, often relatively unknown among laypersons and physicians and the wide variety of age-specific differential diagnoses (stroke mimics) as well as less established care structures often lead to a considerable delay in the diagnosis of stroke. The possible treatment options in childhood are mostly off-label. Experiences in well-established acute treatment modalities in adult stroke, such as thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy are therefore limited in children and only based on case reports and case series. The etiological clarification is time-consuming due to the multitude of risk factors which must be considered. Identifying each child's individual risk profile is mandatory for acute treatment and secondary prevention strategies and has an influence on the individual outcome. In addition to the clinical neurological outcome the residual neurological effects of stroke on cognition and behavior are decisive for the integration of the child into its educational, later professional and social environment.

Rate of progression from first use to dependence on cocaine or opioids: a cross-substance examination of associated demographic, psychiatric, and childhood risk factors.

PubMed

Sartor, Carolyn E; Kranzler, Henry R; Gelernter, Joel

2014-02-01

A number of demographic factors, psychiatric disorders, and childhood risk factors have been associated with cocaine dependence (CD) and opioid dependence (OD), but little is known about their relevance to the rate at which dependence develops. Identification of the subpopulations at elevated risk for rapid development of dependence and the risk factors that accelerate the course of dependence is an important public health goal. Data were derived from cocaine dependent (n=6333) and opioid dependent (n=3513) participants in a multi-site study of substance dependence. Mean age was approximately 40 and 40% of participants were women; 51.9% of cocaine dependent participants and 29.5% of opioid dependent participants self-identified as Black/African-American. The time from first use to dependence was calculated for each substance and a range of demographic, psychiatric, and childhood risk factors were entered into ordinal logistic regression models to predict the (categorical) transition time to CD and OD. In both the cocaine and opioid models, conduct disorder and childhood physical abuse predicted rapid development of dependence and alcohol and nicotine dependence diagnoses were associated with slower progression to CD or OD. Blacks/African Americans were at greater risk than European Americans to progress rapidly to OD. Only a subset of factors known to be associated with CD and OD predicted the rate at which dependence developed. Nearly all were common to cocaine and opioids, suggesting that sources of influence on the timing of transitions to dependence are shared across the two substances. © 2013.

Childhood Adversity and Cumulative Life Stress: Risk Factors for Cancer-Related Fatigue.

PubMed

Bower, Julienne E; Crosswell, Alexandra D; Slavich, George M

2014-01-01

Fatigue is a common symptom in healthy and clinical populations, including cancer survivors. However, risk factors for cancer-related fatigue have not been identified. On the basis of research linking stress with other fatigue-related disorders, we tested the hypothesis that stress exposure during childhood and throughout the life span would be associated with fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Stress exposure was assessed using the Stress and Adversity Inventory, a novel computer-based instrument that assesses for 96 types of acute and chronic stressors that may affect health. Results showed that breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue reported significantly higher levels of cumulative lifetime stress exposure, including more stressful experiences in childhood and in adulthood, compared to a control group of nonfatigued survivors. These findings identify a novel risk factor for fatigue in the growing population of cancer survivors and suggest targets for treatment.

Childhood Adversity and Cumulative Life Stress: Risk Factors for Cancer-Related Fatigue

PubMed Central

Bower, Julienne E.; Crosswell, Alexandra D.; Slavich, George M.

2013-01-01

Fatigue is a common symptom in healthy and clinical populations, including cancer survivors. However, risk factors for cancer-related fatigue have not been identified. On the basis of research linking stress with other fatigue-related disorders, we tested the hypothesis that stress exposure during childhood and throughout the life span would be associated with fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Stress exposure was assessed using the Stress and Adversity Inventory, a novel computer-based instrument that assesses for 96 types of acute and chronic stressors that may affect health. Results showed that breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue reported significantly higher levels of cumulative lifetime stress exposure, including more stressful experiences in childhood and in adulthood, compared to a control group of nonfatigued survivors. These findings identify a novel risk factor for fatigue in the growing population of cancer survivors and suggest targets for treatment. PMID:24377083

Psychosocial Perspectives and the Issue of Prevention in Childhood Obesity

PubMed Central

Stein, Daniel; Weinberger-Litman, Sarah L.; Latzer, Yael

2014-01-01

A dramatic increase in childhood overweight/obesity has been recognized globally over the past 50 years. This observed increase may reflect genetic, as well as psychological, environmental, and socio-cultural influences. In the first part of this review, we present an updated summary of the psychosocial factors associated with this change and discuss possible ways in which they operate. Among these factors, lower socio economic status (in both industrialized and non-industrialized countries), being female, belonging to a minority group, and being exposed to adverse life events may all be associated with a greater risk of childhood overweight/obesity. These influences may be mediated via a variety of mechanisms, in particular above-average food intake of low nutritional quality and reduction in physical activity. Other important psychosocial mediators include the influence of the family and peer environment, and exposure to the media. In the second part of the review, we discuss the potential of psychosocial prevention programs to intervene in the processes involved in the rise of childhood overweight/obesity. Two points are emphasized. First, prevention programs should be multidisciplinary, combining the knowledge of experts from different professions, and taking into consideration the important role of the family environment and relevant influential social organizations, particularly school. Second, effective change is unlikely to occur without large-scale programs carried out on a public policy level. PMID:25133140

Factors associated with the pricing of childhood vaccines in the U.S. public sector.

PubMed

Chen, Weiwei; Messonnier, Mark; Zhou, Fangjun

2018-02-01

Vaccine purchase cost has grown substantially over the last few decades. A closer look at vaccine prices reveals that not all vaccines shared the same increasing pattern. Various factors, such as vaccine attributes, competition, and supply shortages, could relate to price changes. In this study, we examined whether a variety of factors influenced the prices of noninfluenza childhood vaccines purchased in the public sector from 1996 to 2014. The association differed among price-capped vaccines and combination vaccines. There was an increasing time trend in real prices for non-price-capped vaccines, which was mostly offset by the effect of market longevity. The effect of competition in lowering prices was more pronounced among non-price-capped vaccines when manufacturer and vaccine component fixed effects were excluded. Supply shortage, manufacturer name change, and number of vaccine doses in series showed no effect. The results may help policy makers better understand price behaviors and make more informed decisions in vaccine planning and financing. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Executive Function in Adolescence: Associations with Child and Family Risk Factors and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Donna; Hayes, Nicole; White, Sonia L J; Williams, Kate E

2017-01-01

Executive functions are important higher-order cognitive skills for goal-directed thought and action. These capacities contribute to successful school achievement and lifelong wellbeing. The importance of executive functions to children's education begins in early childhood and continues throughout development. This study explores contributions of child and family factors in early childhood to the development of executive function in adolescence. Analyses draw on data from the nationally representative study, Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children . Participants are 4819 children in the Kindergarten Cohort who were recruited at age 4-5 years. Path analyses were employed to examine contributions of early childhood factors, including family socio-economic position (SEP), parenting behaviors, maternal mental health, and a child behavioral risk index, to the development of executive function in adolescence. The influence of children's early self-regulatory behaviors (attentional regulation at 4-5 years and approaches to learning at 6-7 years) were also taken into account. A composite score for the outcome measure of executive function was constructed from scores on three Cogstate computerized tasks for assessing cognition and measured visual attention, visual working memory, and spatial problem-solving. Covariates included child gender, age at assessment of executive function, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, speaking a language other than English at home, and child's receptive vocabulary skills. There were significant indirect effects involving child and family risk factors measured at 4-5 years on executive function at age 14-15 years, mediated by measures of self-regulatory behavior. Child behavioral risk, family SEP and parenting behaviors (anger, warmth, and consistency) were associated with attentional regulation at 4-5 years which, in turn, was significantly associated with approaches to learning at 6-7 years. Both

Ten years on: Is dental general anaesthesia in childhood a risk factor for caries and anxiety?

PubMed Central

Haworth, S.; Dudding, T.; Waylen, A.; Thomas, S. J.; Timpson, N. J.

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify whether dental general anaesthesia (DGA) status is informative in assessing risk of caries or dental anxiety by (a) describing long-term oral health and dental anxiety for people who underwent DGA in childhood and (b) testing whether DGA status in childhood is associated with incident future dental caries or anxiety independently of preconceived risk factors. Design Analysis of prospectively obtained data. Setting An established population based cohort in the UK, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants and methods In total 1,695 participants with dental data in childhood and adolescence were included in analysis. DGA status by age 7 and oral health measures at age 17 were identified from questionnaire data. Main outcome measures Filled or extracted permanent teeth at age 17, Corah Dental Anxiety Scale. Results One hundred and twenty-eight (7.6%) participants underwent DGA in childhood. Individuals who underwent DGA had higher measures of filled or extracted permanent teeth in adolescence (0.36 more affected teeth in fully-adjusted model [95% confidence interval: 0.27, 0.55; P <0.001]). Conclusions DGA in childhood predicts burden of treated caries in adolescence, independently of other risk factors. DGA status may be a clinically useful adjunct in identifying young people at high risk of further disease. PMID:28232699

Ten years on: Is dental general anaesthesia in childhood a risk factor for caries and anxiety?

PubMed

Haworth, S; Dudding, T; Waylen, A; Thomas, S J; Timpson, N J

2017-02-24

Objectives To identify whether dental general anaesthesia (DGA) status is informative in assessing risk of caries or dental anxiety by (a) describing long-term oral health and dental anxiety for people who underwent DGA in childhood and (b) testing whether DGA status in childhood is associated with incident future dental caries or anxiety independently of preconceived risk factors.Design Analysis of prospectively obtained data.Setting An established population based cohort in the UK, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.Participants and methods In total 1,695 participants with dental data in childhood and adolescence were included in analysis. DGA status by age 7 and oral health measures at age 17 were identified from questionnaire data.Main outcome measures Filled or extracted permanent teeth at age 17, Corah Dental Anxiety Scale.Results One hundred and twenty-eight (7.6%) participants underwent DGA in childhood. Individuals who underwent DGA had higher measures of filled or extracted permanent teeth in adolescence (0.36 more affected teeth in fully-adjusted model [95% confidence interval: 0.27, 0.55; P <0.001]).Conclusions DGA in childhood predicts burden of treated caries in adolescence, independently of other risk factors. DGA status may be a clinically useful adjunct in identifying young people at high risk of further disease.

Risk factors for childhood burns: a case-control study of Ghanaian children.

PubMed Central

Forjuoh, S N; Guyer, B; Strobino, D M; Keyl, P M; Diener-West, M; Smith, G S

1995-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--To study risk factors for childhood burns in order to identify possible preventive strategies. DESIGN--Case-control design with pair matching of controls to cases in relation to age, sex, and area of residence. The cases and controls were identified by a community based, multisite survey. The effects of host and socioenvironmental variables reported by mothers were investigated in a multivariate analysis using conditional logistic regression. SETTING--A developing country setting the Ashanti Region in Ghana. PARTICIPANTS--These comprised 610 cases aged 0-5 years who had been burned (as evidenced by a visible scar) and 610 controls with no burn history. MAIN RESULTS--The presence of a pre-existing impairment in a child was the strongest risk factor in this population (OR = 6.71; 95% CI 2.78, 16.16). Other significant risk factor included: sibling death from a burn (OR = 4.41; 95% CI 1.16, 16.68); history of burn in a sibling (OR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.24, 2.58); and storage of a flammable substance in the home (OR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.03; 2.21). Maternal education had a protective effect against childhood burns, although this effect was not strong (OR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.55, 1.05). CONCLUSIONS--Community programmes to ensure adequate child supervision and general child wellbeing, particularly for those with impairments, as well as parental education about burns are recommended, to reduce childhood burns in this region of Ghana. The public should bed advised against storing flammable substances in the home. PMID:7798049

Risk factors for childhood burns: a case-control study of Ghanaian children.

PubMed

Forjuoh, S N; Guyer, B; Strobino, D M; Keyl, P M; Diener-West, M; Smith, G S

1995-04-01

To study risk factors for childhood burns in order to identify possible preventive strategies. Case-control design with pair matching of controls to cases in relation to age, sex, and area of residence. The cases and controls were identified by a community based, multisite survey. The effects of host and socioenvironmental variables reported by mothers were investigated in a multivariate analysis using conditional logistic regression. A developing country setting the Ashanti Region in Ghana. These comprised 610 cases aged 0-5 years who had been burned (as evidenced by a visible scar) and 610 controls with no burn history. The presence of a pre-existing impairment in a child was the strongest risk factor in this population (OR = 6.71; 95% CI 2.78, 16.16). Other significant risk factor included: sibling death from a burn (OR = 4.41; 95% CI 1.16, 16.68); history of burn in a sibling (OR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.24, 2.58); and storage of a flammable substance in the home (OR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.03; 2.21). Maternal education had a protective effect against childhood burns, although this effect was not strong (OR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.55, 1.05). Community programmes to ensure adequate child supervision and general child wellbeing, particularly for those with impairments, as well as parental education about burns are recommended, to reduce childhood burns in this region of Ghana. The public should bed advised against storing flammable substances in the home.

An update on childhood bone health: mineral accrual, assessment and treatment.

PubMed

Sopher, Aviva B; Fennoy, Ilene; Oberfield, Sharon E

2015-02-01

To update the reader's knowledge about the factors that influence bone mineral accrual and to review the advances in the assessment of bone health and treatment of bone disorders. Maternal vitamin D status influences neonatal calcium levels, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone size. In turn, BMD z-score tends to track in childhood. These factors highlight the importance of bone health as early as fetal life. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is the mainstay of clinical bone health assessment in this population because of the availability of appropriate reference data. Recently, more information has become available about the assessment and treatment of bone disease in chronically ill pediatric patients. Bone health must become a health focus starting prenatally in order to maximize peak bone mass and to prevent osteoporosis-related bone disease in adulthood. Vitamin D, calcium and weight-bearing activity are the factors of key importance throughout childhood in achieving optimal bone health as BMD z-score tracks through childhood and into adulthood. Recent updates of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry focus on the appropriate use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in children of all ages, including children with chronic disease, and on the treatment of pediatric bone disease.

Aggression and Rule-breaking: Heritability and stability of antisocial behavior problems in childhood and adolescence

PubMed Central

Niv, Sharon; Tuvblad, Catherine; Raine, Adrian; Baker, Laura A.

2013-01-01

Purpose This twin study examined the structure of genetic and environmental influences on aggression and rule-breaking in order to examine change and stability across the span of childhood to mid-adolescence. Methods Behavioral assessments were conducted at two time points: age 9–10 years and 14–15 years. Using behavioral genetics biometric modeling, the longitudinal structure of influences was investigated. Results Aggression and rule-breaking were found to be influenced by a latent common factor of antisocial behavior (ASB) within each wave of data collection. The childhood-age common factor of ASB was influenced by 41% genetics, 40% shared environment and 19% nonshared environment. In adolescence, 41% of influences on the common factor were novel and entirely genetic, while the remainder of influences were stable across time. Additionally, both aggression and rule-breaking within each wave were found to have unique influences not common across subscales or across waves, highlighting specificity of influences on different problem behaviors at both ages. Conclusions This research sheds light on the commonality of influences on etiology of different forms of antisocial behavior, and suggests future directions for research into intervention for antisocial behavior problems in youth, such as investigation of adolescence-specific environmental influences on the development of antisocial behavior problems. PMID:24347737

Childhood obesity and adult cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

PubMed

Umer, Amna; Kelley, George A; Cottrell, Lesley E; Giacobbi, Peter; Innes, Kim E; Lilly, Christa L

2017-08-29

Overweight and obesity is a major public health concern that includes associations with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors during childhood and adolescence as well as premature mortality in adults. Despite the high prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity as well as adult CVD, individual studies as well as previous systematic reviews examining the relationship between childhood obesity and adult CVD have yielded conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to use the aggregate data meta-analytic approach to address this gap. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) longitudinal and cohort studies (including case-cohort), (2) childhood exposure and adult outcomes collected on the same individual over time, (3) childhood obesity, as defined by the original study authors, (4) English-language articles, (5) studies published up to June, 2015, (6) one or more of the following CVD risk factors [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL), and triglycerides (TG)], (7) outcome(s) not self-reported, and (8) exposure measurements (child's adiposity) assessed by health professionals, trained investigators, or self-reported. Studies were retrieved by searching three electronic databases as well as citation tracking. Fisher's r to z score was calculated for each study for each outcome. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models while risk of bias was assessed using the STROBE instrument. In order to try and identify sources of heterogeneity, random-effects meta-regression was also performed. Of the 4840 citations reviewed, a total of 23 studies were included in the systematic review and 21 in the meta-analysis. The findings suggested that childhood obesity is significantly and positively associated with adult SBP (Zr

Callous-unemotional behaviors in early childhood: Genetic and environmental contributions to stability and change.

PubMed

Flom, Megan; Saudino, Kimberly J

2017-10-01

Callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors demonstrate meaningful individual differences in early childhood, even in nonclinical samples with low mean levels of CU, but the factors underlying this variation have not been examined. This study investigated genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences and to sources of continuity and change in CU in toddler twins (145 monozygotic, 169 dizygotic) assessed at ages 2 and 3 years. CU, as assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), was moderately stable across age (r = .45, p < .0001). Longitudinal biometric analyses revealed genetic and nonshared environmental influences on CU at both ages, with no significant contribution from shared environmental factors. Stability from age 2 to 3 was due to genetic factors, whereas change was due to both genetic and nonshared environmental influences. This genetic and nonshared environmental change was substantial, suggesting malleability of CU in early childhood. Over 50% of the genetic influences and 100% of the nonshared environmental influences on CU at age 3 were independent of those that operated at age 2. Implications of novel sources of variance across age are discussed.

Factors Associated with South Korean Early Childhood Educators' Observed Behavior Support Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yeon Ha; Stormont, Melissa

2012-01-01

This study was an exploratory study of 34 South Korean early childhood educators' strategies for addressing behavior problems in natural settings. Factors related to teachers' strategy implementation were also explored. Four specific teacher behaviors were observed: precorrection, behavioral-specific praise, redirection, and reprimand/punishment.…

The influence of prenatal exposure to trans-fatty acids for development of childhood haematopoietic neoplasms (EnTrance): a natural societal experiment and a case-control study.

PubMed

Specht, Ina Olmer; Huybrechts, Inge; Frederiksen, Peder; Steliarova-Foucher, Eva; Chajes, Veronique; Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal

2018-01-24

Little is known about the causes of childhood cancer, partly as not many children develop cancer, although childhood cancer is a leading cause of death by disease in the young. The young age of the children suggests that risk factors for childhood cancer may be present during pregnancy. Previous studies have shown that exposure to trans-fat, a type of unsaturated fat common in industrially produced foods (iTFA), has adverse health effects in adults, including the risk of developing cancer. Haematopoietic neoplasms are the most common cancer types among European children under the age of 15 years. This study will bring new knowledge as to whether trans-fat and other fatty acids may also increase the risk of developing haematopoietic neoplasms during childhood. We will investigate if the Danish iTFA legislation ban, which radically reduced the use of iTFA in foodstuffs, influenced the risk of childhood haematopoietic neoplasms in children born either before or after the change in legislation, adjusting for relevant secular trends. Further, in a case-control study, we will examine if levels of fatty acids in dried blood spots from newborns can predict the risk of developing childhood haematopoietic neoplasms. Permission from the Danish Data Protection Agency and the Ethical Committee has been granted. The results from this study will provide important information about fatty acids in the mother's diet as a contributor to development of haematopoietic neoplasms during childhood, which may result in relevant preventive action. Not relevant.

The Influence of Health Behaviors During Childhood on Adolescent Health Behaviors, Health Indicators, and Academic Outcomes Among Participants from Hawaii.

PubMed

Nigg, Claudio R; Amato, Katie

2015-08-01

Health behaviors during childhood may influence adolescent health behaviors and be related to other important outcomes, but no longitudinal research has examined this in a multicultural population in Hawaii to date. This study investigated if childhood moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption, and sedentary behavior influence adolescent (1) MVPA, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sedentary behavior; (2) body mass index (BMI) percentile, general health, and stress; and (3) school marks and school absenteeism. Three cohorts of public elementary school children (fourth to sixth graders) who participated in a state-mandated after-school program in 2004, 2005, and 2006 completed baseline (demographics, MVPA, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sedentary behavior) and 5-year follow-up surveys (demographics, MVPA, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sedentary behavior; BMI, general health, stress, school marks, and absenteeism; combined follow-up n = 334; 14.76 ± 0.87 years old; 55.1% female; 53% Asian, 19.8% Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, 15.3% White, and 11.9% other). Regressions found that childhood MVPA (mean [m] = 45.42, standard deviation [SD] = 31.2 min/day) and fruit and vegetable consumption (m = 6.96, SD = 4.54 servings/day) predicted these behaviors in adolescence (m = 47.22, SD = 27.04 min/day and m = 4.63, SD = 3.03 servings/day, respectively, p < 0.05). Childhood sedentary behavior (m = 3.85, SD = 2.85 h/day)) predicted adolescent BMI percentile (m = 60.93, SD = 28.75, p < 0.05). Childhood fruit and vegetable consumption and sedentary behavior negatively predicted adolescent marks (B average, p < 0.05). Childhood health behaviors do influence adolescent health behaviors, some health outcomes, and some academic indicators in this population, especially childhood sedentary behavior, which underlines the importance of sedentary behavior

[Association between risk factors during maternal pregnancy and the neonatal period and childhood bronchial asthma].

PubMed

Zhang, Hui-Qin; Fan, Rui; Zhang, Jing-Jing; Tao, Xiao-Juan; Sun, Xin

2017-01-01

To study the association of the risk factors during maternal pregnancy and the neonatal period with childhood bronchial asthma. A total of 306 children with asthma (asthma group) and 250 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. Their clinical data during the neonatal period and the maternal data during pregnancy were retrospectively studied. The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in the rates of maternal use of antibiotics during pregnancy, use of antibiotics and probiotics during the neonatal period, preterm birth, cesarean section, low birth weight, and breast feeding (>6 months) between the asthma and control groups (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that use of antibiotics during pregnancy (OR=3.908, 95%CI: 1.277-11.962), use of antibiotics during neonatal period (OR=24.154, 95%CI: 7.864-74.183), preterm birth (OR=8.535, 95%CI: 2.733-26.652), and cesarean section (OR=4.588, 95%CI: 2.887-7.291) were independent risk factors for childhood asthma. The use of probiotics during the neonatal period (OR=0.014, 95%CI: 0.004-0.046) and breast feeding (>6 months) (OR=0.161, 95%CI: 0.103-0.253) were protective factors for childhood asthma. The early prevention of childhood asthma can be improved by reducing the use of antibiotics during pregnancy, reducing cesarean section, avoiding abuse of antibiotics during the neonatal period, trying breast feeding and taking probiotics in early stage.

Childhood Obesity: A Global Public Health Crisis

PubMed Central

Karnik, Sameera; Kanekar, Amar

2012-01-01

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a major public health crisis nationally and internationally. The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased over few years. It is caused by imbalance between calorie intake and calories utilized. One or more factors (genetic, behavioral, and environmental) cause obesity in children. Physical, psychological, and social health problems are caused due to childhood obesity. Hence, effective intervention strategies are being used to prevent and control obesity in children. The purpose of this manuscript is to address various factors influencing childhood obesity, a variety of interventions and governmental actions addressing obesity and the challenges ahead for managing this epidemic. Methods: In order to collect materials for this review a detailed search of CINAHL, MEDLINE, ERIC, Academic Search Premier databases was carried out for the time period 1999-2011. Results: Some of the interventions used were family based, school based, community based, play based, and hospital based. The effective school-based interventions were seen targeting physical activity along with healthy diet education. The major challenges faced by these intervention programs are financial, along with stigmatization of obese children. Governments along with other health care organizations are taking effective actions like policy changing and environmentally safe interventions for children to improve physical activity. Conclusions: In conclusion, childhood obesity can be tackled at the population level by education, prevention and sustainable interventions related to healthy nutrition practices and physical activity promotion. PMID:22506094

The concurrent and longitudinal associations of temperament and nutritional risk factors in early childhood.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, M; Chen, Y; Abdullah, K; Maguire, J L; Parkin, P C; Birken, C S

2017-12-01

Early childhood temperament is increasingly recognized as an important attribute that may impact screen time use, outdoor play and childhood obesity. The relationship between temperament and nutrition in preschool children is less clear. The objective of the study is to investigate if temperament dimensions (negative affectivity, effortful control and surgency) in early childhood are associated with nutritional risk factors. Six hundred seventy-eight children were followed (mean age at baseline visit 3.1 years; mean time to follow-up 16.5 months). Parents reported on child temperament and nutritional risk factors during regularly scheduled well-child clinic visits. A mixed effect model demonstrated a significant association between higher negative affectivity (1.03; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.37) and higher effortful control (-0.88; 95% CI -1.27 to -0.49) on concurrent nutritional risk, independent of covariates. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified that higher effortful control, and not negative affectivity, was significantly associated with a decrease in nutritional risk (-0.67; 95% CI -1.10 to -0.24) over time, independent of covariates. There was no relationship identified between surgency and nutritional risk. Three-year-old children with higher effortful control had reduced nutritional risk at 5 years of age. Future nutritional risk prevention strategies may benefit from interventions to increase effortful control in early childhood. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

Influencing factors on high-risk sexual behaviors in young people: an ecological perspective.

PubMed

Arabi-Mianrood, Hoda; Hamzehgardeshi, Zeinab; Khoori, Elham; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

2017-04-19

Background In recent years, high-risk sexual behaviors due to their negative consequences both for the individual and society have received more attention than other high-risk behaviors. Objective The aim of this study was to review the influencing factors of high-risk sexual behaviors among young people from an ecological point of view. Methods This review was conducted through searching databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library with keywords such as sexual risk-taking behavior, high-risk sex, unprotected sex and unsafe sex. The relevant papers published between 1995 and 2016 were extracted. After reviewing the abstract and full text of the articles, 45 papers were used to write this article. Results From an ecological theory approach, factors which influence high-risk sexual behaviors are divided into three categories - the microsystem, the mesosystem and the macrosystem. The microsystem includes factors such as age, gender, race, marital status, place of residence, religion, level of education, personality traits, psychological problems, childhood experiences, body image and coincidence of high-risk behaviors; the mesosystem includes factors such as family structure, peers and sex education; in the macrosystem, the impact of culture and traditions of the society, economic status and the media are presented. Conclusion Given that high-risk sexual behaviors often have multiple causes, it seems that health policymakers must consider multi-dimensional interventions to influence high-risk sexual behaviors based on the ecological approach.

Childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease: links and prevention strategies

PubMed Central

Nadeau, Kristen J.; Maahs, David M.; Daniels, Stephen R.; Eckel, Robert H.

2015-01-01

The prevalence and severity of pediatric obesity have dramatically increased since the late 1980s, raising concerns about a subsequent increase in cardiovascular outcomes. Strong evidence, particularly from autopsy studies, supports the concept that precursors of adult cardiovascular disease (CVD) begin in childhood, and that pediatric obesity has an important influence on overall CVD risk. Lifestyle patterns also begin early and impact CVD risk. In addition, obesity and other CVD risk factors tend to persist over time. However, whether childhood obesity causes adult CVD directly, or does so by persisting as adult obesity, or both, is less clear. Regardless, sufficient data exist to warrant early implementation of both obesity prevention and treatment in youth and adults. In this Review, we examine the evidence supporting the impact of childhood obesity on adult obesity, surrogate markers of CVD, components of the metabolic syndrome, and the development of CVD. We also evaluate how obesity treatment strategies can improve risk factors and, ultimately, adverse clinical outcomes. PMID:21670745

Is Music an Active Developmental Tool or Simply a Supplement? Early Childhood Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hae Kyoung; Kemple, Kristen M.

2011-01-01

This study examines early childhood preservice teachers' beliefs about the importance of music in early childhood and explores factors influencing those beliefs. The study found that preservice teachers in this study held relatively strong beliefs about the importance of music, including aesthetic, quality-of-life, and social-emotional benefits.…

Men's and Women's Childhood Sexual Abuse and Victimization in Adult Partner Relationships: A Study of Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daigneault, Isabelle; Hebert, Martine; McDuff, Pierre

2009-01-01

Objectives: (1) Document the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), childhood physical assault, psychological, physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) in a nationally representative sample. (2) Assess the predictive value of CSA and other characteristics of the respondents and their current partners as potential risk factors for…

Influence of childhood scleroderma on physical function and quality of life.

PubMed

Baildam, Eileen M; Ennis, Holly; Foster, Helen E; Shaw, Lindsay; Chieng, Alice S E; Kelly, Jane; Herrick, Ariane L; Richards, Helen L

2011-01-01

there have been few studies of quality of life in childhood scleroderma and these focused predominantly on self-perception and the influence of skin lesions. Our cross-sectional study aimed to describe the influence of childhood scleroderma on physical function and quality of life in relation to clinical and demographic measures. children with either localized scleroderma or systemic sclerosis (SSc) attending pediatric rheumatology clinics, together with their parents or guardians, were asked to complete a set of 4 validated measures. Clinical and demographic data were provided by consultant pediatric rheumatologists. in total, 28 children and their parents/guardians participated in the study (68% female, median age 13 yrs; 86% localized scleroderma, 14% SSc). The median Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) score was 0.1 (range 0-3, 0 indicating no impairment), the median Child Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) score was 5 (range 0-30, 0 indicating no impairment), and the median Child Quality of Life Questionnaire (CQOL) function score was 26 (range 0-105, 0 indicating no impairment). Family activity, measured by the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-PF50), was also moderately impaired by scleroderma, with a median score of 83 (0-100, 100 indicating no impairment). scleroderma had only a moderate effect on quality of life and physical function as measured by the 4 validated instruments. Although a small number of children reported greater impairment, this is an encouraging finding, given its potential disfiguring and debilitating effects.

Maintaining Traditions: A Qualitative Study of Early Childhood Caries Risk and Protective Factors in an Indigenous Community

PubMed Central

Levin, Ana; Sokal-Gutierrez, Karen; Hargrave, Anita; Funsch, Elizabeth; Hoeft, Kristin S.

2017-01-01

In lower middle-income economies (LMIE), the nutrition transition from traditional diets to sugary foods and beverages has contributed to widespread early childhood dental caries. This qualitative study explores perceived risk and protective factors, and overall experiences of early childhood nutrition and oral health in indigenous Ecuadorian families participating in a community-based oral health and nutrition intervention. Dental exams of 698 children age 6 months through 6 years determined each child’s caries burden. A convenience sample of 18 “outlier” families was identified: low-caries children with ≤2 carious teeth vs. high-caries children with ≥10 carious teeth. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers explored the child’s diet, dental habits, and family factors related to nutrition and oral health. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using grounded theory. In the high-caries families, proximity to highway and stores, consumption of processed-food, and low parental monitoring of child behavior were identified as risk factors for ECC (early childhood caries). In the low-caries families, protective factors included harvesting and consuming food from the family farm, remote geography, and greater parental monitoring of child behavior. The study results suggest that maintaining traditional family farms and authoritative parenting to avoid processed foods/drinks and ensure tooth brushing could improve early childhood nutrition and oral health. PMID:28800116

Maintaining Traditions: A Qualitative Study of Early Childhood Caries Risk and Protective Factors in an Indigenous Community.

PubMed

Levin, Ana; Sokal-Gutierrez, Karen; Hargrave, Anita; Funsch, Elizabeth; Hoeft, Kristin S

2017-08-11

In lower middle-income economies (LMIE), the nutrition transition from traditional diets to sugary foods and beverages has contributed to widespread early childhood dental caries. This qualitative study explores perceived risk and protective factors, and overall experiences of early childhood nutrition and oral health in indigenous Ecuadorian families participating in a community-based oral health and nutrition intervention. Dental exams of 698 children age 6 months through 6 years determined each child's caries burden. A convenience sample of 18 "outlier" families was identified: low-caries children with ≤2 carious teeth vs. high-caries children with ≥10 carious teeth. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers explored the child's diet, dental habits, and family factors related to nutrition and oral health. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using grounded theory. In the high-caries families, proximity to highway and stores, consumption of processed-food, and low parental monitoring of child behavior were identified as risk factors for ECC (early childhood caries). In the low-caries families, protective factors included harvesting and consuming food from the family farm, remote geography, and greater parental monitoring of child behavior. The study results suggest that maintaining traditional family farms and authoritative parenting to avoid processed foods/drinks and ensure tooth brushing could improve early childhood nutrition and oral health.

Childhood Factors Affecting Persistence and Desistence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Adulthood: Results From the MTA

PubMed Central

Roy, Arunima; Hechtman, Lily; Arnold, L. Eugene; Sibley, Margaret H.; Molina, Brooke S.G.; Swanson, James M.; Howard, Andrea L.

2016-01-01

Objective To determine childhood factors that predict attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persistence and desistence in adulthood. Method Regression analyses were used to determine associations between childhood factors and adult ADHD symptom persistence in 453 participants (mean age = 25 years) from the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD study (MTA). Childhood IQ, total number of comorbidities, child-perceived parenting practices, child-perceived parent-child relationships, parental mental health problems, marital problems of parents, household income levels and parental education were assessed at a mean age of 8 years in all participants. Adult ADHD persistence was defined using DSM-5 symptom counts either with or without impairment as well as mean ADHD symptom scores on the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS). Age, sex, MTA site and childhood ADHD symptoms were covaried. Results The most important childhood predictors of adult ADHD symptom persistence were initial ADHD symptom severity (OR = 1.89, SE = .28, p = .025), comorbidities (OR = 1.19, SE = .07, p = .018), and parental mental health problems (OR = 1.30, SE = .09, p = .003). Childhood IQ, socioeconomic status, parental education and parent-child relationships showed no associations with adult ADHD symptom persistence. Conclusion Initial ADHD symptom severity, parental mental health and childhood comorbidity affect persistence of ADHD symptoms into adulthood. Addressing these areas early on may assist in reducing adult ADHD persistence and functioning problems. PMID:27806861

Altered functional connectivity in default mode network in Internet gaming disorder: Influence of childhood ADHD.

PubMed

Lee, Deokjong; Lee, Junghan; Lee, Jung Eun; Jung, Young-Chul

2017-04-03

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a type of behavioral addiction characterized by abnormal executive control, leading to loss of control over excessive gaming. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common comorbid disorders in IGD, involving delayed development of the executive control system, which could predispose individuals to gaming addiction. We investigated the influence of childhood ADHD on neural network features of IGD. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis was performed on 44 young, male IGD subjects with and without childhood ADHD and 19 age-matched, healthy male controls. Posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)-seeded connectivity was evaluated to assess abnormalities in default mode network (DMN) connectivity, which is associated with deficits in executive control. IGD subjects without childhood ADHD showed expanded functional connectivity (FC) between DMN-related regions (PCC, medial prefrontal cortex, thalamus) compared with controls. These subjects also exhibited expanded FC between the PCC and brain regions implicated in salience processing (anterior insula, orbitofrontal cortex) compared with IGD subjects with childhood ADHD. IGD subjects with childhood ADHD showed expanded FC between the PCC and cerebellum (crus II), a region involved in executive control. The strength of connectivity between the PCC and cerebellum (crus II) was positively correlated with self-reporting scales reflecting impulsiveness. Individuals with IGD showed altered PCC-based FC, the characteristics of which might be dependent upon history of childhood ADHD. Our findings suggest that altered neural networks for executive control in ADHD would be a predisposition for developing IGD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring childhood abuse and neglect in a group of female indoor sex workers in the Netherlands: a confirmatory factor analysis of the Dutch version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form.

PubMed

Daalder, Annelies L; Bogaerts, Stefan

2011-06-01

Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the responses to the Dutch version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form from a sample of 123 female indoor sex workers in The Netherlands. Results indicate the expected five-factor structure fit the data well. In line with Bernstein and others, the instrument was a valid measure of retrospective childhood abuse and neglect in this sample.

Sibling Relationships and Influences in Childhood and Adolescence

PubMed Central

McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Whiteman, Shawn D.

2014-01-01

The authors review the literature on sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence, starting by tracing themes from foundational research and theory and then focusing on empirical research during the past 2 decades. This literature documents siblings’ centrality in family life, sources of variation in sibling relationship qualities, and the significance of siblings for child and adolescent development and adjustment. Sibling influences emerge not only in the context of siblings’ frequent and often emotionally intense interactions but also by virtue of siblings’ role in larger family system dynamics. Although siblings are building blocks of family structure and key players in family dynamics, their role has been relatively neglected by family scholars and by those who study close relationships. Incorporating study of siblings into family research provides novel insights into the operation of families as social and socializing systems. PMID:24653527

Childhood and contemporaneous correlates of adolescent leisure time physical inactivity: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Richards, Rosalina; Poulton, Richie; Reeder, Anthony I; Williams, Sheila

2009-03-01

Although concurrent influences on adolescent physical activity are well documented, longitudinal studies offer additional insights about early life antecedents of participation. The aim of this study was to examine associations between childhood and contemporaneous factors and patterns of physical activity participation during adolescence. Physical activity participation at ages 15 and 18 was assessed among members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort using the interview-based Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between childhood factors (socioeconomic status, family "active-recreation" orientation, home activities, motor ability, intelligence, and psychiatric disorder), contemporaneous factors (parental health, body mass index, predicted VO(2 max), general health, television viewing, smoking, and alcohol use) and "persistent inactivity," "declining participation," or "persistent activity" during adolescence. In multivariate models, persistent inactivity during adolescence was associated with lower childhood family active-recreation orientation, and poorer cardiorespiratory fitness and general health during adolescence. Declining participation was more likely among those who reported fewer activities at home during childhood. Persistent activity was associated with better cardiorespiratory fitness and watching less television during adolescence. This study found that childhood and contemporaneous factors were associated with persistent inactivity, persistent activity and declining participation during adolescence. The findings highlight several factors from the family and home environment of potential importance in early intervention programs to support adolescent participation in physical activity.

The treatment of parental height as a biological factor in studies of birth weight and childhood growth

PubMed Central

Spencer, N; Logan, S

2002-01-01

Parental height is frequently treated as a biological variable in studies of birth weight and childhood growth. Elimination of social variables from multivariate models including parental height as a biological variable leads researchers to conclude that social factors have no independent effect on the outcome. This paper challenges the treatment of parental height as a biological variable, drawing on extensive evidence for the determination of adult height through a complex interaction of genetic and social factors. The paper firstly seeks to establish the importance of social factors in the determination of height. The methodological problems associated with treatment of parental height as a purely biological variable are then discussed, illustrated by data from published studies and by analysis of data from the 1958 National Childhood Development Study (NCDS). The paper concludes that a framework for studying pathways to pregnancy and childhood outcomes needs to take account of the complexity of the relation between genetic and social factors and be able to account for the effects of multiple risk factors acting cumulatively across time and across generations. Illustrations of these approaches are given using NCDS data. PMID:12193422

Sibling influences on gender development in middle childhood and early adolescence: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

McHale, S M; Updegraff, K A; Helms-Erikson, H; Crouter, A C

2001-01-01

The development of gender role qualities (attitudes, personality, leisure activities) from middle childhood to early adolescence was studied to determine whether siblings' gender role qualities predicted those of their sisters and brothers. Participants were 198 firstborn and second-born siblings (Ms = 10 years 9 months and 8 years 3 months, respectively, in Year 1) and their parents. Families were interviewed annually for 3 years. Firstborn siblings' qualities in Year 1 predicted second-born children's qualities in Year 3 when both parent and child qualities in Year 1 were controlled, a pattern consistent with a social learning model of sibling influence. Parental influence was more evident and sibling influence less evident in predicting firstborns' qualities; for firstborns, sibling influences suggested a de-identification process.

Pathways to childhood depressive symptoms: the role of social, cognitive, and genetic risk factors.

PubMed

Lau, Jennifer Y F; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Gregory, Alice M; McGuffin, Peter; Eley, Thalia C

2007-11-01

Childhood depressive conditions have been explored from multiple theoretical approaches but with few empirical attempts to address the interrelationships among these different domains and their combined effects. In the present study, the authors examined different pathways through which social, cognitive, and genetic risk factors may be expressed to influence depressive symptoms in 300 pairs of child twins from a longitudinal study. Path analysis supported several indirect routes. First, risks associated with living in a step- or single-parent family and punitive parenting did not directly influence depressive outcome but were instead mediated through maternal depressive symptoms and child negative attributional style. Second, the effects of negative attributional style on depressive outcome were greatly exacerbated in the presence of precipitating negative life events. Third, independent of these social and cognitive risk mechanisms, modest genetic effects were also implicated in symptoms, with some indication that these risks are expressed through exposure to negative stressors. Together, these routes accounted for approximately 13% of total phenotypic variance in depressive symptoms. Theoretical and analytical implications of these results are discussed in the context of several design-related caveats. (c) 2007 APA.

Childhood lead poisoning in Brussels. Prevalence study and etiological factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claeys, F.; Sykes, C.; Limbos, C.; Ducoffre, G.

2003-05-01

The objectives of this study were twofold: firstly, to assess the frequency (prevalence) of childhood lead poisoning in some districts of Brussels and second, to identify within the dwellings the major source of lead as well as the risk factors connected with this intoxication. The study population (533 participants) was selected among children who visited childhood health centres in downtown Brussels. The reference group was chosen among children living outside Brussels city center. A casecontrol study was undertaken to meet the second objective of the investigation. The average blood lead level (PbB) was 104 μg/1 in the study population compared with 36 μg/l in the reference group. The 100 μg/l “non effect level" put forward by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and by the French legislation, is exceeded by 50% of the children living in this rundown environment. The major cause of intoxication is the presence of old lead-based paints in dwellings (Odd Ratio (OR): 4.4) constructed before 1940. Hand-to-mouth activity, pica activity (OR: 17.1) and a lack of hygiene are factors, which combined, promote intoxication. When the dwellings are undergoing renovation, this risk increases (OR: 7.2).

The influence of family management style on psychosocial problems of childhood cancer survivors in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Dong Hee; Im, Yeo Jin

2015-04-01

To examine the psychosocial problems of childhood cancer survivors in Korea and investigate whether such problems are influenced by family management style. Family members of 158 childhood cancer survivors answered a questionnaire on demographic and illness characteristics, described psychosocial problems in their children using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC), and completed the Family Management Measure (FaMM). Perceived economic status and all six subscales of the FaMM were significantly correlated with children's psychosocial problems. In a multiple regression model, the Family Life Difficulty and Parental Mutuality scales of the FaMM were each independent predictors of psychosocial problems in young cancer survivors. A detailed care plan designed to (1) promote balance between the management of a child's condition and normal family life and (2) encourage parents to share their feelings with one another and provide mutual support should be required to improve psychosocial outcomes for childhood cancer survivors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Past and Future Episodic Thinking in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qi; Capous, Diana; Koh, Jessie Bee Kim; Hou, Yubo

2014-01-01

The abilities of past and future episodic thinking develop hand in hand across the preschool years and are intimately connected in adults. Little is known, however, about the development of episodic thinking in middle childhood and how it is influenced by sociocultural factors. In the present study, one hundred sixty-seven 7- to 10-year-old…

Late renal toxicity of treatment for childhood malignancy: risk factors, long-term outcomes, and surveillance.

PubMed

Skinner, Roderick

2018-02-01

Chronic glomerular and tubular nephrotoxicity is reported in 20-50% and 20-25%, respectively, of children and adolescents treated with ifosfamide and 60-80% and 10-30%, respectively, of those given cisplatin. Up to 20% of children display evidence of chronic glomerular damage after unilateral nephrectomy for a renal tumour. Overall, childhood cancer survivors have a ninefold higher risk of developing renal failure compared with their siblings. Such chronic nephrotoxicity may have multiple causes, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy exposure to kidneys, renal surgery, supportive care drugs and tumour-related factors. These cause a wide range of chronic glomerular and tubular toxicities, often with potentially severe clinical sequelae. Many risk factors for developing nephrotoxicity, mostly patient and treatment related, have been described, but we remain unable to predict all episodes of renal damage. This implies that other factors may be involved, such as genetic polymorphisms influencing drug metabolism. Although our knowledge of the long-term outcomes of chronic nephrotoxicity is increasing, there is still much to learn, including how we can optimally predict or achieve early detection of nephrotoxicity. Greater understanding of the pathogenesis of nephrotoxicity is needed before its occurrence can be prevented.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular mortality and the role of childhood socioeconomic conditions and adulthood risk factors: a prospective cohort study with 17-years of follow up

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

adjustment for adulthood risk factors and childhood socioeconomic conditions attenuated the HR for the lowest adulthood SEP to 1.34 (95% CI: 0.99-1.82) for men and 1.19 (95% CI: 0.65-2.15) for women. Conclusions Adulthood material, behavioural and psychosocial factors played a major role in the explanation of adulthood SEP inequalities in CVD mortality. Childhood socioeconomic circumstances made a modest contribution, mainly via their association with adulthood risk factors. Policies and interventions to reduce health inequalities are likely to be most effective when considering the influence of socioeconomic circumstances across the entire life course and in particular, poor material conditions and unhealthy behaviours in adulthood. PMID:23217053

Comparison of childhood sexual histories in subjects with pedophilia or opiate addiction and healthy controls: is childhood sexual abuse a risk factor for addictions?

PubMed

Cohen, Lisa J; Forman, Howard; Steinfeld, Matthew; Fradkin, Yuli; Frenda, Steven; Galynker, Igor

2010-11-01

Given the recent interest in the concept of sexual addictions, it is instructive to study subjects with pedophilia alongside chemically addicted individuals and non-addicted controls in order to help identify which factors may determine the objects of people's respective addictions, as well as any factors that may predispose people to developing an addictive disorder. In this study, we considered whether childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a specific risk factor for pedophilia as opposed to other types of addictive disorders by comparing the childhood sexual histories of 48 pedophilic sex offenders, 25 subjects with opiate addiction in remission, and 61 healthy controls. CSA was assessed with The Sexual History Questionnaire and the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Compared with both opiate addicted subjects and healthy controls, subjects with pedophilia were more likely to report experiencing adult sexual advances when they were children and a first sexual contact by age 13 with a partner at least 5 years older. Although both subjects with pedophilia and those with opiate addiction first had sex at a younger age than healthy controls, opiate addicted subjects, compared with healthy controls, reported neither increased reception of sexual advances as children nor increased rates of first sexual contact before age 13 with a partner at least 5 years older. Further, subjects with pedophilia but not those with opiate addiction scored significantly higher than healthy controls on the CTQ. Sexual abuse in childhood may be a specific risk factor for sexual addictions such as pedophilia but may not be a specific risk factor for chemical addictions.

Childhood socioeconomic status and childhood maltreatment: Distinct associations with brain structure

PubMed Central

Lawson, Gwendolyn M.; Camins, Joshua S.; Wisse, Laura; Wu, Jue; Duda, Jeffrey T.; Cook, Philip A.; Gee, James C.; Farah, Martha J.

2017-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES), childhood maltreatment, and the volumes of the hippocampus and amygdala between the ages of 25 and 36 years. Previous work has linked both low SES and maltreatment with reduced hippocampal volume in childhood, an effect attributed to childhood stress. In 46 adult subjects, only childhood maltreatment, and not childhood SES, predicted hippocampal volume in regression analyses, with greater maltreatment associated with lower volume. Neither factor was related to amygdala volume. When current SES and recent interpersonal stressful events were also considered, recent interpersonal stressful events predicted smaller hippocampal volumes over and above childhood maltreatment. Finally, exploratory analyses revealed a significant sex by childhood SES interaction, with women’s childhood SES showing a significantly more positive relation (less negative) with hippocampus volume than men’s. The overall effect of childhood maltreatment but not SES, and the sex-specific effect of childhood SES, indicate that different forms of stressful childhood adversity affect brain development differently. PMID:28414755

Biology, Genetics, and Environment: Underlying Factors Influencing Alcohol Metabolism.

PubMed

Wall, Tamara L; Luczak, Susan E; Hiller-Sturmhöfel, Susanne

2016-01-01

Gene variants encoding several of the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), are among the largest genetic associations with risk for alcohol dependence. Certain genetic variants (i.e., alleles)--particularly the ADH1B*2, ADH1B*3, ADH1C*1, and ALDH2*2 alleles--have been associated with lower rates of alcohol dependence. These alleles may lead to an accumulation of acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism, which can result in heightened subjective and objective effects. The prevalence of these alleles differs among ethnic groups; ADH1B*2 is found frequently in northeast Asians and occasionally Caucasians, ADH1B*3 is found predominantly in people of African ancestry, ADH1C*1 varies substantially across populations, and ALDH2*2 is found almost exclusively in northeast Asians. Differences in the prevalence of these alleles may account at least in part for ethnic differences in alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, these alleles do not act in isolation to influence the risk of AUD. For example, the gene effects of ALDH2*2 and ADH1B*2 seem to interact. Moreover, other factors have been found to influence the extent to which these alleles affect a person's alcohol involvement, including developmental stage, individual characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, antisocial behavior, and behavioral undercontrol), and environmental factors (e.g., culture, religion, family environment, and childhood adversity).

Prevalence and factors associated with childhood overweight/obesity of private school children in Nepal.

PubMed

Koirala, M; Khatri, R B; Khanal, V; Amatya, A

2015-01-01

Childhood overweight/obesity is a global health problem because of adverse health and nutrition consequences worldwide. Currently, there is a paucity of information on childhood overweight/obesity in Nepal. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, childhood overweight/obesity among primary school children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in June-December, 2013. We collected data using the structured self-administered questionnaire with parents of children aged 6-13 years in grades 1-6 studying at private schools of the Lalitpur district of Nepal. Height and weight measurements of 986 children were taken, and the corresponding body mass index (BMI)-for-age was calculated. The prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity was reported in proportion. Factors associated with childhood overweight/obesity were examined using the Chi-square tests followed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Of 986 children, 144 (14.6%) were overweight and 111 (11.3%) were obese. Overall, 255 (25.9%) children were found to be overweight/obese. Children from families, having ≤2 siblings (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.958, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.163-3.296), upper class family (aOR=3.672; 95% CI: 1.154-11.690), and advantaged ethnic group (aOR=1.561; 95% CI: 1.00-2.437) and children who were of larger birth weight (>4.0kg) had a greater likelihood of being (aOR=2.557, 95% CI: 1.222-5.349) overweight/obese. A quarter of children were found to be overweight/obese in private primary schools. Preventive interventions should focus on the advantaged ethnic groups, families with fewer siblings, and upper class families. A greater emphasis ought to be placed on formulation and implementation of policies aimed at addressing the newly emerging problems of childhood overweight/obesity in Nepal. New school health programs are to be launched and strengthened including avoidance of high energy junk food, and promoting outdoor

Childhood separation anxiety disorder and adult onset panic attacks share a common genetic diathesis.

PubMed

Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Eaves, Lindon J; Hettema, John M; Kendler, Kenneth S; Silberg, Judy L

2012-04-01

Childhood separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is hypothesized to share etiologic roots with panic disorder. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic and environmental sources of covariance between childhood SAD and adult onset panic attacks (AOPA), with the primary goal to determine whether these two phenotypes share a common genetic diathesis. Participants included parents and their monozygotic or dizygotic twins (n = 1,437 twin pairs) participating in the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development and those twins who later completed the Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU). The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment was completed at three waves during childhood/adolescence followed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R at the YAFU. Two separate, bivariate Cholesky models were fit to childhood diagnoses of SAD and overanxious disorder (OAD), respectively, and their relation with AOPA; a trivariate Cholesky model also examined the collective influence of childhood SAD and OAD on AOPA. In the best-fitting bivariate model, the covariation between SAD and AOPA was accounted for by genetic and unique environmental factors only, with the genetic factor associated with childhood SAD explaining significant variance in AOPA. Environmental risk factors were not significantly shared between SAD and AOPA. By contrast, the genetic factor associated with childhood OAD did not contribute significantly to AOPA. Results of the trivariate Cholesky reaffirmed outcomes of bivariate models. These data indicate that childhood SAD and AOPA share a common genetic diathesis that is not observed for childhood OAD, strongly supporting the hypothesis of a specific genetic etiologic link between the two phenotypes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modulation of HPA axis response to social stress in schizophrenia by childhood trauma.

PubMed

Lange, Claudia; Huber, Christian G; Fröhlich, Daniela; Borgwardt, Stefan; Lang, Undine E; Walter, Marc

2017-08-01

HPA axis functioning plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). However, only few studies have examined HPA axis responsivity to psychosocial stress in SSD, and results are heterogeneous. Furthermore, childhood trauma is known to influence psychopathology and treatment outcome in SSD, but studies on the influence of childhood trauma on stress related HPA axis activity are missing. The purpose of this study was to investigate cortisol response to a psychosocial stress challenge in SSD patients, and to examine its association with severity of childhood trauma. The present study included 25 subacutely ill patients with a current episode of a chronic SSD and 25 healthy controls. Participants underwent the modified Trier Social Stress Test, and salivary cortisol levels were assessed. The childhood trauma questionnaire was used to assess severity of adverse life events. Overall, cortisol response was blunted in the patient group compared to the control group (p<0.01). Furthermore, we identified two patient subgroups (cortisol responders (n=12) vs. non-responders (n=13) to the modified TSST) that differed in their severity of childhood trauma experience: responders had experienced more emotional abuse in their past (p<0.042). Therefore, childhood trauma might influence stress-related HPA axis activity in SSD. Our data contribute to the hypothesis that severity of childhood trauma may be of pathophysiological relevance in schizophrenia. In addition, it may be an overlooked factor contributing to inconsistent findings regarding HPA axis response to psychosocial stress in SSD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Personality traits and childhood trauma as correlates of metabolic risk factors: the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA).

PubMed

van Reedt Dortland, Arianne K B; Giltay, Erik J; van Veen, Tineke; Zitman, Frans G; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2012-01-10

Personality and childhood trauma may affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, evidence for an association with metabolic risk factors for CVD is limited and ambiguous. Moreover, despite their interrelatedness, personality and childhood trauma were not yet studied simultaneously. Therefore, we aimed to explore whether personality and childhood trauma are correlates of metabolic risk factors. Among 2755 participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), we investigated through linear regression models whether Big Five personality traits (i.e., extraversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness) and childhood trauma type (i.e., emotional neglect, and psychological, physical and sexual abuse) were correlates of metabolic risk factors (i.e., lipids, waist circumference (WC), glucose and blood pressure). Basic covariates (i.e., age, sex and income level), lifestyle, severity of depressive symptoms and years of education were taken into account. Openness was the most robust favorable correlate, and sexual abuse was the most robust unfavorable correlate of lipids and WC, and of overall metabolic risk (β=-.070; p<.001 and β=.035; p=.04, respectively). People with a low openness trait and those who experienced childhood sexual abuse are at higher risk of dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring How Teachers' Personal Experiences with Childhood Bullying Influence Their Response to Student Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lay, Debra J.

2010-01-01

The results of the study provided a unique perspective of 20 teachers and how their personal childhood bullying experiences influenced their response to student bullying. Teachers who participated in this study acknowledged that they had a heightened awareness of student bullying, felt their positive attitude was due to their Olweus training as…

Exploring parental factors related to weight management in survivors of childhood central nervous system tumors.

PubMed

Santa Maria, Diane; Swartz, Maria C; Markham, Christine; Chandra, Joya; McCurdy, Sheryl; Basen-Engquist, Karen

2014-01-01

Childhood central nervous system tumor survivors (CCNSTS) are at risk for adverse health issues. Little research has been conducted to explore the role of parental factors in weight management to mitigate adverse health outcomes. We conducted 9 group interviews (n=20) with CCNSTS, their parents, and health care providers to ascertain parental factors that may influence weight management practices in CCNSTS. Three main themes were identified: parenting style, parent-child connectedness, and food and physical activity (PA) environment. Although most parents adopted an authoritative parenting style related to diet and PA practices, some adopted a permissive parenting style. Participants expressed high levels of connection that may hinder the development of peer relationships and described the food and PA environments that promote or hinder weight management through parental modeling of healthy eating and PA and access to healthy food and activities. Weight management interventions for CCNSTS may experience greater benefit from using a family-focused approach, promoting positive food and PA environments, parental modeling of healthy eating and exercise, and partnering with youth to adopt weight management behaviors.

Childhood Risk Factors for Lifetime Anorexia Nervosa by Age 30 Years in a National Birth Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholls, Dasha E.; Viner, Russell M.

2009-01-01

Whether previously identified childhood risk factors for anorexia nervosa (AN) predict self-reported lifetime AN by age 30 is examined. The cohort confirmed four risk and two protective factors out of the 22 suggested risk factors. The study used data from the 1970 British Cohort Study.

Climatic factors are associated with childhood eczema prevalence in US

PubMed Central

Silverberg, Jonathan I.; Hanifin, Jon; Simpson, Eric L.

2013-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD, atopic eczema) is driven by a complex relationship between genetic predisposition and environmental exposures. We sought to determine the impact of specific climatic factors on the US prevalence of AD. We used a merged analysis of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health from a representative sample of 91,642 children age 0–17 years and the 2006–2007 National Climate Data Center and Weather Service measurements of relative humidity (%), indoor heating degree days (HDD), clear sky UV indices ozone levels, and outdoor air temperature. As a proxy for AD, we used an affirmative response to the NSCH survey question asking whether the participant’s child has been given a doctor diagnosis of “eczema or any other kind of skin allergy” in the previous 12 months. In multivariate models controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, age and household income, eczema prevalence was significantly lower with highest-quartile mean annual relative humidity (logistic regression, adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]=0.82 [0.71–0.96], P=0.01) and issued UV index (0.73 [0.64–0.84], P<0.0001), and with two other factors associated with increased UV exposure. Eczema prevalence was decreased with highest-quartile air temperature (0.80 [0.70–0.92], P=0.002), but increased with 3rd–quartile mean annual HDD (1.26 [1.11–1.43], P=0.0003). This study provides evidence of climate influences on the US prevalence of childhood eczema. PMID:23334343

Korean Early Childhood Educators' Multi-Dimensional Teacher Self-Efficacy and ECE Center Climate and Depression Severity in Teachers as Contributing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yeon Ha; Kim, Yang Eun

2010-01-01

This study investigated profiles of South Korean early childhood educators' teacher self-efficacy and contributing factors to teacher self-efficacy. The contributing factors were examined with a focus on early childhood education (ECE) center climate and depression severity in teachers as well as teacher and classroom characteristics. The results…

Risk Factors Associated With Secondary Sarcomas in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henderson, Tara O., E-mail: thenderson@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu; Rajaraman, Preetha; Stovall, Marilyn

Purpose: Childhood cancer survivors have an increased risk of secondary sarcomas. To better identify those at risk, the relationship between therapeutic dose of chemotherapy and radiation and secondary sarcoma should be quantified. Methods and Materials: We conducted a nested case-control study of secondary sarcomas (105 cases, 422 matched controls) in a cohort of 14,372 childhood cancer survivors. Radiation dose at the second malignant neoplasm (SMN) site and use of chemotherapy were estimated from detailed review of medical records. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by conditional logistic regression. Excess odds ratio (EOR) was modeled as a functionmore » of radiation dose, chemotherapy, and host factors. Results: Sarcomas occurred a median of 11.8 years (range, 5.3-31.3 years) from original diagnosis. Any exposure to radiation was associated with increased risk of secondary sarcoma (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.8-9.5). A dose-response relation was observed, with elevated risks at doses between 10 and 29.9 Gy (OR = 15.6, 95% CI = 4.5-53.9), 30-49.9 Gy (OR = 16.0, 95% CI 3.8-67.8) and >50 Gy (OR = 114.1, 95% CI 13.5-964.8). Anthracycline exposure was associated with sarcoma risk (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.6-7.7) adjusting for radiation dose, other chemotherapy, and primary cancer. Adjusting for treatment, survivors with a first diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (OR = 10.7, 95% CI = 3.1-37.4) or primary sarcoma (OR = 8.4, 95% CI = 3.2-22.3) were more likely to develop a sarcoma. Conclusions: Of the risk factors evaluated, radiation exposure was the most important for secondary sarcoma development in childhood cancer survivors; anthracycline chemotherapy exposure was also associated with increased risk.« less

Association between childhood health, socioeconomic and school-related factors and effort-reward imbalance at work: a 25-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Wang, Shuo; Sanderson, Kristy; Venn, Alison; Dwyer, Terence; Gall, Seana

2018-01-01

Stress pathways can have origins in childhood, but few early predictors have been explored in relation to adult job stress. This study examined whether childhood school, health or socioeconomic factors were associated with adult job stress. Data came from the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health study that began in 1985 with children aged 7-15 years who reported effortreward imbalance (ERI) scales at ages 31-41 years. Linear regression assessed the association between childhood factors and adult ERI adjusted for age and socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood and adulthood. There were between 999 and 1390 participants in each analysis. Lower adulthood ERI, indicating less job stress, was predicted by several school-related factors in men. For example, each higher category of learner self-concept was associated with a 19% (95% CI - 32% to 6%) reduction in adult ERI, and each unit increase in academic attainment was associated with a 15% (95% CI -28% to 3%) reduction in adult ERI. Childhood health was associated with adult ERI. For example, in women, overweight children had 14% (95% CI 5% to 22%) higher adult ERI scores compared with healthy weight children, and each unit of negative affect was associated with 2% (95% CI 1% to 4%) increase in adult ERI. Adult SEP had no effect on these associations for men but explained some of the effect in women. Childhood SEP had inconsistent associations with adult ERI. Our findings suggest that a range of childhood socioeconomic, school- and health-related factors might contribute to the development of job stress in adulthood. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Influence of maternal adiposity, preterm birth and birth weight centiles on early childhood obesity in an Indigenous Australian pregnancy-through-to-early-childhood cohort study.

PubMed

Pringle, K G; Lee, Y Q; Weatherall, L; Keogh, L; Diehm, C; Roberts, C T; Eades, S; Brown, A; Smith, R; Lumbers, E R; Brown, L J; Collins, C E; Rae, K M

2018-05-16

Childhood obesity rates are higher among Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous Australian children. It has been hypothesized that early-life influences beginning with the intrauterine environment predict the development of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this paper was to assess, in 227 mother-child dyads from the Gomeroi gaaynggal cohort, associations between prematurity, Gestation Related-Optimal Weight (GROW) centiles, maternal adiposity (percentage body fat, visceral fat area), maternal non-fasting plasma glucose levels (measured at mean gestational age of 23.1 weeks) and offspring BMI and adiposity (abdominal circumference, subscapular skinfold thickness) in early childhood (mean age 23.4 months). Maternal non-fasting plasma glucose concentrations were positively associated with infant birth weight (P=0.005) and GROW customized birth weight centiles (P=0.008). There was a significant association between maternal percentage body fat (P=0.02) and visceral fat area (P=0.00) with infant body weight in early childhood. Body mass index (BMI) in early childhood was significantly higher in offspring born preterm compared with those born at term (P=0.03). GROW customized birth weight centiles was significantly associated with body weight (P=0.01), BMI (P=0.007) and abdominal circumference (P=0.039) at early childhood. Our findings suggest that being born preterm, large for gestational age or exposed to an obesogenic intrauterine environment and higher maternal non-fasting plasma glucose concentrations are associated with increased obesity risk in early childhood. Future strategies should aim to reduce the prevalence of overweight/obesity in women of child-bearing age and emphasize the importance of optimal glycemia during pregnancy, particularly in Indigenous women.

Risk Factors for Childhood Homicides in Ohio: A Birth Certificate-Based Case-Control Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winpisinger, Kim A.; And Others

1991-01-01

Examines risk factors for childhood homicides using data for Ohio-born children less than eight years of age killed between 1979 and 1986. Among the factors increasing risks were low birthweight, being Black, and having a mother who was teenage, unwed, or not a high school graduate. Other supports in the child's environment may reduce these risks.…

Childhood body-focused behaviors and social behaviors as risk factors of eating disorders.

PubMed

Mangweth, Barbara; Hausmann, Armand; Danzl, Claudia; Walch, Thomas; Rupp, Claudia I; Biebl, Wilfried; Hudson, James I; Pope, Harrison G

2005-01-01

The risk factors for adolescent eating disorders are poorly understood. It is generally agreed, however, that interactions with one's body and interactions with others are two important features in the development of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Therefore, we assessed a variety of childhood body-focused behaviors and childhood social behaviors in eating-disordered patients as compared to non-eating-disordered subjects. We compared 50 female inpatients with eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia nervosa), 50 female inpatients with polysubstance dependence, and 50 nonpatient female control subjects with no history of eating or substance abuse disorders (all defined by DSM-IV criteria), using a semi-structured interview of our own design. We asked questions about (1) childhood body-focused behaviors (e.g. thumb-sucking) and body-focused family experiences (e.g. bodily caresses), and (2) childhood social behaviors (e.g. numbers of close friends) and family social styles (e.g. authoritarian upbringing). Many body-focused measures, such as feeding problems, auto-aggressive behavior, lack of maternal caresses, and family taboos regarding nudity and sexuality, characterized eating-disordered patients as opposed to both comparison groups, as did several social behaviors, such as adjustment problems at school and lack of close friends. However, nail-biting, insecure parental bonding, and childhood physical and sexual abuse were equally elevated in both psychiatric groups. It appears that eating-disordered patients, as compared to substance-dependent patients and healthy controls, show a distinct pattern of body-focused and social behaviors during childhood, characterized by self-harm, a rigid and 'body-denying' family climate, and lack of intimacy. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Linking Temperamental Shyness and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Moderating Influences of Sex and Age.

PubMed

Tsui, Tiffany Y L; Lahat, Ayelet; Schmidt, Louis A

2017-10-01

Although childhood shyness has been linked to social anxiety problems, the factors playing a role in this association have gone largely unexplored. Here we examined the potential moderating roles of sex and age on this relation in a sample of 119 (75 girls) children (10-12 years) and adolescents (14-16 years). As predicted, shyness was positively associated with social anxiety symptoms. Sex, but not age, served as a moderating factor in linking shyness and social anxiety. Specifically, shyness was more strongly associated with social anxiety symptoms among girls than boys. These results suggest the importance of considering sex differences when examining the relation between shyness and social anxiety in childhood and adolescence.

History of childhood trauma as risk factors to suicide risk in major depression.

PubMed

Dias de Mattos Souza, Luciano; Lopez Molina, Mariane; Azevedo da Silva, Ricardo; Jansen, Karen

2016-12-30

The aim of this study was to compare childhood trauma scores domains between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients with and without suicide risk. This is cross-sectional study including a clinical sample of adults (18-60 years) diagnosed with MDD through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus version (MINI Plus). The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was also used to verify types of trauma scores: abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual) and neglect (emotional and physical). Adjusted analysis was performed by linear regression. The sample was composed to 473 patients, suicide risk was observed in 16.3% of them. Suicide risk was independently associated with emotional abuse and neglect and sexual abuse, but not with physical abuse and neglect. Different domains of childhood trauma are associated with suicide risk in MDD population and emotional trauma should be considered a risk factor for suicide risk in MDD patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resilience in Inner City Youth: Childhood Predictors of Occupational Status across the Lifespan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiRago, Ana C.; Vaillant, George E.

2007-01-01

The present prospective study has followed a cohort of inner city men from adolescence (14 plus or minus 2) until age 65. While previous studies of shorter duration have identified numerous childhood factors that powerfully influence outcomes in young adulthood, this study examined the effect of these well-documented prognostic factors on…

Cognitive development in childhood and drinking behaviour over two decades in adulthood.

PubMed

Jefferis, B J M H; Manor, O; Power, C

2008-06-01

Childhood cognition predicts adult morbidity and mortality, potentially working through health behaviours. This study investigates if childhood cognition influences life course (i) non-drinking and (ii) binge drinking and pathways through which this might act-namely, childhood behaviour problems, adult social position and educational qualifications. Prospective cohort of British births in March 1958, with information on cognition at 7, 11 and 16 years and alcohol use at 23, 33 and 42 years. Non-drinkers drank "infrequently/on special occasions" or "never". Binge drinkers consumed >or=10 units/occasion (men) and >or=7 units/occasion (women). Lower cognitive ability increased the odds of non-drinking at each adult survey (for example, for men at 42 years OR 1.52 (95% CI 1.34 to 1.72) per SD decrease in 7-year maths). Associations remained after adjustment for pathway factors (i) behaviour problems, (ii) adult social position and (iii) educational qualifications. Decreased ability rank across childhood (7-16 years) also increased odds of non-drinking at 42 years, but the association operated via pathway factors. Lower 7-year ability elevated the odds of 42-year binge drinking, operating via pathway factors. Declining ability rank across childhood also increased the odds of adult binge drinking; associations operated through behavioural problems, adult social position and qualifications. In women, the decline in risk of binge drinking from an age 23-year peak to 42 years was associated with higher 7-year score. Poorer childhood cognition was associated with non-drinking and binge drinking up to the early 40s. Associations between childhood cognition and drinking status may mediate between childhood cognition and adult health.

Contextual socioeconomic factors associated with childhood mortality in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Adekanmbi, Victor T; Kandala, Ngianga-Bakwin; Stranges, Saverio; Uthman, Olalekan A

2015-11-01

Childhood mortality is a well-known public health issue, particularly in the low and middle income countries. The overarching aim of this study was to examine whether neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with childhood mortality beyond individual-level measures of socioeconomic status in Nigeria. Multilevel logistic regression models were applied to data on 31 482 under-five children whether alive or dead (level 1) nested within 896 neighbourhoods (level 2) from the 37 states in Nigeria (level 3) using the most recent 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). More than 1 of every 10 children studied had died before reaching the age of 5 years (130/1000 live births). The following factors independently increased the odds of childhood mortality: male sex, mother's age at 15-24 years, uneducated mother or low maternal education attainment, decreasing household wealth index at individual level (level 1), residing in rural area and neighbourhoods with high poverty rate at level 2. There were significant neighbourhoods and states clustering in childhood mortality in Nigeria. The study provides evidence that individual-level and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic conditions are important correlates of childhood mortality in Nigeria. The findings of this study also highlight the need to implement public health prevention strategies at the individual level, as well as at the area/neighbourhood level. These strategies include the establishment of an effective publicly funded healthcare system, as well as health education and poverty alleviation programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Environmental factors influencing the risk of autism

PubMed Central

Karimi, Padideh; Kamali, Elahe; Mousavi, Seyyed Mohammad; Karahmadi, Mojgan

2017-01-01

Autism is a developmental disability with age of onset in childhood (under 3 years old), which is characterized by definite impairments in social interactions, abnormalities in speech, and stereotyped pattern of behaviors. Due to the progress of autism in recent decades, a wide range of studies have been done to identify the etiological factors of autism. It has been found that genetic and environmental factors are both involved in autism pathogenesis. Hence, in this review article, a set of environmental factors involved in the occurrence of autism has been collected, and finally, some practical recommendations for reduction of the risk of this devastating disease in children are represented. PMID:28413424

Childhood abuse, personality traits, and depressive symptoms in adulthood.

PubMed

Lee, Min-Ah; Song, Rira

2017-03-01

This study examined associations among childhood abuse, personality traits, and depressive symptoms in adulthood, and whether and how the effects of childhood abuse on depressive symptoms are mediated by the Big Five personality traits (i.e., extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, and openness). The data were drawn from the 2012 Korean General Social Survey, a nationally representative survey using a multistage area proportional probability sampling method. Random effects regression and the Sobel test were used. Random effects models showed that physical and emotional abuse in childhood significantly increased depressive symptoms in adulthood, even after controlling for personality traits and socio-demographic factors. The coefficients of childhood abuse slightly decreased when personality traits were controlled, suggesting that personality traits mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and depressive symptoms. Among the personality traits, extraversion and emotional stability were negatively associated with depressive symptoms whereas agreeableness was positively associated with depressive symptoms. The results of the Sobel test showed that only emotional stability significantly mediated the effects of childhood abuse on depressive symptoms. Those who were exposed to childhood abuse had lower levels of emotional stability, which, in turn, led to depressive symptoms in adulthood. The findings suggest that childhood abuse may have a long lasting effect on mental health over the life course by influencing the formation of personality traits through developmental periods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Executive Function in Adolescence: Associations with Child and Family Risk Factors and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Berthelsen, Donna; Hayes, Nicole; White, Sonia L. J.; Williams, Kate E.

2017-01-01

Executive functions are important higher-order cognitive skills for goal-directed thought and action. These capacities contribute to successful school achievement and lifelong wellbeing. The importance of executive functions to children’s education begins in early childhood and continues throughout development. This study explores contributions of child and family factors in early childhood to the development of executive function in adolescence. Analyses draw on data from the nationally representative study, Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Participants are 4819 children in the Kindergarten Cohort who were recruited at age 4–5 years. Path analyses were employed to examine contributions of early childhood factors, including family socio-economic position (SEP), parenting behaviors, maternal mental health, and a child behavioral risk index, to the development of executive function in adolescence. The influence of children’s early self-regulatory behaviors (attentional regulation at 4–5 years and approaches to learning at 6–7 years) were also taken into account. A composite score for the outcome measure of executive function was constructed from scores on three Cogstate computerized tasks for assessing cognition and measured visual attention, visual working memory, and spatial problem-solving. Covariates included child gender, age at assessment of executive function, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, speaking a language other than English at home, and child’s receptive vocabulary skills. There were significant indirect effects involving child and family risk factors measured at 4–5 years on executive function at age 14–15 years, mediated by measures of self-regulatory behavior. Child behavioral risk, family SEP and parenting behaviors (anger, warmth, and consistency) were associated with attentional regulation at 4–5 years which, in turn, was significantly associated with approaches to learning at 6

Beyond Professional Development: Factors Influencing Early Childhood Educators' Beliefs and Practices Working with Dual Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spies, Tracy Griffin; Lyons, Catherine; Huerta, Margarita; Garza, Tiberio; Reding, Cristina

2017-01-01

The National Association for the Education of Young Children and Head Start have clearly articulated their position on the provision of high-quality instruction for the 4 million dual language learners (DLLs) enrolled in early childhood (EC) programs nationwide. Professional development (PD) provides a way for educators to increase their knowledge…

Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and the Clustering of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Early Childhood.

PubMed

Anderson, Laura N; Lebovic, Gerald; Hamilton, Jill; Hanley, Anthony J; McCrindle, Brian W; Maguire, Jonathon L; Parkin, Patricia C; Birken, Catherine S

2016-03-01

Obesity has its origins in early childhood; however, there is limited evidence of the association between anthropometric indicators and cardiometabolic risk factors in young children. Our aim was to evaluate the associations between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in relation to cardiometabolic risk factors and to explore the clustering of these factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 1-5 years through TARGet Kids! (n = 2917). Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between BMI and WC z-scores and individual traditional and possible non-traditional cardiometabolic risk factors. The underlying clustering of these measures was evaluated using principal components analysis (PCA). Child obesity (BMI z-score >2) was associated with high (>90th percentile) leptin [odds ratio (OR) 8.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.56, 14.58] and insulin (OR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.05, 2.94). WC z-score >1 was associated with high insulin (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.11, 2.28), leptin (OR 5.48, 95% CI 3.48, 8.63) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 75 nmol/L (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.08, 1.79). BMI and WC were not associated with other traditional cardiometabolic risk factors, including non-High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and glucose. Among children 3-5 years (n = 1035) the PCA of traditional risk factors identified three components: adiposity/blood pressure, metabolic, and lipids. The inclusion of non-traditional risk factors identified four additional components but contributed minimally to the total variation explained. Anthropometric indicators are associated with selected cardiometabolic risk factors in early childhood, although the clustering of risk factors suggests that adiposity is only one distinct component of cardiometabolic risk. The measurement of other risk factors beyond BMI and WC may be important in defining cardiometabolic risk in early childhood. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sibling Conflict in Middle Childhood: Influence of Maternal Context and Mother-Sibling Interaction over Four Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Nina; Fiorentino, Lisa M.; Gariepy, Nadine

2003-01-01

Investigated: (1) influence of maternal context on frequency and types of conflicts of sibling dyads in middle childhood, and (2) the stability of maternal and sibling interaction over 4 years. Found that maternal presence depressed conflict frequency and aggression. Earlier patterns of family interaction were related to later indices of sibling…

Family lifestyle dynamics and childhood obesity: evidence from the millennium cohort study.

PubMed

Gray, Laura A; Hernandez Alava, Monica; Kelly, Michael P; Campbell, Michael J

2018-04-16

The prevalence of childhood obesity has been increasing but the causes are not fully understood. Recent public health interventions and guidance aiming to reduce childhood obesity have focused on the whole family, as opposed to just the child but there remains a lack of empirical evidence examining this relationship. Using data from the longitudinal Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), we investigate the dynamic relationship between underlying family lifestyle and childhood obesity during early childhood. The MCS interviewed parents shortly after the birth of their child and follow up interviews were carried out when the child was 3, 5 and 7 years. We use a dynamic latent factor model, an approach that allows us to identify family lifestyle, its evolution over time (in this case between birth and 7 years) and its influence on childhood obesity and other observable outcomes. We find that family lifestyle is persistent, 87.43% of families which were above the 95th percentile on the lifestyle distribution, remained above the 95th percentile when the child was 7 years old. Family lifestyle has a significant influence on all outcomes in the study, including diet, exercise and parental weight status; family lifestyle accounts for 11.3% of the variation in child weight by age 7 years. The analysis suggests that interventions should therefore be prolonged and persuasive and target the underlying lifestyle of a family as early as possible during childhood in order to have the greatest cumulative influence. Our results suggest that children from advantaged backgrounds are more likely to be exposed to healthier lifestyles and that this leads to inequalities in the prevalence of obesity. To reduce inequalities in childhood obesity, policy makers should target disadvantaged families and design interventions specifically for these families.

Prediction of Adult Dyslipidemia Using Genetic and Childhood Clinical Risk Factors: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

PubMed

Nuotio, Joel; Pitkänen, Niina; Magnussen, Costan G; Buscot, Marie-Jeanne; Venäläinen, Mikko S; Elo, Laura L; Jokinen, Eero; Laitinen, Tomi; Taittonen, Leena; Hutri-Kähönen, Nina; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Lehtimäki, Terho; Viikari, Jorma S; Juonala, Markus; Raitakari, Olli T

2017-06-01

Dyslipidemia is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We examined whether the addition of novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms for blood lipid levels enhances the prediction of adult dyslipidemia in comparison to childhood lipid measures. Two thousand four hundred and twenty-two participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who had participated in 2 surveys held during childhood (in 1980 when aged 3-18 years and in 1986) and at least once in a follow-up study in adulthood (2001, 2007, and 2011) were included. We examined whether inclusion of a lipid-specific weighted genetic risk score based on 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 71 single-nucleotide polymorphisms for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 40 single-nucleotide polymorphisms for triglycerides improved the prediction of adult dyslipidemia compared with clinical childhood risk factors. Adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, and smoking in childhood, childhood lipid levels, and weighted genetic risk scores were associated with an increased risk of adult dyslipidemia for all lipids. Risk assessment based on 2 childhood lipid measures and the lipid-specific weighted genetic risk scores improved the accuracy of predicting adult dyslipidemia compared with the approach using only childhood lipid measures for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.806 versus 0.811; P =0.01) and triglycerides (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.740 versus area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.758; P <0.01). The overall net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement were significant for all outcomes. The inclusion of weighted genetic risk scores to lipid-screening programs in childhood could modestly improve the identification of those at highest risk of dyslipidemia in adulthood. © 2017 American Heart

Childhood Social Inequalities Influences Neural Processes in Young Adult Caregiving

PubMed Central

Kim, Pilyoung; Ho, S. Shaun; Evans, Gary W.; Liberzon, Israel; Swain, James E.

2016-01-01

Childhood poverty is associated with harsh parenting with a risk of transmission to the next generation. This prospective study examined the relations between childhood poverty and non-parent adults’ neural responses to infant cry sounds. While no main effects of poverty were revealed in contrasts of infant cry vs. acoustically matched white noise, a gender by childhood poverty interaction emerged. In females, childhood poverty was associated with increased neural activations in the posterior insula, striatum, calcarine sulcus, hippocampus and fusiform gyrus, while, in males, childhood poverty was associated with reduced levels of neural responses to infant cry in the same regions. Irrespective of gender, neural activation in these regions was associated with higher levels of annoyance with the cry sound and reduced desire to approach the crying infant. The findings suggest gender differences in neural and emotional responses to infant cry sounds among young adults growing up in poverty. PMID:25981334

Prospective Analyses of Childhood Factors and Antisocial Behavior for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chin-Chih; Symons, Frank J.; Reynolds, Arthur J.

2011-01-01

This prospective longitudinal study investigated the association between childhood factors (individual, family, and school characteristics) and later antisocial behavior (official juvenile delinquency and adult crime) for students identified with high-incidence disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, emotional disturbance). The sample consisted…

Birth weight, maternal weight and childhood leukaemia

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, C C; Baptiste, M S; Schymura, M J; Nasca, P C; Zdeb, M S

2006-01-01

There is mounting evidence that childhood leukaemia is associated with high birth weight, but few studies have examined the relationship between leukaemia and other perinatal factors that influence birth weight, such as maternal weight or gestational weight gain. This case-cohort study included 916 acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) and 154 acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cases diagnosed prior to age 10 years between 1985 and 2001 and born in New York State excluding New York City between 1978 and 2001. Controls (n=9686) were selected from the birth cohorts for the same years. Moderate increased risk of both ALL and AML was associated with birth weight 3500 g or more. For ALL, however, there was evidence of effect modification with birth weight and maternal prepregnancy weight. High birth weight was associated with ALL only when the mother was not overweight while heavier maternal weight was associated with ALL only when the infant was not high birth weight. Increased pregnancy-related weight gain was associated with ALL. For AML, birth weight under 3000 g and higher prepregnancy weight were both associated with increased risk. These findings suggest childhood leukaemia may be related to factors influencing abnormal fetal growth patterns. PMID:16736025

Relation of pregnancy and neonatal factors to subsequent development of childhood epilepsy: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Whitehead, Elizabeth; Dodds, Linda; Joseph, K S; Gordon, Kevin E; Wood, Ellen; Allen, Alexander C; Camfield, Peter; Dooley, Joseph M

2006-04-01

We examined the effect of pregnancy and neonatal factors on the subsequent development of childhood epilepsy in a population-based cohort study. Children born between January 1986 and December 2000 in Nova Scotia, Canada were followed up to December 2001. Data on pregnancy and neonatal events and on diagnoses of childhood epilepsy were obtained through record linkage of 2 population-based databases: the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database and the Canadian Epilepsy Database and Registry. Factors analyzed included events during the prenatal, labor and delivery, and neonatal time periods. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. There were 648 new cases of epilepsy diagnosed among 124,207 live births, for an overall rate of 63 per 100,000 person-years. Incidence rates were highest among children <1 year of age. In adjusted analyses, factors significantly associated with an increased risk of epilepsy included eclampsia, neonatal seizures, central nervous system (CNS) anomalies, placental abruption, major non-CNS anomalies, neonatal metabolic disorders, neonatal CNS diseases, previous low birth weight infant, infection in pregnancy, small for gestational age, unmarried, and not breastfeeding infant at the time of discharge from hospital. Our study supports the concept that prenatal factors contribute to the occurrence of subsequent childhood epilepsy.

Childhood Conduct Problems and Other Early Risk Factors in Rural Adult Stimulant Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Teresa L.; Han, Xiaotong; Leukefeld, Carl; Booth, Brenda M.; Edlund, Carrie

2009-01-01

Context: Understanding childhood risk factors associated with adult substance use and legal problems is important for treatment and prevention. Purpose: To examine the relationship of early substance use, conduct problems before age 15, and family history of substance abuse on adult outcomes in rural, stimulant users. Methods: Adult cocaine and…

Does fetal smoke exposure affect childhood bone mass? The Generation R Study.

PubMed

Heppe, D H M; Medina-Gomez, C; Hofman, A; Rivadeneira, F; Jaddoe, V W V

2015-04-01

We assessed the intrauterine influence of maternal smoking on childhood bone mass by comparing parental prenatal and postnatal smoking habits. We observed higher bone mass in children exposed to maternal smoking, explained by higher body weight. Maternal smoking or related lifestyle factors may affect childhood weight gain rather than skeletal growth. Maternal smoking during pregnancy may adversely affect bone health in later life. By comparing the associations of maternal and paternal smoking and of prenatal and postnatal exposure with childhood bone measures, we aimed to explore whether the suggested association could be explained by fetal programming or reflects confounding by familial factors. In 5565 mothers, fathers and children participating in a population-based prospective cohort study, parental smoking habits during pregnancy and current household smoking habits were assessed by postal questionnaires. Total body bone mineral content (BMC), bone area (BA) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the median age of 6.0 years (IQR 0.37). In confounder-adjusted models, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with a higher BMC of 11.6 g (95 % confidence interval (CI) 5.6, 17.5), a larger BA of 9.7 cm(2) (95 % CI 3.0, 16.4), a higher BMD of 6.7 g/cm(2) (95 % CI 2.4, 11.0) and a higher BMC of 5.4 g (95 % CI 1.3, 9.6) adjusted for BA of the child. Current weight turned out to mediate these associations. Among mothers who did not smoke, paternal smoking did not show evident associations with childhood bone measures. Also, household smoking practices during childhood were not associated with childhood bone measures. Our results do not support the hypothesis of fetal smoke exposure affecting childhood bone mass via intrauterine mechanisms. Maternal smoking or related lifestyle factors may affect childhood weight gain rather than skeletal growth.

Association between climate factors, pollen counts, and childhood hay fever prevalence in the United States.

PubMed

Silverberg, Jonathan I; Braunstein, Marc; Lee-Wong, Mary

2015-02-01

Climate factors and pollen counts may play a role in hay fever. We sought to determine the impact of specific climate factors and pollen counts on the US prevalence of hay fever and statewide variation in prevalence. We used a merged analysis of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health from a representative sample of 91,642 children aged 0 to 17 years and the 2006-2007 National Climate Data Center and Weather Service measurements of relative humidity (%), indoor heating degree days, precipitation, Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, clear sky and issued ultraviolet indices, stratospheric ozone levels, and outdoor air temperature and National Allergy Bureau total pollen counts. Multivariate survey logistic regression models controlled for sex, race/ethnicity, age, household income, and birthplace. The US prevalence of hay fever in childhood was 18.0% (95% CI, 17.7% to 18.2%), with the highest prevalence in southeastern and southern states. Hay fever prevalence was significantly lower with second and third quartile mean annual relative humidity (logistic regression, P ≤ .01 for both), fourth quartile mean annual Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (P = .02), third and fourth quartile mean annual heating degree days (P < .0001 for both), and third and fourth quartile mean annual stratospheric ozone levels but increased with second, third, and fourth quartile mean annual temperature (P ≤ .02 for both), fourth quartile mean annual precipitation (P = .0007), mean total pollen counts (P = .01), and second, third, and fourth quartile issued ultraviolet index (P ≤ .0001 for all). Principal-component analysis was also used to determine the combined effects of correlated climate variables and pollen counts. This study provides evidence of the influence of climate on the US prevalence of childhood hay fever. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perinatal and childhood factors and risk of prostate cancer in adulthood: MCC-Spain case-control study.

PubMed

Lope, Virginia; García-Esquinas, Esther; Ruiz-Dominguez, José Manuel; LLorca, Javier; Jiménez-Moleón, José Juan; Ruiz-Cerdá, José L; Alguacil, Juan; Tardón, Adonina; Dierssen-Sotos, Trinidad; Tabernero, Ángel; Mengual, Lourdes; Kogevinas, Manolis; Aragonés, Nuria; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Pollán, Marina; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz

2016-08-01

In utero and early-life exposures are suspected to modulate the risk of prostate cancer. This study examines the influence of certain perinatal and childhood-related factors on prostate cancer risk overall and by Gleason score at biopsy. MCC-Spain is a multicase-control study where 1088 histologically-confirmed incident prostate cancer cases (aged 42-85years) and 1345 population-based controls (aged 38-85years), frequency matched by age and province of recruitment, were recruited in 7 Spanish provinces. Self-reported perinatal and childhood-related characteristics were directly surveyed by trained staff. The association with prostate cancer risk, globally and according to Gleason score at biopsy, was evaluated using logistic and multinomial regression mixed models, adjusting for age, family history of prostate cancer, educational level and body mass index one year before the interview, and including the province as a random effect term. Most perinatal factors were not related to prostate cancer risk, with the exception of middle-high socioeconomic level at birth (OR for high grade tumors=1.36; 95%CI=1.09-1.68). Regarding puberty, risk rose by 6% for each year of delayed onset (OR=1.06; 95%CI=1.01-1.10; p trend=0.016), with a clear excess of risk in men who reached puberty after age 15 (OR:1.35; 95%CI=1.08-1.68). A borderline significant positive association with prepubertal height was also observed (p trend=0.094). Some exposures experienced in utero and during adolescence, when the prostate is still maturing, might be relevant for prostate cancer risk in adulthood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A qualitative analysis of parental decision making for childhood immunisation.

PubMed

Marshall, S; Swerissen, H

1999-10-01

Achieving high rates of childhood immunisation is an important public health aim. Currently, however, immunisation uptake in Australia is disappointing. This qualitative study investigated the factors that influence parental decision making for childhood immunisation, and whether parents' experiences were better conceptualised in terms of static subjective expected utility models or in terms of a more dynamic process. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 predominantly middle-class mothers--17 immunizers and three non-immunizers, in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1997. The data were then examined using thematic analysis. The results suggested that for these participants the decision regarding childhood immunization was better conceptualized as a dynamic process. The decision required initial consideration, implementation then maintenance. If a better understanding of immunization decision making is to be achieved, future studies must look beyond static frameworks. Clearer insight into the dynamic nature of immunization decision making should assist in the identification of more effective methods of promoting childhood immunization to groups at risk of non-compliance.

Childhood Adversity and Pain Sensitization.

PubMed

You, Dokyoung Sophia; Meagher, Mary W

Childhood adversity is a vulnerability factor for chronic pain. However, the underlying pain mechanisms influenced by childhood adversity remain unknown. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of childhood adversity on dynamic pain sensitivity in young adults. After screening for childhood adverse events and health status, healthy individuals reporting low (below median; n = 75) or high levels of adversity (the top 5%; n = 51) were invited for pain testing. Both groups underwent heat pain threshold and temporal summation of second pain (TSSP) testing after reporting depressive symptoms. TSSP refers to a progressive increase in pain intensity with repetition of identical noxious stimuli and is attributed to central sensitization. Changes in pain ratings over time (slope) were computed for TSSP sensitization and decay of subsequent aftersensations. The high-adversity group showed greater TSSP sensitization (meanslope, 0.75; SDpositive slope, 1.78), and a trend toward a slower decay (meanslope, -11.9; SD, 3.4), whereas the low-adversity group showed minimal sensitization (meanslope, 0.07; SDnear-zero slope, 1.77), F(1,123) = 5.84, p = .017 and faster decay (meanslope, -13.1; SD, 3.4), F(1,123) = 3.79, p = .054. This group difference remained significant even after adjusting for adult depressive symptoms (p = .033). No group difference was found in heat pain threshold (p = .85). Lastly, the high-adversity group showed blunted cardiac and skin conductance responses. These findings suggest that enhancement of central sensitization may provide a mechanism underlying the pain hypersensitivity and chronicity linked to childhood adversity.

[Natural factors influencing sleep].

PubMed

Jurkowski, Marek K; Bobek-Billewicz, Barbara

2007-01-01

Sleep is a universal phenomenon of human and animal lives, although the importance of sleep for homeo-stasis is still unknown. Sleep disturbances influence many behavioral and physiologic processes, leading to health complications including death. On the other hand, sleep improvement can beneficially influence the course of healing of many disorders and can be a prognostic of health recovery. The factors influencing sleep have different biological and chemical origins. They are classical hormones, hypothalamic releasing and inhibitory hormones, neuropeptides, peptides and others as cytokines, prostaglandins, oleamid, adenosine, nitric oxide. These factors regulate most physiologic processes and are likely elements integrating sleep with physiology and physiology with sleep in health and disorders.

Childhood Precursors of the Narcissistic Personality.

PubMed

Cramer, Phebe

2017-09-01

This research identifies the childhood personality characteristics that predict the presence of narcissism in adulthood. Using data from the longitudinal study of Block and Block (The California Child Q-set. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1980), childhood personality characteristics were assessed at age 11 (N = 100) using the California Child Q-set. A number of these were shown to differentially predict the presence of grandiose or vulnerable narcissism at age 23. Factor analyses of the Child Q-set items showed that the presence of Grandiose Narcissism was positively related to childhood factors representing social presence and negatively related to planfulness. In contrast, vulnerable narcissism was positively related to childhood impulsivity and negatively related to stable self-esteem. Both types of narcissism were positively related to childhood factors representing need for control.

Childhood pneumonia increases risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the COPDGene study.

PubMed

Hayden, Lystra P; Hobbs, Brian D; Cohen, Robyn T; Wise, Robert A; Checkley, William; Crapo, James D; Hersh, Craig P

2015-09-21

Development of adult respiratory disease is influenced by events in childhood. The impact of childhood pneumonia on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not well defined. We hypothesize that childhood pneumonia is a risk factor for reduced lung function and COPD in adult smokers. COPD cases and control smokers between 45-80 years old from the United States COPDGene Study were included. Childhood pneumonia was defined by self-report of pneumonia at <16 years. Subjects with lung disease other than COPD or asthma were excluded. Smokers with and without childhood pneumonia were compared on measures of respiratory disease, lung function, and quantitative analysis of chest CT scans. Of 10,192 adult smokers, 854 (8.4%) reported pneumonia in childhood. Childhood pneumonia was associated with COPD (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.17-1.66), chronic bronchitis, increased COPD exacerbations, and lower lung function: post-bronchodilator FEV1 (69.1 vs. 77.1% predicted), FVC (82.7 vs. 87.4% predicted), FEV1/FVC ratio (0.63 vs. 0.67; p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Childhood pneumonia was associated with increased airway wall thickness on CT, without significant difference in emphysema. Having both pneumonia and asthma in childhood further increased the risk of developing COPD (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.10-3.18). Children with pneumonia are at increased risk for future smoking-related lung disease including COPD and decreased lung function. This association is supported by airway changes on chest CT scans. Childhood pneumonia may be an important factor in the early origins of COPD, and the combination of pneumonia and asthma in childhood may pose the greatest risk. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00608764 (Active since January 28, 2008).

Does the cortisol awakening response link childhood adversity to adult BMI?

PubMed

Miller, Kelly F; Arbel, Reout; Shapiro, Lauren S; Han, Sohyun C; Margolin, Gayla

2018-06-01

Childhood adversity is a risk factor for the development of obesity in adulthood. Dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity, which has been associated separately with both adverse childhood experiences and obesity, has been posited as a mechanism by which stressful experiences influence body mass index (BMI); however, this mechanism has not yet been tested longitudinally. The present study uses multireporter, longitudinal data across three time points to test whether the adolescent cortisol awakening response (CAR), an index of diurnal HPA activity, mediates the association between adversity in childhood and BMI in adulthood. Eighty-two youth, mothers, and fathers reported on adverse childhood experiences from middle childhood to late adolescence. During adolescence, youth provided saliva samples three times each morning across three days, which were assayed for cortisol to calculate CAR. During early adulthood, youth reported height and weight to calculate BMI. Greater adversity predicted flatter CAR and higher young adult BMI. Flatter CAR partially mediated the association between childhood adversity and young adult BMI. Stress-related alterations to HPA activity account in part for the childhood adversity-adult obesity link. Findings are consistent with theoretical models implicating HPA alterations as linking childhood adversity to metabolic and behavioral determinants of BMI in adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Pathogenesis and prevention of type 2 diabetes: parental determinants, breastfeeding, and early childhood nutrition.

PubMed

Bartz, Sarah; Freemark, Michael

2012-02-01

Among the factors predisposing to type 2 diabetes in children, adolescents, and young adults, the health and behavior of both the mother and father are critical. Prevention and treatment of parental nutritional disorders (including obesity and malnutrition), promotion of breastfeeding, and avoidance of overfeeding of young children are essential for childhood health and metabolic function. Focusing research and policy on parental influences on childhood health should reduce the risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes in future generations.

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Childhood Obesity.

PubMed

Pihl, Andreas Friis; Fonvig, Cilius Esmann; Stjernholm, Theresa; Hansen, Torben; Pedersen, Oluf; Holm, Jens-Christian

2016-08-01

Childhood and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The pathogenesis of obesity is complex and multifactorial, in which genetic and environmental contributions seem important. The gut microbiota is increasingly documented to be involved in the dysmetabolism associated with obesity. We conducted a systematic search for literature available before October 2015 in the PubMed and Scopus databases, focusing on the interplay between the gut microbiota, childhood obesity, and metabolism. The review discusses the potential role of the bacterial component of the human gut microbiota in childhood and adolescent-onset obesity, with a special focus on the factors involved in the early development of the gut bacterial ecosystem, and how modulation of this microbial community might serve as a basis for new therapeutic strategies in combating childhood obesity. A vast number of variables are influencing the gut microbial ecology (e.g., the host genetics, delivery method, diet, age, environment, and the use of pre-, pro-, and antibiotics); but the exact physiological processes behind these relationships need to be clarified. Exploring the role of the gut microbiota in the development of childhood obesity may potentially reveal new strategies for obesity prevention and treatment.

Birth weight and order as risk factors for childhood central nervous system tumors.

PubMed

MacLean, Jane; Partap, Sonia; Reynolds, Peggy; Von Behren, Julie; Fisher, Paul Graham

2010-09-01

To determine whether birth characteristics related to maternal-fetal health in utero are associated with the development of childhood central nervous system tumors. We identified, from the California Cancer Registry, 3733 children under age 15 diagnosed with childhood central nervous system tumors between 1988 and 2006 and linked these cases to their California birth certificates. Four controls per case, matched on birth date and sex, were randomly selected from the same birth files. We evaluated associations of multiple childhood CNS tumor subtypes with birth weight and birth order. Low birth weight was associated with a reduced risk of low-grade gliomas (OR=0.67; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.97) and high birth weight was associated with increased risk of high-grade gliomas (OR=1.57; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.12). High birth order (fourth or higher) was associated with decreased risk of low-grade gliomas (OR=0.75; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.99) and increased risk of high-grade gliomas (OR=1.32; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.72 for second order). Factors that drive growth in utero may increase the risk of low-grade gliomas. There may be a similar relationship in high-grade gliomas, although other factors, such as early infection, may modify this association. Additional investigation is warranted to validate and further define these findings. Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Public Health Professionals as Policy Entrepreneurs: Arkansas's Childhood Obesity Policy Experience

PubMed Central

Craig, Rebekah L.; Felix, Holly C.; Phillips, Martha M.

2010-01-01

In response to a nationwide rise in obesity, several states have passed legislation to improve school health environments. Among these was Arkansas's Act 1220 of 2003, the most comprehensive school-based childhood obesity legislation at that time. We used the Multiple Streams Framework to analyze factors that brought childhood obesity to the forefront of the Arkansas legislative agenda and resulted in the passage of Act 1220. When 3 streams (problem, policy, and political) are combined, a policy window is opened and policy entrepreneurs may advance their goals. We documented factors that produced a policy window and allowed entrepreneurs to enact comprehensive legislation. This historical analysis and the Multiple Streams Framework may serve as a roadmap for leaders seeking to influence health policy. PMID:20864715

A scoping review of epidemiologic risk factors for pediatric obesity: Implications for future childhood obesity and dental caries prevention research.

PubMed

Chi, Donald L; Luu, Monique; Chu, Frances

2017-06-01

What are the non-modifiable (socioeconomic, genetic) and modifiable factors (physical activity, dietary behaviors) related to childhood (under age 12) obesity? How can this knowledge be applied to oral health professionals' efforts to prevent or manage dental caries in children? Studies have identified risk factors for childhood obesity. The purpose of this scoping review was to develop a conceptual model to identify non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors for childhood obesity and to illustrate how these findings are relevant in developing interventions aimed at preventing obesity and dental caries in children. The authors searched PubMed and Embase and limited the study to English-language publications. A total of 2,572 studies were identified. After de-duplication, 2,479 studies remained and were downloaded into a citation-management tool. Two authors screened the titles and abstracts for relevance. Two hundred and sixty studies remained and were retrieved for a full-text review, and 80 studies were excluded, resulting in 180 studies included in the scoping review. An inductive content analytic methods was used to organize all statistically significant obesity risk factors into seven domains, which were classified as non-modifiable or modifiable; then a conceptual model of common risk factors associated with childhood obesity and dental caries was developed. Non-modifiable obesity risk factors include biological and developmental (e.g., genes, developmental conditions, puberty), sociodemographic and household (e.g., race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parent education, unemployment), cultural (e.g., degree of acculturation), and community (e.g., neighborhood composition). Modifiable risk factors included behavioral (e.g., diet, physical activity, weight), psychosocial (e.g., maternal stress, family functioning, parenting practices, child temperament), and medical (e.g., parent smoking, maternal health, child health). Identifying common risk factors has

Suicide, Schizophrenia, and Schizoid-Type Psychosis: Role of Life Events and Childhood Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tousignant, Michel; Pouliot, Louise; Routhier, Danielle; Vrakas, Georgia; McGirr, Alexander; Turecki, Gustavo

2011-01-01

The first objective was to identify the provoking events of suicide in patients with schizophrenia or schizoid-type disorder, and to assess the humiliation component of these events. The second objective was to verify if quality of care during childhood is a vulnerability factor for suicide in patients with schizophrenia or schizoid-type…

Child and Maternal Factors That Influence Child Blood Pressure in Preschool Children: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Rice, Marti; Turner-Henson, Anne; Park, Na-Jin; Azuero, Andres; Amiri, Azita; Feeley, Christine A; Johnson, Ann; Lam, Thuy; Huntington-Moskos, Luz; Rodriguez, Jeannie; Williams, Susan

2016-08-01

Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults and children and has its origins in childhood. While the prevalence of hypertension in children is estimated to be 2 to 5%, instance elevations in blood pressure readings (BPRs) in school-age children and adolescents are more common, track to adulthood, and are an independent risk factor for CVD. Less information is available about BPR in the preschool period and what child factors could influence those BPR. The primary aims of this exploratory study were to determine child blood pressure (BP) levels and determine effect sizes of the relationships between child and maternal factors that can influence child BP. A convenience sample of 15 rural and 15 urban children enrolled in Head Start programs (13 males; 14 females; all black) with ability to understand and speak English and with mothers who gave consent and could understand, read and speak English were enrolled. Mothers completed demographic information about their child including, gender, birth history and age. Height, weight, waist circumference and BP were measured in the mothers and the children. Children gave saliva specimens for cortisol and C-reactive protein. Over 37% of the children had elevated BPR with over 20% at or above the 95th percentile. Effect sizes of relationships ranged from very small to large. Elevations in BPR may be seen as early as preschool. It is important to examine factors, both child and maternal that influence BP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood victimization and inflammation in young adulthood: A genetically sensitive cohort study.

PubMed

Baldwin, Jessie R; Arseneault, Louise; Caspi, Avshalom; Fisher, Helen L; Moffitt, Terrie E; Odgers, Candice L; Pariante, Carmine; Ambler, Antony; Dove, Rosamund; Kepa, Agnieszka; Matthews, Timothy; Menard, Anne; Sugden, Karen; Williams, Benjamin; Danese, Andrea

2018-01-01

Childhood victimization is an important risk factor for later immune-related disorders. Previous evidence has demonstrated that childhood victimization is associated with elevated levels of inflammation biomarkers measured decades after exposure. However, it is unclear whether this association is (1) already detectable in young people, (2) different in males and females, and (3) confounded by genetic liability to inflammation. Here we sought to address these questions. Participants were 2232 children followed from birth to age 18years as part of the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Childhood victimization was measured prospectively from birth to age 12years. Inflammation was measured through C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in dried blood spots at age 18years. Latent genetic liability for high inflammation levels was assessed through a twin-based method. Greater exposure to childhood victimization was associated with higher CRP levels at age 18 (serum-equivalent means were 0.65 in non-victimized Study members, 0.74 in those exposed to one victimization type, and 0.81 in those exposed to poly-victimization; p=0.018). However, this association was driven by a significant association in females (serum-equivalent means were 0.75 in non-victimized females, 0.87 in those exposed to one type of victimization, and 1.19 in those exposed to poly-victimization; p=0.010), while no significant association was observed in males (p=0.19). Victimized females showed elevated CRP levels independent of latent genetic influence, as well as childhood socioeconomic status, and waist-hip ratio and body temperature at the time of CRP assessment. Childhood victimization is associated with elevated CRP levels in young women, independent of latent genetic influences and other key risk factors. These results strengthen causal inference about the effects of childhood victimization on inflammation levels in females by accounting for potential genetic confounding. Copyright �

Before They Walk in the Door: Environmental Influences on Musical Ability in Early Childhood and Implications for Nurturing the Nurturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Vanessa L.

2011-01-01

Environmental factors play a role in musical development, particularly in the critical period of early childhood. Children have the capacity to learn in the first days of life, long before entering formal schooling. Music education during this period is consequently the responsibility of parents, caregivers, and early childhood teachers. These…

Childhood Sexual Abuse and Sociodemographic Factors Prospectively Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among South African Heterosexual Men.

PubMed

Teitelman, Anne M; Bellamy, Scarlett L; Jemmott, John B; Icard, Larry; O'Leary, Ann; Ali, Samira; Ngwane, Zolani; Makiwane, Monde

2017-04-01

Intimate partner violence directed at women by men continues to be a global concern. However, little is known about the factors associated with perpetrating intimate partner violence among heterosexual men. History of childhood sexual abuse and other sociodemographic variables were examined as potential factors associated with severe intimate partner violence perpetration toward women in a sample of heterosexual men in South Africa. Longitudinal logistic generalized estimating equations examined associations of childhood sexual abuse and sociodemographic variables at baseline with intimate partner violence perpetration at subsequent time points. Among participants with a steady female partner, 21.81 % (190/ 871) reported perpetrating intimate partner violence in the past year at baseline. Having a history of childhood sexual abuse (p < .001), binge drinking (p = .002), being employed (p = .050), and more difficulty controlling sexual impulses in order to use a condom (p = .006) at baseline were associated with self-reported intimate partner violence perpetration in the past year at subsequent time points. With high levels of recent severe physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence perpetration in South Africa, comprehensive interventions are urgently needed. To more fully address gender-based violence, it is important to address associated factors, including exposure to childhood sexual abuse that could impact behavior later in life and that have long-lasting and deleterious effects on men and their female partners.

Perinatal and Family Risk Factors for Hodgkin Lymphoma in Childhood Through Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Crump, Casey; Sundquist, Kristina; Sieh, Weiva; Winkleby, Marilyn A.; Sundquist, Jan

2012-01-01

The incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma has increased among adolescents and young adults in recent decades, but the relevant risk factors in early life are still unknown. A national cohort study was conducted of 3,571,574 individuals born in Sweden in 1973–2008 and followed up for Hodgkin lymphoma incidence through 2009, to examine perinatal and family risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma in childhood through young adulthood (ages 0–37 years). There were 943 Hodgkin lymphoma cases identified in 66.3 million person-years of follow-up. High fetal growth was associated with an increased risk of Hodgkin lymphoma after adjustment for gestational age at birth and other potential confounders (Ptrend = 0.005). Family history of Hodgkin lymphoma in a sibling or parent also was strongly associated with an increased risk, with adjusted hazard ratios = 8.83 (95% confidence interval: 3.67, 21.30) and 7.19 (95% confidence interval: 3.58, 14.44), respectively. No association was found between gestational age at birth, birth order, twinning, parental age, or parental education and Hodgkin lymphoma. These findings did not vary by age at Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis. Similar associations were found for nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity subtypes. These findings suggest that perinatal factors including possible growth factor pathways may contribute to the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma in childhood through young adulthood. PMID:23171883

Predisposing factors in childhood masturbation in Turkey.

PubMed

Unal, F

2000-05-01

The aim of this prospective, referral-based study was to assess demographical and developmental features associated with childhood masturbation in Turkey. A total of 61 children with childhood masturbation who were referred for the first time to the Department of Child Psychiatry were examined from demographical, psychosocial and medical aspects and compared with two control groups consisting of 61 age and gender matched children who were brought to the paediatric outpatient clinics and 43 children and adolescents who were the biological siblings of the study group. In children with masturbation, sleep difficulties were more frequent (P < 0.001) and breast-feeding was shorter than in controls (P < 0.05). The onset of masturbation was often associated with a genito-urinary disorder or a stressful life event like weaning, the birth of a sibling, or separation from the parents. This is the first controlled study investigating the clinical and the developmental features of childhood masturbation. These findings may help identify children who could be at risk for this condition.

The Heritability of Insomnia Progression during Childhood/Adolescence: Results from a Longitudinal Twin Study

PubMed Central

Barclay, Nicola L.; Gehrman, Philip R.; Gregory, Alice M.; Eaves, Lindon J.; Silberg, Judy L.

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: To determine prevalence and heritability of insomnia during middle/late childhood and adolescence; examine longitudinal associations in insomnia over time; and assess the extent to which genetic and environmental factors on insomnia remain stable, or whether new factors come into play, across this developmental period. Design: Longitudinal twin study. Setting: Academic medical center. Patients or Participants: There were 739 complete monozygotic twin pairs (52%) and 672 complete dizygotic twin pairs (48%) initially enrolled and were followed up at three additional time points (waves). Mode ages at each wave were 8, 10, 14, and 15 y (ages ranged from 8–18 y). Interventions: None. Measurements and Results: Clinical ratings of insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA) by trained clinicians, and rated according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition—Revised criteria for presence of “clinically significant insomnia,” over four sequential waves. Insomnia symptoms were prevalent but significantly decreased across the four waves (ranging from 16.6% to 31.2%). “Clinically significant insomnia” was moderately heritable at all waves (h2 range = 14% to 38%), and the remaining source of variance was the nonshared environment. Multivariate models indicated that genetic influences at wave 1 contributed to insomnia at all subsequent waves, and that new genetic influences came into play at wave 2, which further contributed to stability of symptoms. Nonshared environmental influences were time-specific. Conclusion: Insomnia is prevalent in childhood and adolescence, and is moderately heritable. The progression of insomnia across this developmental time period is influenced by stable as well as new genetic factors that come into play at wave 2 (modal age 10 y). Molecular genetic studies should now identify genes related to insomnia progression during childhood and

Effects of naltrexone are influenced by childhood adversity during negative emotional processing in addiction recovery.

PubMed

Savulich, G; Riccelli, R; Passamonti, L; Correia, M; Deakin, J F W; Elliott, R; Flechais, R S A; Lingford-Hughes, A R; McGonigle, J; Murphy, A; Nutt, D J; Orban, C; Paterson, L M; Reed, L J; Smith, D G; Suckling, J; Tait, R; Taylor, E M; Sahakian, B J; Robbins, T W; Ersche, K D

2017-03-07

Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist used in the management of alcohol dependence. Although the endogenous opioid system has been implicated in emotion regulation, the effects of mu-opioid receptor blockade on brain systems underlying negative emotional processing are not clear in addiction. Individuals meeting criteria for alcohol dependence alone (n=18, alcohol) and in combination with cocaine and/or opioid dependence (n=21, alcohol/drugs) and healthy individuals without a history of alcohol or drug dependence (n=21) were recruited. Participants were alcohol and drug abstinent before entered into this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate brain response while viewing aversive and neutral images relative to baseline on 50 mg of naltrexone and placebo. We found that naltrexone modulated task-related activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus as a function of childhood adversity (for aversive versus neutral images) in all groups. Furthermore, there was a group-by-treatment-by-condition interaction in the right amygdala, which was mainly driven by a normalization of response for aversive relative to neutral images under naltrexone in the alcohol/drugs group. We conclude that early childhood adversity is one environmental factor that influences pharmacological response to naltrexone. Pharmacotherapy with naltrexone may also have some ameliorative effects on negative emotional processing in combined alcohol and drug dependence, possibly due to alterations in endogenous opioid transmission or the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist actions of naltrexone.

Effects of naltrexone are influenced by childhood adversity during negative emotional processing in addiction recovery

PubMed Central

Savulich, G; Riccelli, R; Passamonti, L; Correia, M; Deakin, J F W; Elliott, R; Flechais, R S A; Lingford-Hughes, A R; McGonigle, J; Murphy, A; Nutt, D J; Orban, C; Paterson, L M; Reed, L J; Smith, D G; Suckling, J; Tait, R; Taylor, E M; Sahakian, B J; Robbins, T W; Ersche, K D

2017-01-01

Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist used in the management of alcohol dependence. Although the endogenous opioid system has been implicated in emotion regulation, the effects of mu-opioid receptor blockade on brain systems underlying negative emotional processing are not clear in addiction. Individuals meeting criteria for alcohol dependence alone (n=18, alcohol) and in combination with cocaine and/or opioid dependence (n=21, alcohol/drugs) and healthy individuals without a history of alcohol or drug dependence (n=21) were recruited. Participants were alcohol and drug abstinent before entered into this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate brain response while viewing aversive and neutral images relative to baseline on 50 mg of naltrexone and placebo. We found that naltrexone modulated task-related activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus as a function of childhood adversity (for aversive versus neutral images) in all groups. Furthermore, there was a group-by-treatment-by-condition interaction in the right amygdala, which was mainly driven by a normalization of response for aversive relative to neutral images under naltrexone in the alcohol/drugs group. We conclude that early childhood adversity is one environmental factor that influences pharmacological response to naltrexone. Pharmacotherapy with naltrexone may also have some ameliorative effects on negative emotional processing in combined alcohol and drug dependence, possibly due to alterations in endogenous opioid transmission or the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist actions of naltrexone. PMID:28267152

A twin study exploring the association between childhood emotional and behaviour problems and specific psychotic experiences in a community sample of adolescents.

PubMed

Shakoor, Sania; McGuire, Philip; Cardno, Alastair G; Freeman, Daniel; Ronald, Angelica

2018-05-01

Childhood emotional and behaviour problems are antecedents for later psychopathology. This study investigated genetic and environmental influences shaping the longitudinal association between childhood emotional and behaviour problems and specific PEs. In a community-based twin sample, parents reported on emotional and behaviour problems when twins were ages 7 and 12 years. At age 16 years, specific PEs were measured using self-reports and parent reports. Structural equation model-fitting was conducted. Childhood emotional and behaviour problems were significantly associated with paranoia, cognitive disorganisation and parent-rated negative symptoms in adolescence (mean r = .15-.38), and to a lesser extent with hallucinations, grandiosity and anhedonia (mean r = .04-.12). Genetic influences on childhood emotional and behaviour problems explained significant proportions of variance in adolescent paranoia (4%), cognitive disorganisation (8%) and parent-rated negative symptoms (3%). Unique environmental influences on childhood emotional and behaviour problems explained ≤1% of variance in PEs. Common environmental influences were only relevant for the relationship between childhood emotional and behaviour problems and parent-rated negative symptoms (explaining 28% of variance) and are partly due to correlated rater effects. Childhood emotional and behaviour problems are significantly, if weakly, associated with adolescent PEs. These associations are driven in part by common genetic influences underlying both emotional and behaviour problems and PEs. However, psychotic experiences in adolescence are largely influenced by genetic and environmental factors that are independent of general childhood emotional and behaviour problems, suggesting they are not merely an extension of childhood emotional and behaviour problems. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and

The Intergenerational Transmission of Running Away: Childhood Experiences of the Parents of Runaways.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plass, Peggy S.; Hotaling, Gerald T.

1995-01-01

Data from the primary caretakers of 20,505 children in the National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Throwaway Children illustrate the influence of parents' own childhood running-away experiences on their children's behavior. The importance of intergenerational transmission factors is illustrated. (SLD)

Environmental factors associated with childhood eczema: Findings from a national web-based survey.

PubMed

Sasaki, Mari; Yoshida, Koichi; Adachi, Yuichi; Furukawa, Mayumi; Itazawa, Toshiko; Odajima, Hiroshi; Saito, Hirohisa; Hide, Michihiro; Akasawa, Akira

2016-10-01

Genetic and environmental factors are known to be related to the development of childhood eczema. Our aim was to assess the environmental factors associated with the prevalence of eczema among children using a web-based survey. In June 2012, we conducted a nation-wide web-based survey to identify the prevalence and characteristics of allergic diseases among Japanese children. The prevalence of allergic diseases including eczema was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood core questionnaire. The associations between eczema prevalence and environmental factors, as well as those between background characteristics and comorbid allergic diseases among 6-12 year old children were assessed. A total of 28,348 children were included in the analysis. The prevalence of current eczema was 13.0%. Current eczema was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of wheeze, rhinitis, and food allergy. In multiple logistic regression models, birth during autumn (aOR: 1.18 95%CI: 1.06-1.31) or winter (aOR: 1.21 95%CI: 1.08-1.34), duration of exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months (aOR: 1.14 95%CI: 1.06-1.23), and ownership of a pet from infancy (aOR: 2.61 95%CI: 1.68-4.07) were also associated with a higher prevalence of eczema. The prevalence was lower in those with a high annual household income (aOR: 0.90 95%CI: 0.81-0.99) and 2 or more siblings (aOR: 0.86 95%CI: 0.76-0.97). Duration of breastfeeding, season of birth, pet ownership, household income, and the number of siblings were associated with the prevalence of childhood eczema in a nationwide web survey. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Maternal history of adoption or foster care placement in childhood: a risk factor for preterm birth.

PubMed

Bublitz, Margaret H; Rodriguez, Daniel; Polly Gobin, Asi; Waldemore, Marissa; Magee, Susanna; Stroud, Laura R

2014-10-01

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of maternal history of adoption or foster care placement in childhood on the risk for preterm birth (PTB), controlling for other known risk factors for PTB. Participants were 302 pregnant women from a low-income, diverse sample drawn from 2 intensive prospective studies of maternal mood and behavior and fetal and infant development. Gestational age was determined by best obstetric estimate. Maternal history of adoption or foster care placement prior to age 18 years was determined by maternal report. Other maternal characteristics, including maternal medical conditions, psychosocial characteristics, and health behaviors, were measured during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The odds of delivering preterm (gestational age <37 weeks) were approximately 4 times greater among women with a history of childhood adoption or foster care placement compared with women who were never placed out of the home during childhood. This association remained significant after adjusting for other known risk factors for PTB including maternal medical conditions, psychosocial characteristics, and negative health behaviors in pregnancy. Findings suggest that a history of adoption/foster care placement is an important risk factor for PTB and may be comparable with other established risk factors for PTB including prior history of PTB, body mass index, African-American race, and advanced maternal age. More studies are needed to understand why women with placement histories may be at increased risk to deliver preterm. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pulling the River: The Interactions of Local and Global Influences in Chinese Early Childhood Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen-Hafteck, Lily; Zhuoya, X. U.

2008-01-01

Educators in China are facing challenges as a tug-of-war between local culture and global influences in Chinese early childhood music educations plays out. By exploring the situations of Hong Kong and Nanjing, the authors demonstrate a wide gap between policy and practice. The top-down policy from government officials is based on global views of…

Developmentally dynamic genome: Evidence of genetic influences on increases and decreases in conduct problems from early childhood to adolescence

PubMed Central

Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Zheng, Yao; Plomin, Robert; Viding, Essi

2015-01-01

The development of conduct problems in childhood and adolescence is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, including psychiatric morbidity. Although genes constitute a proven factor of stability in conduct problems, less is known regarding their role in conduct problems’ developmental course (i.e. systematic age changes, for instance linear increases or decreases).Mothers rated conduct problems from age 4 to 16 years in 10,038 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study. Individual differences in the baseline level (.78; 95% CI: .68-.88) and the developmental course of conduct problems (.73; 95% CI: .60-.86) were under high and largely independent additive genetic influences. Shared environment made a small contribution to the baseline level but not to the developmental course of conduct problems. These results show that genetic influences not only contribute to behavioural stability but also explain systematic change in conduct problems. Different sets of genes may be associated with the developmental course versus the baseline level of conduct problems. The structure of genetic and environmental influences on the development of conduct problems suggests that repeated preventive interventions at different developmental stages might be necessary to achieve a long-term impact. PMID:25944445

Developmentally dynamic genome: Evidence of genetic influences on increases and decreases in conduct problems from early childhood to adolescence.

PubMed

Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Zheng, Yao; Plomin, Robert; Viding, Essi

2015-05-06

The development of conduct problems in childhood and adolescence is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, including psychiatric morbidity. Although genes constitute a proven factor of stability in conduct problems, less is known regarding their role in conduct problems' developmental course (i.e. systematic age changes, for instance linear increases or decreases).Mothers rated conduct problems from age 4 to 16 years in 10,038 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study. Individual differences in the baseline level (.78; 95% CI: .68-.88) and the developmental course of conduct problems (.73; 95% CI: .60-.86) were under high and largely independent additive genetic influences. Shared environment made a small contribution to the baseline level but not to the developmental course of conduct problems. These results show that genetic influences not only contribute to behavioural stability but also explain systematic change in conduct problems. Different sets of genes may be associated with the developmental course versus the baseline level of conduct problems. The structure of genetic and environmental influences on the development of conduct problems suggests that repeated preventive interventions at different developmental stages might be necessary to achieve a long-term impact.

Asthma phenotypes in childhood.

PubMed

Reddy, Monica B; Covar, Ronina A

2016-04-01

This review describes the literature over the past 18 months that evaluated childhood asthma phenotypes, highlighting the key aspects of these studies, and comparing these studies to previous ones in this area. Recent studies on asthma phenotypes have identified new phenotypes on the basis of statistical analyses (using cluster analysis and latent class analysis methodology) and have evaluated the outcomes and associated risk factors of previously established early childhood asthma phenotypes that are based on asthma onset and patterns of wheezing illness. There have also been investigations focusing on immunologic, physiologic, and genetic correlates of various phenotypes, as well as identification of subphenotypes of severe childhood asthma. Childhood asthma remains a heterogeneous condition, and investigations into these various presentations, risk factors, and outcomes are important since they can offer therapeutic and prognostic relevance. Further investigation into the immunopathology and genetic basis underlying childhood phenotypes is important so therapy can be tailored accordingly.

Does childhood misfortune raise the risk of acute myocardial infarction in adulthood?

PubMed Central

Morton, Patricia M.; Mustillo, Sarah A.; Ferraro, Kenneth F.

2014-01-01

Whereas most research on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has focused on more proximal influences, such as adult health behaviors, the present study examines the early origins of AMI. Longitudinal data were drawn from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (N=3,032), a nationally representative survey of men and women aged 25–74, which spans from 1995 to 2005. A series of event history analyses modeling age of first AMI investigated the direct effects of accumulated and separate domains of childhood misfortune as well as the mediating effects of adult health lifestyle and psychosocial factors. Findings reveal that accumulated childhood misfortune and child maltreatment increased AMI risk, net of several adult covariates, including family history of AMI. Smoking fully mediated the effects of both accumulated childhood misfortune and child maltreatment. These findings reveal the importance of the early origins of AMI and health behaviors as mediating factors. PMID:24581071

Bullying and Being Bullied in Childhood Are Associated With Different Psychosocial Risk Factors for Poor Physical Health in Men

PubMed Central

Matthews, Karen A.; Jennings, J. Richard; Lee, Laisze; Pardini, Dustin

2017-01-01

Bullying perpetration and victimization in childhood are linked with later adjustment problems. The impact of childhood bullying on risk for poor physical health in adulthood is understudied. Black and White men (N=305; mean age=32.3) enrolled in the Pittsburgh Youth Study since the first grade underwent a comprehensive assessment of psychosocial, behavioral, and biological risk factors for poor health. Indices of bullying and victimization were created by averaging annual ratings collected from caregivers and boys when they were between 10 to 12 years. Results showed that childhood bullying was associated with more stress and aggression, and worse health behaviors in adulthood, whereas childhood victimization was associated with lower socioeconomic resources, less optimism, and greater unfair treatment in adulthood. Unexpectedly, neither childhood bullying nor victimization was related to inflammation or metabolic syndrome. Childhood bullying and victimization are associated with distinct domains of psychosocial risk in adulthood, which may lead to later poor physical health. PMID:28452573

Pathways to Childhood Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Social, Cognitive, and Genetic Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Jennifer Y. F.; Rijsdijk, Fruhling; Gregory, Alice M.; McGuffin, Peter; Eley, Thalia C.

2007-01-01

Childhood depressive conditions have been explored from multiple theoretical approaches but with few empirical attempts to address the interrelationships among these different domains and their combined effects. In the present study, the authors examined different pathways through which social, cognitive, and genetic risk factors may be expressed…

Early Childhood Obesity Risk Factors: Socioeconomic Adversity, Family Dysfunction, Offspring Distress, and Junk Food Self-Medication.

PubMed

Hemmingsson, Erik

2018-06-01

To explore the sequence and interaction of infancy and early childhood risk factors, particularly relating to disturbances in the social environment, and how the consequences of such exposures can promote weight gain and obesity. This review will argue that socioeconomic adversity is a key upstream catalyst that sets the stage for critical midstream risk factors such as family strain and dysfunction, offspring insecurity, stress, emotional turmoil, low self-esteem, and poor mental health. These midstream risk factors, particularly stress and emotional turmoil, create a more or less perfect foil for calorie-dense junk food self-medication and subtle addiction, to alleviate uncomfortable psychological and emotional states. Disturbances in the social environment during infancy and early childhood appear to play a critical role in weight gain and obesity, through such mechanisms as insecurity, stress, and emotional turmoil, eventually leading to junk food self-medication and subtle addiction.

Gender Influences on Parent-Child Science Problem-Solving Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Short-Meyerson, Katherine; Sandrin, Susannah; Edwards, Chris

2016-01-01

Gender is a critical social factor influencing how children view the world from very early childhood. Additionally, during the early elementary years, parents can have a significant influence on their child's behaviors and dispositions in fields such as science. This study examined the influence of parent gender and child gender on 2nd- and…

Maternal Employment and Parenting Through Middle Childhood: Contextualizing Factors

PubMed Central

Buehler, Cheryl; O’Brien, Marion; Swartout, Kevin M.; Zhou, Nan

2014-01-01

The authors used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,364) to examine maternal work hour status and parenting (sensitivity and learning opportunities) from infancy through middle childhood. Work hour status was conceptualized as nonemployment, part time, and full time. Adjusting for covariates, mothers employed part time had higher sensitivity scores and higher provision of child learning opportunity scores than did mothers who were not employed, and these differences characterized families during early childhood rather than middle childhood. Mothers’ provision of child learning opportunities was greater when employed full time (vs. part time) during early childhood. In addition to child age, mothers’ ethnic minority status and partner status moderated the association between maternal work hour status and mothers’ parenting. In general, the findings supported ideas forwarded by role expansionist theory. PMID:25530631

Early Childhood Risk Factors for Mealtime TV Exposure and Engagement in Low-Income Families.

PubMed

Domoff, Sarah E; Lumeng, Julie C; Kaciroti, Niko; Miller, Alison L

To identify whether child and mother characteristics in early childhood predict TV exposure and engagement during mealtime in middle childhood. A total of 220 low-income mother-child dyads participated. Children were 4.26 years old (SD = 0.51) at baseline and 5.94 years (SD = 0.68) at 2-year follow-up. Mothers completed baseline measures of child negative emotionality and parenting practices. Family mealtimes were video recorded and coded for background TV exposure and child TV engagement. Multinomial logistic regression tested whether child emotionality and parenting practices during early childhood predicted risk of child TV exposure or engagement during mealtime, relative to no TV use, 2 years later. Children with greater negative emotionality in early childhood were more likely to engage with TV during mealtime than to have no TV. Similarly, early parenting disciplinary practices characterized by over-reactivity and laxness increased the risk for child TV engagement versus no TV during mealtime approximately 2 years later. We identified 2 factors that associated with an increased risk for TV viewing during meals. Helping parents manage child negative emotionality using positive parenting strategies might reduce later child TV engagement and improve the quality of family mealtimes. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Childhood Risk Factors for Mealtime TV Exposure and Engagement in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Domoff, Sarah E.; Lumeng, Julie C.; Kaciroti, Niko; Miller, Alison L.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE To identify whether child and mother characteristics in early childhood predict TV exposure and engagement during mealtime in middle childhood. METHODS A total of 220 low-income mother-child dyads participated. Children were 4.26 years old (SD = 0.51) at baseline and 5.94 years (SD = 0.68) at two-year follow-up. Mothers completed baseline measures of child negative emotionality and parenting practices. Family mealtimes were video-recorded and coded for background TV exposure and child TV engagement. Multinomial logistic regression tested whether child emotionality and parenting practices during early childhood predicted risk of child TV exposure or engagement during mealtime, relative to no TV use, two years later. RESULTS Children with greater negative emotionality in early childhood were more likely to engage with TV during mealtime than to have no TV. Similarly, early parenting disciplinary practices characterized by over-reactivity and laxness increased the risk for child TV engagement versus no TV during mealtime approximately two years later. CONCLUSIONS We identified two factors that associated with an increased risk for TV viewing during meals. Helping parents manage child negative emotionality using positive parenting strategies may reduce later child TV engagement and improve the quality of family mealtimes. PMID:27979749

Factors influencing obesogenic dietary intake in young children (0–6 years): systematic review of qualitative evidence

PubMed Central

Mazarello Paes, Veena; Ong, Ken K; Lakshman, Rajalakshmi

2015-01-01

Background Obesogenic dietary intake is prevalent in young children and is associated with obesity and other adverse health outcomes in childhood and later in life. Objective To describe the barriers to and facilitators of obesogenic dietary intake in early childhood, in order to inform interventions and public health policies to prevent obesity. Design Systematic review of qualitative literature on factors influencing obesogenic diets in children aged 0–6 years. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, British Nursing Index, ASSIA and Sociological Abstracts. Review methods Qualitative studies meeting the inclusion criteria were synthesised. Data were analysed by creating a thematic framework, underpinned by the socioecological model, which included familiarisation of data across the studies, indexing, charting, mapping and interpretation. Results 20 studies from the USA (10), Europe (6) and Australia (4) included the views of 1067 participants (901 parents/caregivers, 37 children, 87 teachers, 15 dieticians and 27 nursery staff). Study designs included focus groups (n=16), individual interviews (n=6) and ethnography (n=1) with some studies using more than one design. Despite wide differences in the study context and focus, several consistent themes emerged. Parental factors increasing young children's obesogenic diets were: negative parent/family/peer modelling, lack of knowledge, time constraints, using food as reward, affordability and concerns about child's health. Child preferences also increased intake. Environmental factors increasing intake include: availability, advertising, societal, cultural and preschool/childcare influences. Conclusions Future intervention strategies should aim to promote modelling of positive behaviours, create home and preschool environments that promote healthy diets, and simultaneously target factors at the family and preschool/childcare levels. Trial registration number This review is one of a series

Childhood Maltreatment and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Choi, Karmel W; Sikkema, Kathleen J

2016-12-01

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) compromise maternal and child well-being and may be influenced by traumatic experiences across the life course. A potent and common form of trauma is childhood maltreatment, but its specific impact on PMADs is not well understood. A systematic review was undertaken to synthesize empirical literature on the relationship between maternal histories of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Of the 876 citations retrieved, 35 reports from a total of 26,239 participants met inclusion criteria, documenting substantial rates of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Robust trends of association were observed between childhood maltreatment and perinatal depression, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, but findings for anxiety were less consistent. Examining multivariate results suggested that childhood maltreatment predicts PMADs above and beyond sociodemographic, psychiatric, perinatal, and psychosocial factors, but may also be partially mediated by variables such as later victimization and moderated by protective early relationships. Future research should test mediating and moderating pathways using prospective cohorts, expanding to cross-cultural settings and other disorder outcomes. Treatment and prevention of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae may help mitigate risk for perinatal psychopathology and its impact on maternal and child outcomes. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Suicidal behaviors among young adults: risk factors during development from early childhood to adolescence].

PubMed

Buchmann, Arlette F; Blomeyer, Dorothea; Laucht, Manfred

2012-01-01

Suicidal behaviors are prevalent among young people. Numerous risk factors have been implicated in their development. In the framework of the longitudinal Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, 311 young adults (143 males, 168 females) aged 19-23 years were investigated in order 1) to determine the significance of different risk factors during development in predicting suicidal behaviors in young adulthood, 2) to identify potential risk factors discriminating between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and 3) to examine whether the effect of early risk factors was mediated by later occurring predictors. Young adults with suicidal behaviors displayed a number of abnormalities during development, including high load of early family adversity, suicidal ideation and psychiatric problems in childhood and adolescence, as well as low self esteem, poor school functioning, higher levels of novelty seeking, and enhanced affiliations with deviant peers in adolescence. Independent contributions to predicting suicidal behaviors in young adults were provided by early family adversity, suicidal ideation during childhood and adolescence, and low self esteem (with regard to suicidal ideation) and novelty seeking (with regard to suicide attempt), respectively. The impact of early adversity was mediated by child and adolescent externalizing disorders and low self esteem in adolescence. Possible implications of these findings for the prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviors are discussed.

Prospective associations of psychosocial adversity in childhood with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adulthood: the MRC National Survey of Health and Development.

PubMed

Anderson, Emma L; Caleyachetty, Rishi; Stafford, Mai; Kuh, Diana; Hardy, Rebecca; Lawlor, Debbie A; Fraser, Abigail; Howe, Laura D

2017-09-07

Studies assessing associations of childhood psychosocial adversity (e.g. sexual abuse, physical neglect, parental death), as opposed to socioeconomic adversity, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in adulthood are scarce. We aimed to assess associations of various forms of psychosocial adversity and cumulative adversity in childhood, with multiple CVD risk factors in mid-life. Participants were from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Childhood psychosocial risk factors were reported prospectively by parents from 1950-1957, and retrospectively by participants at mean age 43 years in 1989. CVD risk factors were assessed at mean age 60-64 years in 2006-2011. Associations of a summary score of total psychosocial adversity and CVD risk in adulthood were assessed. There was no consistent evidence that cumulative psychosocial adversity, nor any specific form of psychosocial adversity in childhood, was associated with CVD risk factors in late adulthood. There was some evidence that parental death in the first 15 years was associated with higher SBP (Beta: 0.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.06 to 0.40, P=0.01) and DBP (Beta: 0.15, 95% confidence interval: -0.01 to 0.32, P=0.07). We found no evidence that exposure to greater psychosocial adversity, or specific forms of psychosocial adversity during childhood is associated with adult CVD risk factors. Further large population studies are needed to clarify whether parental death is associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Teachers in Early Childhood Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilderry, Anna

2014-01-01

This paper examines teacher accountability and authority in early childhood policy. It reports on data from a study that investigated the influences affecting early childhood teacher decision-making at the preschool level in Victoria, Australia. Using a question raised by Ball "Where are the teachers in all this [policy]?" provided a…

Influence of Family and Childhood Memories in the Development and Manifestation of Paranoid Ideation.

PubMed

Carvalho, Célia Barreto; da Motta, Carolina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Peixoto, Ermelindo

2016-09-01

Several studies point out to the influence of social experiences on perceptions of the environment and others in cognitive functioning and different aspects of psychopathology. The current study aimed at studying the influence of the psychosocial risk factors in a mixed sample of participants from the general population and affected by paranoid schizophrenia. The extent to which the existence of negative life events and events that are threatening to the inner models of the self (i.e., history of maltreatment, physical, social or psychological abuse) or the memories of these traumatic events occurring during childhood are related to the existence of paranoid beliefs in adulthood was explored. Results suggested that memories of parental behaviours characterized by antipathy from both parental figures, submissiveness and bullying victimization were important predictors of paranoid ideation in adult life. This further emphasizes the need for understanding the family and social dynamics of people presenting paranoid ideations to the development of therapeutic interventions that can effectively reduce the invalidation caused by severe psychopathology, as is the case of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Memories of family dynamics characterized by behaviours of antipathy from both parental figures, submissiveness and bullying victimization are important predictors of paranoid ideation in adult life. The study highlights the importance of exploring subjective recalls of feelings and behaviours associated with early rearing experiences, peer relationships and themes related to social rank theory in the roots of internal models of relationship with the self and others in the general sample, patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives. Our findings indicate that schizophrenic patients in active phase differ regarding memories of threat and submission and are more likely to remember childhood experiences perceived as

The Development of the General Factor of Psychopathology 'p Factor' Through Childhood and Adolescence.

PubMed

Murray, Aja Louise; Eisner, Manuel; Ribeaud, Denis

2016-11-01

Recent studies have suggested that the structure of psychopathology may be usefully represented in terms of a general factor of psychopathology (p-factor) capturing variance common to a broad range of symptoms transcending diagnostic domains in addition to specific factors capturing variance common to smaller subsets of more closely related symptoms. Little is known about how the general co-morbidity captured by this p-factor develops and whether general co-morbidity increases or decreases over childhood and adolescence. We evaluated two competing hypotheses: 1) dynamic mutualism which predicts growth in general co-morbidity and associated p-factor strength over time and 2) p-differentiation which predicts that manifestations of liabilities towards psychopathology become increasingly specific over time. Data came from the Zurich Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths (z-proso), a longitudinal study of a normative sample (approx. 50 % male) measured at 8 time points from ages 7 to 15. We operationalised general co-morbidity as p-factor strength in a bi-factor model and used omega hierarchical to track how this changed over development. In contrast to the predictions of both dynamic mutualism and p-differentiation, p-factor strength remained relatively constant over the studied period suggesting that such processes do not govern the interplay between psychopathological symptoms during this phase of development. Future research should focus on earlier phases of development and on factors that maintain the consistency of symptom-general covariation across this period.

Anger-related dysregulation as a factor linking childhood physical abuse and interparental violence to intimate partner violence experiences.

PubMed

Iverson, Katherine M; McLaughlin, Katie A; Adair, Kathryn C; Monson, Candice M

2014-01-01

Childhood family violence exposure is associated with increased risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain inadequately understood. Difficulties with emotion regulation may be one factor that helps to explain this relationship. Childhood physical abuse and interparental violence, as well as subsequent IPV experiences, were assessed in a large sample of young adults (N = 670). Several indicators of anger-related dysregulation were also assessed. Structural equation modeling was used to create a latent variable of anger-related dysregulation, which was examined as a potential mediator of the associations between childhood family violence exposure and IPV. Childhood physical abuse and interparental violence were associated with greater physical, sexual, and emotional IPV victimization. Childhood physical abuse and interparental violence were also associated with anger-related dysregulation, which was positively associated with all three types of IPV experiences. Anger-related dysregulation fully mediated the association between witnessing interparental violence and physical IPV. Anger-related dysregulation partially mediated the association between witnessing interparental violence and psychological IPV and the associations of childhood physical abuse with all three forms of IPV. These associations were consistent across gender. Interventions aimed at reducing IPV risk among survivors of childhood family violence may benefit from including techniques to target anger-related emotion regulation skills.

Risk and protective factors for the development of childhood asthma.

PubMed

Ding, Guodong; Ji, Ruoxu; Bao, Yixiao

2015-03-01

Childhood asthma prevalence worldwide has been increasing markedly over several decades. Various theories have been proposed to account for this alarming trend. The disease has a broad spectrum of potential determinants ranging from genetics to lifestyle and environmental factors. Epidemiological observations have demonstrated that several important lifestyle and environmental factors including obesity, urban living, dietary patterns such as food low in antioxidants and fast food, non-breastfeeding, gut flora imbalance, cigarette smoking, air pollution, and viral infection are associated with asthma exacerbations in children. However, only environmental tobacco smoke has been associated with the development of asthma. Despite epidemiological studies indicating that many other factors are probably associated with the development of asthma, the relationships are not considered causal due to the inadequate evidence and inconsistent results from recent studies. This may highlight that sufficient data and exact mechanisms of causality are still in need of further study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educational and emotional health outcomes in adolescence following maltreatment in early childhood: A population-based study of protective factors.

PubMed

Khambati, Nisreen; Mahedy, Liam; Heron, Jon; Emond, Alan

2018-07-01

Although childhood maltreatment is associated with long-term impairment, some children function well despite this adversity. This study aimed to identify the key protective factors for good educational attainment and positive emotional health in adolescents who experienced maltreatment in early childhood. Data were analyzed from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a large UK prospective cohort study. The sample was defined by maternally reported exposure to physical or emotional maltreatment by a parent prior to 5 years. 1118 (8.0%) children were emotionally maltreated and 375 (2.7%) were physically maltreated before the age of 5. There were too few cases of sexual abuse to be considered. Positive outcomes were operationalized as achieving 5 or more grade A*-C GCSE exam grades at 16 years and scores above the cohort median on the self-report Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and Bachmann Self-Esteem Scale at 17.5 years. The associations of individual, family and community covariates with successful adaptation to the adversity of maltreatment were investigated using logistic regression. School related factors, including engagement in extracurricular activities, satisfaction with school and not being bullied were the most important in facilitating resilience in educational attainment, self-esteem and wellbeing. Good communication and social skills was the most protective individual trait. There was insufficient evidence to suggest that family factors were associated with resilience to maltreatment. School-based interventions are recommended to promote positive adaptation following parental maltreatment. Future research should evaluate outcomes across the life-course to understand whether the protective influences of school persist into adulthood. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Remembering Childhood: Do Our Memories and Experiences Influence Our Understanding of Early Childhood and Our Practice with Young Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horsley, Karen; Penn, Helen

2014-01-01

Students on the Early Childhood Studies degree programme at the University of East London were asked to reflect on their childhood memories and how these have shaped their understandings of early childhood and practices with young children. Students' rich and varied accounts reflect the diversity of largely non-traditional students from countries…

Early Childhood Special Education. Yearbook in Early Childhood Education. Volume 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safford, Philip L., Ed.; And Others

This collection of papers recognizes ways in which the context of educational policy and its implications for practice have, in combination with other influences, defined early childhood special education and influenced its development. An introduction by Philip L. Safford is presented. Subsequent papers have the following titles and authors:…

Adverse childhood experiences and adult smoking, Nebraska, 2011.

PubMed

Yeoman, Kristin; Safranek, Thomas; Buss, Bryan; Cadwell, Betsy L; Mannino, David

2013-09-19

Smoking is a public health risk; the prevalence of smoking among adults in Nebraska is 18.4%. Studies indicate that maltreatment of children alters their brain development, possibly increasing risk for tobacco use. Previous studies have documented associations between childhood maltreatment and adult health behaviors, demonstrating the influence of adverse experiences on tobacco use. We examined prevalence and associations between adverse childhood experiences and smoking among Nebraskans. We analyzed 2011 Nebraska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Adverse Childhood Experience module) data, defining adverse childhood experience exposures as physical, sexual, and verbal abuse (ie, direct exposures), and household dysfunction associated with mental illness, substance abuse, divorce, domestic violence, and living with persons with incarceration histories (ie, environmental exposures). We estimated prevalence of exposures, taking into account the complex survey design. We used logistic regression with predicted margins to estimate adjusted relative risk for smoking by direct or environmental exposure. Approximately 51% of Nebraskans experienced 1 or more adverse childhood events; 7% experienced 5 or more. Prevalence of environmental exposures (42%) was significantly higher than that of direct exposures (31%). Prevalence of individual exposures ranged from 6% (incarceration of a household member) to 25% (verbal abuse). Adjusted relative risks of smoking for direct and environmental exposures were 1.5 and 1.8, respectively. We present a new method of evaluating adverse childhood experience data. Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences is high among Nebraskans, and these exposures are associated with smoking. State-specific strategies to monitor adverse events among children and provide interventions might help to decrease the smoking rate in this population.

Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkind, David

In five sections, this paper explores dimensions of early childhood education: schooling generally construed as nonparental instruction in knowledge, values, and skills. Section 1 looks at some of the factors which have contributed to the rapid growth of early childhood education in modern times. Section 2 briefly highlights the contributions of…

Childhood epilepsy: a critical review of cost-of-illness studies.

PubMed

Argumosa, Ana; Herranz, Josè Luis

2004-03-01

Epilepsy is an illness with multiple consequences and costs for children, families and society. There are only a few studies published on the cost of childhood epilepsy. The different methodologies used in these studies make it difficult to compare them or even to compare the cost of childhood epilepsy treatment with that of adult epilepsy. Nevertheless, studies highlight important differences in the distribution of costs associated with childhood epilepsy and epilepsy in adults. It is understandable that direct costs represent the higher percentage of the total cost associated with childhood epilepsy treatment, given the higher number of hospital admissions and investigations, as well as the complexity of therapeutic trials, while indirect costs represent the greater proportion in adult epilepsy treatment. In addition to age, the total cost associated with epilepsy also depends on other factors such as seizure frequency, the moment at which the illness cost is estimated and the local health care system. In summary, chronic illnesses not only have an influence on the physical and psychological development of children, they also impose costs on the family and society. Childhood epilepsy has greater economic costs than those generated by more prevalent, chronic illnesses.

The contribution of childhood cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity to inflammation in young adults.

PubMed

Sun, Cong; Magnussen, Costan G; Ponsonby, Anne-Louise; Schmidt, Michael D; Carlin, John B; Huynh, Quan; Venn, Alison J; Dwyer, Terence

2014-12-01

Cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity may influence cardiovascular risk through their effects on inflammation. The long-term effects of these modifiable factors on adult inflammation remain uncertain. The associations of childhood and adulthood cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity with adult inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen] were examined. 1,976 children examined in 1985 and re-examined as young adults in 2004-2006 were included. Cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity were assessed at both waves. CRP and fibrinogen were measured at follow-up. Higher childhood fitness was associated with lower adult inflammation in both sexes. After adjusting for childhood adiposity, the association with CRP attenuated in males, but remained in females (average reduction of CRP 18.1% (95% CI 11.3-24.4%) per 1-SD increase in childhood fitness). Higher adult fitness, adjusting for childhood fitness (an increase in fitness from childhood to adulthood), was associated with lower adult CRP in females and lower fibrinogen in males. Higher childhood and adulthood adiposity (an increase in adiposity from childhood to adulthood) were associated with higher adult inflammation in both sexes. Prevention programs to increase fitness and reduce adiposity in childhood, and maintain a favorable fitness and weight into adulthood, may lead to reduction in adult systemic inflammation. © 2014 The Obesity Society.

Does Patient Race/Ethnicity Influence Physician Decision-Making for Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Disruptive Behavior Problems?

PubMed

Garland, Ann F; Taylor, Robin; Brookman-Frazee, Lauren; Baker-Ericzen, Mary; Haine-Schlagel, Rachel; Liu, Yi Hui; Wong, Sarina

2015-06-01

Race/ethnic disparities in utilization of children's mental health care have been well documented and are particularly concerning given the long-term risks of untreated mental health problems (Institute of Medicine, 2003; Kessler et al. Am J Psychiatry 152:10026-1032, 1995). Research investigating the higher rates of unmet need among race/ethnic minority youths has focused primarily on policy, fiscal, and individual child or family factors that can influence service access and use. Alternatively, this study examines provider behavior as a potential influence on race/ethnic disparities in mental health care. The goal of the study was to examine whether patient (family) race/ethnicity influences physician diagnostic and treatment decision-making for childhood disruptive behavior problems. The study utilized an internet-based video vignette with corresponding survey of 371 randomly selected physicians from across the USA representing specialties likely to treat these patients (pediatricians, family physicians, general and child psychiatrists). Participants viewed a video vignette in which only race/ethnicity of the mother randomly varied (non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, and African American) and then responded to questions about diagnosis and recommended treatments. Physicians assigned diagnoses such as oppositional defiant disorder (48 %) and attention deficit disorder (63 %) to the child, but there were no differences in diagnosis based on race/ethnicity. The majority of respondents recommended psychosocial treatment (98 %) and/or psychoactive medication treatment (60 %), but there were no significant differences based on race/ethnicity. Thus, in this study using mock patient stimuli and controlling for other factors, such as insurance coverage, we did not find major differences in physician diagnostic or treatment decision-making based on patient race/ethnicity.

Vulnerability-specific stress generation: Childhood emotional abuse and the mediating role of depressogenic interpersonal processes.

PubMed

Hernandez, Evelyn M; Trout, Zoë M; Liu, Richard T

2016-12-01

Stress generation in depression (i.e. the tendency for depression-prone individuals to experience more life stress that is in part influenced by the individual) has been well established. However, more research is necessary to clarify the role of specific types of life stress in this effect. The current study extends the stress generation hypothesis by examining whether the type of stress involved is contingent upon the nature of the individual's particular vulnerability. Childhood emotional abuse and interpersonal vulnerability factors were predicted to be associated with prospective interpersonal dependent but not non-interpersonal or independent stress. These interpersonal factors were examined as mediators of the association between childhood emotional abuse and interpersonal stress generation. Data were collected from 185 undergraduate participants at two time-points, four months apart. At baseline, participants completed assessments of depressive symptoms, childhood abuse history, interpersonal risk factors (rejection sensitivity, excessive reassurance-seeking, and negative feedback-seeking), and a diagnostic interview for depression. At the follow-up assessment, participants completed a life stress interview. Childhood emotional abuse prospectively predicted greater interpersonal dependent stress, but not non-interpersonal dependent or independent stress. Only rejection sensitivity mediated this relationship. Consistent with the stress generation hypothesis, neither childhood emotional abuse nor the three interpersonal risk factors predicted independent stress. These findings suggest that targeting interpersonal vulnerabilities in clinical settings, particularly rejection sensitivity, among individuals with a history of childhood emotional abuse, may help to reduce the occurrence of interpersonal dependent stress, thus possibly decreasing risk for depression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parental involvement in exercise and diet interventions for childhood cancer survivors: A systematic review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk of becoming overweight or obese due to treatment effects and/or post-treatment behaviors. Parents are key agents influencing child diet and physical activity (PA), which are modifiable risk factors for obesity. A systematic literature review following the...

Prenatal risk factors influencing childhood BMI and overweight independent of birth weight and infancy BMI: a path analysis within the Danish National Birth Cohort.

PubMed

Morgen, C S; Ängquist, L; Baker, J L; Andersen, A M N; Michaelsen, K F; Sørensen, T I A

2018-04-01

Prenatal risk factors for childhood overweight may operate indirectly through development in body size in early life and/or directly independent hereof. We quantified the effects of maternal and paternal body mass index (BMI), maternal age, socioeconomic position (SEP), parity, gestational weight gain, maternal smoking during pregnancy, caesarean section, birth weight, and BMI at 5 and 12 months on BMI and overweight at 7 and 11 years. Family triads with information on maternal, paternal and child BMI at ages 7 (n=29 374) and 11 years (n=18 044) were selected from the Danish National Birth Cohort. Information originated from maternal interviews and medical health examinations. Path analysis was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of prenatal risk factors on childhood BMI z-scores (BMIz per unit score of the risk factor). Logistic regression was used to examine associations with overweight. The strongest direct effects on BMIz at age 7 were found for maternal and paternal BMI (0.19 BMIz and 0.14 BMIz per parental BMIz), low SEP (0.08 BMIz), maternal smoking (0.12 BMIz) and higher BMIz at 5 and 12 months (up to 0.19 BMIz per infant BMIz). For BMIz at age 11 with BMIz at age 7 included in the model, similar effects were found, but the direct effects of BMIz at age 5 and 12 months were mediated through BMI at age 7 (0.62 BMIz per BMIz). Same results were found for overweight. The sum of the direct effects can be translated to approximate absolute measures: 2.4 kg at 7 years, 5.7 kg at 11 years, in a child with average height and BMI. Parental BMI, low SEP and smoking during pregnancy have persisting, strong and direct effects on child BMI and overweight independent of birth weight and infancy BMI.

Clinical and atopic parameters and airway inflammatory markers in childhood asthma: a factor analysis

PubMed Central

Leung, T; Wong, G; Ko, F; Lam, C; Fok, T

2005-01-01

Background: Recent studies have repeatedly shown weak correlations among lung function parameters, atopy, exhaled nitric oxide level (FeNO), and airway inflammatory markers, suggesting that they are non-overlapping characteristics of asthma in adults. A study was undertaken to determine, using factor analysis, whether the above features represent separate dimensions of childhood asthma. Methods: Clinically stable asthmatic patients aged 7–18 years underwent spirometric testing, methacholine bronchial challenge, blood sampling for atopy markers and chemokine levels (macrophage derived chemokine (MDC), thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC), and eotaxin), FeNO, and chemokines (MDC and eotaxin) and leukotriene B4 measurements in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Results: The mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FeNO of 92 patients were 92.1 (15.9)% predicted and 87.3 (65.7) ppb, respectively. 59% of patients received inhaled corticosteroids. Factor analysis selected four different factors, explaining 55.5% of total variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.587. Plasma total and specific IgE levels, peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, and FeNO loaded on factor 1; plasma TARC and MDC concentrations on factor 2; MDC, eotaxin and leukotriene B4 concentrations in EBC on factor 3; and plasma eotaxin concentration together with clinical indices including body mass index and disease severity score loaded on factor 4. Post hoc factor analyses revealed similar results when outliers were excluded. Conclusions: The results suggest that atopy related indices and airway inflammation are separate dimensions in the assessment of childhood asthma, and inflammatory markers in peripheral blood and EBC are non-overlapping factors of asthma. PMID:16055623

Hygiene and other early childhood influences on the subsequent function of the immune system.

PubMed

Rook, Graham A W; Lowry, Christopher A; Raison, Charles L

2015-08-18

The immune system influences brain development and function. Hygiene and other early childhood influences impact the subsequent function of the immune system during adulthood, with consequences for vulnerability to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Inflammatory events during pregnancy can act directly to cause developmental problems in the central nervous system (CNS) that have been implicated in schizophrenia and autism. The immune system also acts indirectly by "farming" the intestinal microbiota, which then influences brain development and function via the multiple pathways that constitute the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiota also regulates the immune system. Regulation of the immune system is crucial because inflammatory states in pregnancy need to be limited, and throughout life inflammation needs to be terminated completely when not required; for example, persistently raised levels of background inflammation during adulthood (in the presence or absence of a clinically apparent inflammatory stimulus) correlate with an increased risk of depression. A number of factors in the perinatal period, notably immigration from rural low-income to rich developed settings, caesarean delivery, breastfeeding and antibiotic abuse have profound effects on the microbiota and on immunoregulation during early life that persist into adulthood. Many aspects of the modern western environment deprive the infant of the immunoregulatory organisms with which humans co-evolved, while encouraging exposure to non-immunoregulatory organisms, associated with more recently evolved "crowd" infections. Finally, there are complex interactions between perinatal psychosocial stressors, the microbiota, and the immune system that have significant additional effects on both physical and psychiatric wellbeing in subsequent adulthood. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Neuroimmunology in Health And Disease. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights

Multi-level influences on childhood obesity in Sweden: societal factors, parental determinants and child's lifestyle.

PubMed

Moraeus, L; Lissner, L; Yngve, A; Poortvliet, E; Al-Ansari, U; Sjöberg, A

2012-07-01

Swedish school children living in rural areas and in areas with low education are at excess risk of becoming overweight. This study examines influences of societal and individual characteristics (children and their parents) on prevalence of overweight and obesity, in a national sample of 7-9-year-old children. Anthropometric and lifestyle data were collected in a nationally representative sample of 3636 Swedish children. Overweight and obesity (International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)) data were analyzed in relation to lifestyle factors, parental weight, education and breast-feeding. The prevalence of overweight was 15.6% including 2.6% obese. Urbanization level and parental characteristics (weight status and education) were related to risk of overweight. Overall less favorable lifestyle characteristics were observed in rural areas and for children of low/medium educated mothers. Boys had greater risk of obesity in semi-urban and rural areas but this was not true for girls. For children's overweight, the living area effect was attenuated in multivariate analysis, while there was an association with origin of parents, high parental weight and medium maternal education. For obesity, the living area effect remained in boys while having two non-Nordic parents predicted obesity in girls. Parental weight status was associated with obesity in both girls and boys. Individual and societal factors influence children's weight status, and parental weight status is a strong determinant. Including overweight and obese parents in future health promoting interventions could be a strategy to prevent children from becoming overweight, but identifying those parents may prove difficult. To ensure reaching children with the greatest needs, targeting high risk areas might be a more effective approach.

Bullying and Being Bullied in Childhood Are Associated With Different Psychosocial Risk Factors for Poor Physical Health in Men.

PubMed

Matthews, Karen A; Jennings, J Richard; Lee, Laisze; Pardini, Dustin A

2017-06-01

Bullying and being bullied in childhood are both linked with later adjustment problems. The impact of childhood bullying on risk for poor physical health in adulthood is understudied. Black and White men ( n = 305; mean age = 32.3 years) enrolled in the Pittsburgh Youth Study since the first grade underwent a comprehensive assessment of psychosocial, behavioral, and biological risk factors for poor health. Indices of bullying and being bullied were created by averaging annual ratings collected from participants and their caregivers when the participants were 10 to 12 years old. Results showed that being a bully in childhood was associated with greater stress and aggression and poorer health behaviors in adulthood, whereas being a victim of bullies in childhood was associated with lower socioeconomic resources, less optimism, and greater unfair treatment in adulthood. Unexpectedly, neither bullying nor being bullied in childhood was related to inflammation or metabolic syndrome. Bullying and being bullied in childhood were associated with distinct domains of psychosocial risk in adulthood that may later lead to poor physical health.

Improving treatment of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood cancer survivors | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer now have on average >80% 5-year survival. However, premature cardiovascular (CV) disease has become the leading non-cancer cause of late mortality among childhood cancer survivors. Our existing work has shown that traditional CV risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance/diabetes remain very

The heritability of insomnia progression during childhood/adolescence: results from a longitudinal twin study.

PubMed

Barclay, Nicola L; Gehrman, Philip R; Gregory, Alice M; Eaves, Lindon J; Silberg, Judy L

2015-01-01

To determine prevalence and heritability of insomnia during middle/late childhood and adolescence; examine longitudinal associations in insomnia over time; and assess the extent to which genetic and environmental factors on insomnia remain stable, or whether new factors come into play, across this developmental period. Longitudinal twin study. Academic medical center. There were 739 complete monozygotic twin pairs (52%) and 672 complete dizygotic twin pairs (48%) initially enrolled and were followed up at three additional time points (waves). Mode ages at each wave were 8, 10, 14, and 15 y (ages ranged from 8-18 y). None. Clinical ratings of insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA) by trained clinicians, and rated according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-III-R criteria for presence of 'clinically significant insomnia', over four sequential waves. Insomnia symptoms were prevalent but significantly decreased across the four waves (ranging from 16.6% to 31.2%). 'Clinically significant insomnia' was moderately heritable at all waves (h² range = 14% to 38%), and the remaining source of variance was the nonshared environment. Multivariate models indicated that genetic influences at wave 1 contributed to insomnia at all subsequent waves, and that new genetic influences came into play at wave 2, which further contributed to stability of symptoms. Nonshared environmental influences were time-specific. Insomnia is prevalent in childhood and adolescence, and is moderately heritable. The progression of insomnia across this developmental time period is influenced by stable as well as new genetic factors that come into play at wave 2 (modal age 10 y). Molecular genetic studies should now identify genes related to insomnia progression during childhood and adolescence. © 2014 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Influence of school environments on childhood obesity in California.

PubMed

Ortega Hinojosa, Alberto M; MacLeod, Kara E; Balmes, John; Jerrett, Michael

2018-06-05

To conduct a state-wide examination of public schools and the school neighborhood as potential targets for environmental public health tracking to address childhood obesity. We examined the relationship of social and physical environmental attributes of the school environment (within school and neighborhood) and childhood obesity in California with machine learning (Random Forest) and multilevel methods. We used data compiled from the California Department of Education, the U.S. Geological Survey, ESRI's Business Analyst, the U.S. Census, and other public sources for ecologic level variables for various years and assessed their relative importance to obesity as determined from the statewide Physical Fitness Test 2003 through 2007 for grades 5, 7, and 9 (n = 5,265,265). In addition to individual-level race and gender, the following within and school neighborhood variables ranked as the most important model contributors based on the Random Forest analysis and were included in multilevel regressions clustered on the county. Violent crime, English learners, socioeconomic disadvantage, fewer physical education (PE) and fully credentialed teachers, and diversity index were positively associated with obesity while academic performance index, PE participation, mean educational attainment and per capita income were negatively associated with obesity. The most highly ranked built or physical environment variables were distance to the nearest highway and greenness, which were 10th and 11th most important, respectively. Many states in the U.S. do not have school-based surveillance programs that collect body mass index data. System-level determinants of obesity can be important for tracking and intervention. The results of these analyses suggest that the school social environment factors may be especially important. Disadvantaged and low academic performing schools have a higher risk for obesity. Supporting such schools in a targeted way may be an efficient way to intervene

Factors influencing twins and zygosity.

PubMed

Hankins, Gary V D; Saade, George R

2005-01-01

Zygosity is influenced by many factors. Monozygotic twins occur spontaneously in approximately 1 in 250 births and are felt to increase twofold with ovulation induction techniques. Monozygotic twinning also increases in proportion to the number of blastocysts transferred during in vitro fertilisation. In contrast, dizygotic twinning appears to be influenced by race, genetic factors, maternal age, fertility enhancing drugs, folic acid supplementation, and maternal nutritional status.

Influence of first-time mothers' early employment on severe early childhood caries in their child.

PubMed

Plutzer, Kamila; Keirse, Marc J N C

2012-01-01

Aim. To examine whether mothers' early employment status is related to the development of severe early childhood caries in their child. Methods. Questionnaire survey of 429 first-time mothers in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia, and dental examinations of their child at 20 months of age. Results. At 20 ± 2.5 months of age, 5.6% of children exhibited caries defined as one or more demineralized or cavitated lesions on the upper incisors. Of the mothers, 52.2% had no paid employment, 39.6% were part-time and 8.2% full-time employed. Overall, mothers' participation in the workforce had no influence on the frequency of severe early childhood caries in their child, but there was a significant interaction with family structure. For mothers without employment there was no difference between single, and two-parent families, but children with an employed single mother more frequently had caries than those with a working mother in a two-parent family (P < 0.04). However, there were no significant differences in children's reported general health. Conclusions. The data indicate a need to explore strategies that may assist single mothers and especially those in the workforce to prevent severe early childhood caries in their child.

Childhood Trauma and Personal Mastery: Their Influence on Emotional Reactivity to Everyday Events in a Community Sample of Middle-Aged Adults

PubMed Central

Infurna, Frank J.; Rivers, Crystal T.; Reich, John; Zautra, Alex J.

2015-01-01

Childhood trauma is associated with premature declines in health in midlife and old age. Pathways that have been implicated, but less studied include social-emotional regulation, biological programming, and habitual patterns of thought and action. In this study we focused on childhood trauma’s influence via alterations in social-emotional regulation to everyday life events, a pathway that has been linked to subsequent health effects. Data from a 30-day daily diary of community residents who participated in a study of resilience in Midlife (n = 191, Mage = 54, SD = 7.50, 54% women) was used to examine whether self-reports of childhood trauma were associated with daily well-being, as well as reported and emotional reactivity to daily negative and positive events. Childhood trauma reports were associated with reporting lower overall levels of and greater variability in daily well-being. Childhood trauma was linked to greater reports of daily negative events, but not to positive events. Focusing on emotional reactivity to daily events, residents who reported higher levels of childhood trauma showed stronger decreases in well-being when experiencing negative events and also stronger increases in well-being with positive events. For those reporting childhood trauma, higher levels of mastery were associated with stronger decreases in well-being with negative events and stronger increases in well-being with positive events, suggesting that mastery increases sensitivity to daily negative and positive events. Our results suggest that childhood trauma may lead to poorer health in midlife through disturbances in the patterns of everyday life events and responses to those events. Further, our findings indicate that mastery may have a different meaning for those who experienced childhood trauma. We discuss social-emotional regulation as one pathway linking childhood trauma to health, and psychosocial resources to consider when building resilience-promoting interventions for

Childhood trauma and personal mastery: their influence on emotional reactivity to everyday events in a community sample of middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Infurna, Frank J; Rivers, Crystal T; Reich, John; Zautra, Alex J

2015-01-01

Childhood trauma is associated with premature declines in health in midlife and old age. Pathways that have been implicated, but less studied include social-emotional regulation, biological programming, and habitual patterns of thought and action. In this study we focused on childhood trauma's influence via alterations in social-emotional regulation to everyday life events, a pathway that has been linked to subsequent health effects. Data from a 30-day daily diary of community residents who participated in a study of resilience in Midlife (n = 191, Mage = 54, SD = 7.50, 54% women) was used to examine whether self-reports of childhood trauma were associated with daily well-being, as well as reported and emotional reactivity to daily negative and positive events. Childhood trauma reports were associated with reporting lower overall levels of and greater variability in daily well-being. Childhood trauma was linked to greater reports of daily negative events, but not to positive events. Focusing on emotional reactivity to daily events, residents who reported higher levels of childhood trauma showed stronger decreases in well-being when experiencing negative events and also stronger increases in well-being with positive events. For those reporting childhood trauma, higher levels of mastery were associated with stronger decreases in well-being with negative events and stronger increases in well-being with positive events, suggesting that mastery increases sensitivity to daily negative and positive events. Our results suggest that childhood trauma may lead to poorer health in midlife through disturbances in the patterns of everyday life events and responses to those events. Further, our findings indicate that mastery may have a different meaning for those who experienced childhood trauma. We discuss social-emotional regulation as one pathway linking childhood trauma to health, and psychosocial resources to consider when building resilience-promoting interventions for

Adverse Childhood Environment: Relationship With Sexual Risk Behaviors and Marital Status in a Large American Sample.

PubMed

Anderson, Kermyt G

2017-01-01

A substantial theoretical and empirical literature suggests that stressful events in childhood influence the timing and patterning of subsequent sexual and reproductive behaviors. Stressful childhood environments have been predicted to produce a life history strategy in which adults are oriented more toward short-term mating behaviors and less toward behaviors consistent with longevity. This article tests the hypothesis that adverse childhood environment will predict adult outcomes in two areas: risky sexual behavior (engagement in sexual risk behavior or having taken an HIV test) and marital status (currently married vs. never married, divorced, or a member of an unmarried couple). Data come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The sample contains 17,530 men and 23,978 women aged 18-54 years living in 13 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia. Adverse childhood environment is assessed through 11 retrospective measures of childhood environment, including having grown up with someone who was depressed or mentally ill, who was an alcoholic, who used or abused drugs, or who served time in prison; whether one's parents divorced in childhood; and two scales measuring childhood exposure to violence and to sexual trauma. The results indicate that adverse childhood environment is associated with increased likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behaviors or taking an HIV test, and increased likelihood of being in an unmarried couple or divorced/separated, for both men and women. The predictions are supported by the data, lending further support to the hypothesis that childhood environments influence adult reproductive strategy.

Monoamine Oxidase-A Genetic Variants and Childhood Abuse Predict Impulsiveness in Borderline Personality Disorder.

PubMed

Kolla, Nathan J; Meyer, Jeffrey; Sanches, Marcos; Charbonneau, James

2017-11-30

Impulsivity is a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) that likely arises from combined genetic and environmental influences. The interaction of the low activity variant of the monoamine oxidase-A (MAOA-L) gene and early childhood adversity has been shown to predict aggression in clinical and non-clinical populations. Although impulsivity is a risk factor for aggression in BPD and ASPD, little research has investigated potential gene-environment (G×E) influences impacting its expression in these conditions. Moreover, G×E interactions may differ by diagnosis. Full factorial analysis of variance was employed to investigate the influence of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) genotype, childhood abuse, and diagnosis on Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) scores in 61 individuals: 20 subjects with BPD, 18 subjects with ASPD, and 23 healthy controls. A group×genotype×abuse interaction was present (F(2,49)=4.4, p =0.018), such that the interaction of MAOA-L and childhood abuse predicted greater BIS-11 motor impulsiveness in BPD. Additionally, BPD subjects reported higher BIS-11 attentional impulsiveness versus ASPD participants (t(1,36)=2.3, p =0.025). These preliminary results suggest that MAOA-L may modulate the impact of childhood abuse on impulsivity in BPD. Results additionally indicate that impulsiveness may be expressed differently in BPD and ASPD.

[Early childhood development and risk factors in rural China: a cohort study].

PubMed

Cui, Y; Gao, J Q; Yue, A; Tang, L; Luo, R F; Scott, Rozelle

2018-02-02

Objective: To investigate the development status and risk factors of infants and toddlers in rural China. Methods: In this cohort study, 603 infants (6-12 months of age, Phase Ⅰ) in the rural areas of QinLing-Bashan (Qin-Ba) in Shaanxi were recruited in the control group that received no intervention from April 2013 to October 2015. Three follow-up visits were performed every six months (Phase Ⅱ(12-18 months of age), Phase Ⅲ (18-24 months of age) and Phase Ⅳ(24-30 months of age)). In all the 4 phases (Ⅰ-Ⅳ), general data of the children and the families were collected by questionnaires, early childhood growth and development were assessed by door to door visits, children's hemoglobin levels were determined by laboratory tests, and the cognitive and motor development screening was conducted by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the development of infants and toddlers in rural areas and the data were analyzed in terms of risk factors from infants, guardians and family. Results: Phase Ⅱ, Phase Ⅲ and Phase Ⅳ survey recruited 497, 483 and 486 participants respectively. The incidences of cognitive impairment (mental development scores<80) in rural areas of southern Shaanxi were 13.4% (81/603) in Phase Ⅰ(6-12 months), 20.1%(100/497) in PhaseⅡ(12-18 months), 42.9% (207/483) in Phase Ⅲ(18-24 months) and 50.4%(245/486) in Phase Ⅳ(24-30 months) respectively, which showed a significant increase with age (χ(2)=233.40, P< 0.01); the incidences of psychomotor impairment (psychomotor development scores<80) of Phase Ⅰ, Phase Ⅱ, Phase Ⅲ and Phase Ⅳ were 25.0% (151/603), 26.8% (133/497), 8.3% (40/483) and 11.9% (58/486), which showed a significant decrease with age (χ(2)=87.08, P< 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the leading risk factor of the cognitive development of 24-30-month-old children was the mothers' poor education background (�

Separate and cumulative effects of adverse childhood experiences in predicting adult health and health care utilization.

PubMed

Chartier, Mariette J; Walker, John R; Naimark, Barbara

2010-06-01

Objectives of this population-based study were: (1) to examine the relative contribution of childhood abuse and other adverse childhood experiences to poor adult health and increased health care utilization and (2) to examine the cumulative effects of adverse childhood experiences on adult health and health care utilization. Data from the Ontario Health Survey, a representative population sample (n=9,953) of respondents aged 15 years and older, were analyzed using logistic regression. Adverse childhood experiences examined were childhood physical and sexual abuse, parental marital conflict, poor parent-child relationship, low parental education and parental psychopathology. Most (72%) respondents reported at least one adverse childhood experience and a considerable proportion of respondents (37%) reported two or more of these experiences. In examining the bivariate models, childhood physical and sexual abuse had a stronger influence than other types of adverse childhood experiences. With the addition of other adverse childhood experiences in the model, the odds ratios for childhood abuse were attenuated but remained statistically significant for most health outcomes. This suggests that childhood abuse may have a unique adverse influence on the development of poor adult health. When an aggregate variable was created to explore the cumulative effects of adverse childhood experience, the odds were increased, with each additional experience, for reporting multiple health problems [odds ratio (OR): 1.22], poor self-rated health (OR: 1.18), pain (OR: 1.24), disability (OR: 1.24), general practitioner use (OR: 1.12), emergency room use (OR: 1.29) and health professional use (OR: 1.19). This study suggests that childhood abuse and other adverse childhood experiences are overlapping risk factors for long-term adult health problems and that the accumulation of these adverse experiences increases the risk of poor adult health. This study highlights the importance of the many

Phenotypic and familial associations between childhood maltreatment and cannabis initiation and problems in young adult European-American and African-American women.

PubMed

Grant, Julia D; Agrawal, Arpana; Werner, Kimberly B; McCutcheon, Vivia V; Nelson, Elliot C; Madden, Pamela A F; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Heath, Andrew C; Sartor, Carolyn E

2017-10-01

Childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for cannabis initiation and problem use, but the extent to which this association is attributable to shared familial influences is unknown. We estimate the magnitude of associations between childhood maltreatment, timing of cannabis initiation, and cannabis-related problems, in European-American (EA) and African-American (AA) women, and parse the relative influence of additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and individual-specific environmental (E) factors on these constructs and their covariation. Data were from diagnostic telephone interviews conducted with 3786 participants (14.6% AA) in a population-based study of female twins. Logistic regression analyses and twin modeling were used to test for associations, and estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to childhood maltreatment and cannabis outcomes and their covariation. Maltreatment was significantly associated with increased likelihood of cannabis initiation before age 15 among EAs (OR=6.33) and AAs (OR=3.93), but with increased likelihood of later initiation among EAs only (OR=1.68). Maltreatment was associated with cannabis problems among both groups (EA OR=2.32; AA OR=2.03). Among EA women, the covariation between maltreatment and cannabis outcomes was primarily attributable to familial environment (rC=0.67-0.70); among AAs, only individual-specific environment contributed (rE=0.37-0.40). Childhood maltreatment is a major contributor to early initiation of cannabis as well as progression to cannabis problems in both AA and EA women. Distinctions by race/ethnicity are not in the relative contribution of genetic factors, but rather in the type of environmental influences that contribute to stages of cannabis involvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Childhood abuse as a risk factor for sleep problems in adulthood: evidence from a U.S. national study.

PubMed

Greenfield, Emily A; Lee, Chioun; Friedman, Elliot L; Springer, Kristen W

2011-10-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that stress impairs sleep quality. Few studies, however, have examined the extent to which early life stress can jeopardize sleep in adulthood. Guided by a life course epidemiological perspective on health, this study examined associations between childhood abuse and adult sleep problems. We used data from 835 respondents in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). Self-report measures assessed the frequency of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in childhood, as well as global and component indicators of sleep problems in adulthood. Having experienced all three types of childhood abuse-even infrequently-was associated with global sleep pathology, as well as specific types of sleep problems. Reports of both frequent physical and frequent emotional abuse-even in the absence of sexual abuse-were also associated with poor sleep. Childhood abuse is a risk factor for individuals' long-term sleep problems.

The association between major depressive disorder in childhood and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adolescence.

PubMed

Rottenberg, Jonathan; Yaroslavsky, Ilya; Carney, Robert M; Freedland, Kenneth E; George, Charles J; Baji, Ildikó; Dochnal, Roberta; Gádoros, Júlia; Halas, Kitti; Kapornai, Krisztina; Kiss, Eniko; Osváth, Viola; Varga, Hedvig; Vetró, Agnes; Kovacs, Maria

2014-02-01

Depression in adults is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unclear, however, when the association between clinical depression and cardiac risk factors develops or how early in life this association can be detected. In an ongoing study of pediatric depression, we compared CVD risk factors including smoking, obesity, physical activity level, sedentary behavior, and parental history of CVD across three samples of adolescents: probands with established histories of childhood-onset major depressive disorder (n = 210), never-depressed siblings of probands (n = 195), and controls with no history of any major psychiatric disorder (n = 161). When assessed during adolescence, 85% of the probands were not in a major depressive episode. Nevertheless, at that assessment, probands had a higher prevalence of regular smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 12.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.36-36.12) and were less physically active than controls (OR = 0.59, CI = 0.43-0.81) and siblings (OR = 0.70, CI = 0.52-0.94) and had a higher rate of obesity than did controls (OR = 3.67, CI = 1.42-9.52). Parents of probands reported high rates of CVD (significantly higher than did parents of controls), including myocardial infarction and CVD-related hospitalization (ORs = 1.62-4.36, CIs = 1.03-15.40). Differences in CVD risk factors between probands and controls were independent of parental CVD. Major depression in childhood is associated with an unfavorable CVD risk profile in adolescence, and risks for pediatric depression and CVD may coincide in families. Effective prevention and treatment of childhood depression may be a means to reduce the incidence of adult CVD.

The Association between Major Depressive Disorder in Childhood and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Adolescence

PubMed Central

Rottenberg, Jonathan; Yaroslavsky, Ilya; Carney, Robert M.; Freedland, Kenneth E.; George, Charles J.; Baji, Ildikó; Dochnal, Roberta; Gádoros, Júlia; Halas, Kitti; Kapornai, Krisztina; Kiss, Enikő; Osváth, Viola; Varga, Hedvig; Vetró, Ágnes; Kovacs, Maria

2014-01-01

Objective Depression in adults is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unclear, however, when the association between clinical depression and cardiac risk factors develops, or how early in life this association can be detected. Methods In an ongoing study of pediatric depression, we compared CVD risk factors, including smoking, obesity, physical activity level, sedentary behavior, and parental history of CVD, across three samples of adolescents: probands with established histories of childhood-onset major depressive disorder (MDD; N=210), never-depressed siblings of probands (N=195), and controls with no history of any major psychiatric disorder (N=161). Results When assessed during adolescence, 85% of the probands were not in a major depressive episode. Nevertheless, at that assessment, probands had a higher prevalence of regular smoking ([odds ratio [OR] 12.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.36–36.12) and were less physically active than controls (OR .59, CI = .43–.81) and siblings (OR .70, CI = .52–.94), and had a higher rate of obesity than did controls (OR 3.67, CI = 1.42–9.52). Parents of probands reported high rates of CVD (significantly higher than did parents of controls), including myocardial infarction and CVD-related hospitalization (ORs 1.62–4.36; CIs = 1.03–15.40). Differences in CVD risk factors between probands and controls were independent of parental CVD. Conclusions Major depression in childhood is associated with an unfavorable CVD risk profile in adolescence, and risks for pediatric depression and CVD may coincide in families. Effective prevention and treatment of childhood depression may be a means to reduce the incidence of adult CVD. PMID:24470130

Economic Disparities in Middle Childhood Development: Does Income Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

A large literature has documented the influence of family economic resources on child development, yet income's effects in middle childhood have been understudied. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 3,551), the author examined the influence of family income in early and middle childhood on academic skills and…

Adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood.

PubMed

Reiser, Sarah J; McMillan, Katherine A; Wright, Kristi D; Asmundson, Gordon J G

2014-03-01

Childhood experiences are thought to predispose a person to the development of health anxiety later in life. However, there is a lack of research investigating the influence of specific adverse experiences (e.g., childhood abuse, household dysfunction) on this condition. The current study examined the cumulative influence of multiple types of childhood adversities on health anxiety in adulthood. Adults 18-59 years of age (N=264) completed a battery of measures to assess adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs (i.e., negative affect and trait anxiety). Significant associations were observed between adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicted that adverse childhood experiences were predictive of health anxiety in adulthood; however, the unique contribution of these experience were no longer significant following the inclusion of the other variables of interest. Subsequently, mediation analyses indicated that both negative affect and trait anxiety independently mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood. Increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with higher levels of health anxiety in adulthood; this relationship is mediated through negative affect and trait anxiety. Findings support the long-term negative impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences and emphasize the importance of addressing negative affect and trait anxiety in efforts to prevent and treat health anxiety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers: the influence of early family factors on distress in emerging adulthood.

PubMed

Robinson, Kristen E; Gerhardt, Cynthia A; Vannatta, Kathryn; Noll, Robert B

2009-02-01

This prospective study examines family predictors of distress among survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers during the transition to emerging adulthood. Children with cancer (n = 55), comparison peers (n = 60), and parents completed measures of distress, family environment, social support, and demographic characteristics during initial treatment, as well as follow-up measures of young adult distress and demographic characteristics soon after participants turned 18 years old. Severity of initial treatment and late effects were rated by healthcare providers for participants with cancer. For all participants, mother and father report of initial parent distress was associated with their report of young adult distress at follow-up. Young adult gender moderated this association. For survivors of childhood cancer, severity of initial treatment and late effects also moderated the association between parent and young adult distress. Improving parent distress may help reduce child distress in general. For survivors specifically, ameliorating the impact of initial treatment and long-term physical problems may be beneficial. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Childhood cardiometabolic outcomes of maternal obesity during pregnancy: the Generation R Study.

PubMed

Gaillard, Romy; Steegers, Eric A P; Duijts, Liesbeth; Felix, Janine F; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H; Jaddoe, Vincent W V

2014-04-01

Maternal prepregnancy obesity is associated with impaired cardiometabolic health in offspring. Whether these associations reflect direct intrauterine causal mechanisms remains unclear. In a population-based prospective cohort study among 4871 mothers, fathers, and their children, we examined the associations of both maternal and paternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) with childhood body fat distribution and cardiometabolic outcomes and explored whether any association was explained by pregnancy, birth, and childhood factors. We measured childhood BMI, total body and abdominal fat distribution, blood pressure, and blood levels of lipids, insulin, and C-peptide at the age of 6 years. We observed that higher maternal and paternal prepregnancy BMI were associated with higher childhood BMI, total body and abdominal fat mass measures, systolic blood pressure, and insulin levels and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P<0.05). Stronger associations were present for maternal than paternal BMI, with statistical support for heterogeneity between these associations. The associations for childhood fat mass and cardiometabolic outcomes attenuated after adjustment for childhood current BMI. Compared with children from normal-weight mothers, those from obese mothers had increased risks of childhood overweight (odds ratio, 3.84 [95% confidence interval, 3.01-4.90]) and clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (odds ratio, 3.00 [95% confidence interval, 2.09-4.34]). Smaller effect estimates for these outcomes were observed for paternal obesity. In conclusion, higher maternal and paternal prepregnancy BMI were associated with an adverse cardiometabolic profile in offspring, with stronger associations present for maternal prepregnancy BMI. These findings suggest that maternal prepregnancy BMI may influence the cardiometabolic health of offspring through direct intrauterine mechanisms.

The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort (i3C) consortium outcomes study of childhood cardiovascular risk factors and adult cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: Design and recruitment.

PubMed

Sinaiko, Alan R; Jacobs, David R; Woo, Jessica G; Bazzano, Lydia; Burns, Trudy; Hu, Tian; Juonala, Markus; Prineas, Ronald; Raitakari, Olli; Steinberger, Julia; Urbina, Elaine; Venn, Alison; Jaquish, Cashell; Dwyer, Terry

2018-04-22

Although it is widely thought that childhood levels of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors are related to adult CV disease, longitudinal data directly linking the two are lacking. This paper describes the design and organization of the International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort Consortium Outcomes Study (i3C Outcomes), the first longitudinal cohort study designed to locate adults with detailed, repeated, childhood biological, physical, and socioeconomic measurements and a harmonized database. I3C Outcomes uses a Heart Health Survey (HHS) to obtain information on adult CV endpoints, using mail, email, telephone, and clinic visits in the United States (U.S.) and Australia and a national health database in Finland. Microsoft Access, REsearch Data Capture (REDCap) (U.S.), LimeSurvey (Australia), and Medidata™ Rave data systems are used to collect, transfer and organize data. Self-reported CV events are adjudicated via hospital and doctor-released medical records. After the first two study years, participants (N = 10,968) were more likely to be female (56% vs. 48%), non-Hispanic white (90% vs. 80%), and older (10.4 ± 3.8 years vs. 9.4 ± 3.3 years) at their initial childhood study visit than the currently non-recruited cohort members. Over 48% of cohort members seen during both adulthood and childhood have been found and recruited, to date, vs. 5% of those not seen since childhood. Self-reported prevalences were 0.7% Type 1 Diabetes, 7.5% Type 2 Diabetes, 33% hypertension, and 12.8% CV event. 32% of CV events were judged to be true. I3C Outcomes is uniquely able to establish evidence-based guidelines for child health care and to clarify relations to adult CV disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Course of Childhood Anxiety Symptoms: Developmental Trajectories and Child-Related Factors in Normal Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broeren, Suzanne; Muris, Peter; Diamantopoulou, Sofia; Baker, Jess R.

2013-01-01

This three-wave longitudinal study explored developmental trajectories for various types of childhood anxiety symptoms (i.e., specific fears, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety) and examined how these trajectories were associated with several factors thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of anxiety. Parents of a…

Residential risk factors for childhood pneumonia: A cross-sectional study in eight cities of China.

PubMed

Zhuge, Yang; Qian, Hua; Zheng, Xiaohong; Huang, Chen; Zhang, Yinping; Zhang, Min; Li, Baizhan; Zhao, Zhuohui; Deng, Qihong; Yang, Xu; Sun, Yuexia; Wang, Tingting; Zhang, Xin; Sundell, Jan

2018-04-11

Children's pneumonia is a heavy health burden. Few studies have been carried out on residential risk factors for pneumonia in children. Potential risks associated with dwelling characteristics are still unknown. A cross-sectional study was conducted among children in 8 cities in China during 2010-2011 and 41,176 valid data on children aged 3-8 years old were used in this analysis. To obtain the lifetime-ever incidence of pneumonia in children and identify associations between pneumonia and residential risk factors, chi-square analysis and logistic regression methods were employed. Adjusted odds ratios were used as measures of effect with a 95% confidence interval. Confounding variables in the regression model include children's gender, birthweight, breastfeeding duration, parental smoking and family history of atopy. The average lifetime-ever incidence of childhood pneumonia was 32.3%. Urban children (33.6%) had more pneumonia than suburban (29.9%) and rural children (24.9%). More residential risk factors were found in urban-dwellings. Boys, low birthweight (<2500 g), breastfeeding duration <6 months, family allergic history, and exposure to parental smoking were found to be associated with higher pneumonia lifetime-ever incidences. Various indicators of dampness, including visible mold spots, damp stains, water damage, water condensation, damp clothing or bedding and mold odor, were also positively associated with pneumonia. Pneumonia incidence increased as the number of dampness indicators increased. Both natural gas and solid cooking fuels were positively associated with pneumonia compared with electricity. Compared with cement, construction materials including synthetic fiber, laminated wood, real wood, paint, emulsion paint and wall paper were positively associated with pneumonia. Daily living habits such as putting bedding to sunshine frequently and cleaning the child's bedroom every day could be effective preventive strategies. A dose

Tobacco Use Among Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

PubMed Central

Buchbinder, David; Oeffinger, Kevin; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Yasui, Yutaka; Alderfer, Melissa A.; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Casillas, Jacqueline; Ford, Jennifer; Krull, Kevin R.; Leisenring, Wendy; Recklitis, Christopher; Robison, Leslie L.; Zeltzer, Lonnie K.; Lown, E. Anne

2015-01-01

Background Having a brother or sister with childhood cancer may influence health behaviors during adulthood. The aim of this study was to compare tobacco use in siblings of survivors with peers and to identify factors associated with sibling tobacco use. Procedures A retrospective cohort study was conducted using adult siblings (N=1,974) of 5+ year cancer survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) and participants (N=24,105, weighted to match CCSS) in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Self-reported tobacco use, sociodemographic, and cancer-related risk factors were analyzed. Results Siblings were equally likely to have ever smoked compared to their peers, (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.93–1.12). Siblings were less likely to be current smokers (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.94), but more likely to be former smokers (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08–1.35). Siblings with low education were more likely to ever smoke (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.15–2.00) and be current smokers (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.24–2.26) compared to their peers. Among siblings, risk factors for current tobacco use included: low income <$20,000 (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.09–2.54), low education (OR 6.68, 95% CI 4.07–10.97), psychological distress (OR 5.36, 95% CI 2.21–13.02), and heavy alcohol use (OR 3.68, 95% CI 2.50–5.41). Conclusions Siblings of survivors take up smoking at similar rates to their peers, but are more likely to quit. Efforts are needed to address disparities by providing greater psychosocial support and education for the lowest socio-economic status families facing childhood cancer. PMID:26305712

Tobacco Use Among Siblings of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

PubMed

Buchbinder, David; Oeffinger, Kevin; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Yasui, Yutaka; Alderfer, Melissa A; Armstrong, Gregory T; Casillas, Jacqueline; Ford, Jennifer; Krull, Kevin R; Leisenring, Wendy; Recklitis, Christopher; Robison, Leslie L; Zeltzer, Lonnie K; Lown, E Anne

2016-02-01

Having a brother or sister with childhood cancer may influence health behaviors during adulthood. The aim of this study was to compare tobacco use in siblings of survivors with peers and to identify factors associated with sibling tobacco use. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using adult siblings (N = 1,974) of 5+ year cancer survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) and participants (N = 24,105, weighted to match CCSS) in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Self-reported tobacco use, sociodemographic, and cancer-related risk factors were analyzed. Siblings were equally likely to have ever smoked compared to their peers (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93-1.12). Siblings were less likely to be current smokers (OR 0.83, 95%CI 0.73-0.94), but more likely to be former smokers (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.08-1.35). Siblings with low education were more likely to ever smoke (OR 1.51, 95%CI 1.15-2.00) and be current smokers (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.24-2.26) compared to their peers. Among siblings, risk factors for current tobacco use included the following: low income <$20,000 (OR 1.66, 95%CI 1.09-2.54), low education (OR 6.68, 95%CI 4.07-10.97), psychological distress (OR 5.36, 95%CI 2.21-13.02), and heavy alcohol use (OR 3.68, 95%CI 2.50-5.41). Siblings of survivors take up smoking at similar rates to their peers, but are more likely to quit. Efforts are needed to address disparities by providing greater psychosocial support and education for the lowest socioeconomic status families facing childhood cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experiences and factors influencing a sample of teachers in New York state public elementary and middle schools to focus on environmental education in their teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tooker, Gail Patricia

This study focuses on how fourteen elementary and middle level teachers in New York chose to teach environmental topics as part of their science curricula. Prior research suggested that factors influencing teachers to make curricular decisions are different from those that motivated them to become teachers in the first place (Espinet, et.al. 1992). This was supported by the results of this study, which found that most of these teachers made the decision to begin teaching environmental education (EE) well after deciding to become teachers and that the decision to teach EE was influenced by a variety of factors including participation in EE-oriented in-service programs, media coverage of environmental issues, encouragement from colleagues and school administrators to undertake EE, and personal experiences in childhood or early adulthood with the environment and/or with EE. Studies examining experiences that influence people to practice "environmentally responsible" behaviors (Chawla, 1995; McGarry, 1994; Tanner, 1994) suggested that positive childhood contacts with nature were important predictors for such behavior in adulthood. Findings of this study were largely consistent with these results, however, this sample of teachers viewed their childhood nature experiences as being mostly responsible for the development of their appreciation of the environment, while their actual decision to begin teaching EE was primarily influenced by other experiences, as discussed above. This study also examined how these teachers prepared themselves for teaching EE. The findings indicate that these teachers used a wide variety of preparation strategies. A minority reported becoming prepared for teaching EE through their pre-service teacher education programs. These results were in agreement with prior findings that most teacher education programs in this country do not include a focus on EE. Even where preparation for EE is included, it has been rated by the participants as

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with early childhood social interaction in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Makinodan, Manabu; Iwata, Keiko; Ikawa, Daisuke; Yamashita, Yasunori; Yamamuro, Kazuhiko; Toritsuka, Michihiro; Kimoto, Sohei; Okumura, Kazuki; Yamauchi, Takahira; Yoshino, Hiroki; Tsujii, Masatsugu; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Tsuchiya, Kenji; Mori, Norio; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Kishimoto, Toshifumi

2017-03-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, poor communication skills, and repetitive/restrictive behaviors. Elevated blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been reported in subjects with autism spectrum disorder. On the other hand, early childhood adverse experience also increases blood levels of these cytokines. Since social experience of children with autism spectrum disorder is generally unlike to typically developing children, we hypothesized that social interaction during childhood contribute to pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in subjects with autism spectrum disorder. We compared revised Autism Diagnostic Interview scores and expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of subjects with autism spectrum disorder (n = 30). The score of domain A on the revised Autism Diagnostic Interview, indicating social interaction impairment in early childhood, was negatively correlated with tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells but not interleukin-1β or -6. Consistently, tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression was markedly low in subjects with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing children who presumably experienced the regular levels of social interaction. These findings suggest that the low blood levels of tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA in subjects with autism spectrum disorder might be due to impaired social interaction in early childhood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A not-so-grim tale: how childhood family structure influences reproductive and risk-taking outcomes in a historical U.S. Population.

PubMed

Sheppard, Paula; Garcia, Justin R; Sear, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Childhood family structure has been shown to play an important role in shaping a child's life course development, especially in industrialised societies. One hypothesis which could explain such findings is that parental investment is likely to be diluted in families without both natural parents. Most empirical studies have examined the influence of only one type of family disruption or composition (e.g. father absence) making it difficult to simultaneously compare the effects of different kinds of family structure on children's future outcomes. Here we use a large, rich data source (n=16,207) collected by Alfred Kinsey and colleagues in the United States from 1938 to 1963, to examine the effects of particular childhood family compositions and compare between them. The dataset further allows us to look at the effects of family structure on an array of traits relating to sexual maturity, reproduction, and risk-taking. Our results show that, for both sexes, living with a single mother or mother and stepfather during childhood was often associated with faster progression to life history events and greater propensity for risk-taking behaviours. However, living with a single father or father and stepmother was typically not significantly different to having both natural parents for these outcomes. Our results withstand adjustment for socioeconomic status, age, ethnicity, age at puberty (where applicable), and sibling configuration. While these results support the hypothesis that early family environment influences subsequent reproductive strategy, the different responses to the presence or absence of different parental figures in the household rearing environment suggests that particular family constructions exert independent influences on childhood outcomes. Our results suggest that father-absent households (i.e. single mothers or mothers and stepfathers) are most highly associated with subsequent fast life history progressions, compared with mother-absent households

A Not-So-Grim Tale: How Childhood Family Structure Influences Reproductive and Risk-Taking Outcomes in a Historical U.S. Population

PubMed Central

Sheppard, Paula; Garcia, Justin R.; Sear, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Childhood family structure has been shown to play an important role in shaping a child's life course development, especially in industrialised societies. One hypothesis which could explain such findings is that parental investment is likely to be diluted in families without both natural parents. Most empirical studies have examined the influence of only one type of family disruption or composition (e.g. father absence) making it difficult to simultaneously compare the effects of different kinds of family structure on children's future outcomes. Here we use a large, rich data source (n = 16,207) collected by Alfred Kinsey and colleagues in the United States from 1938 to 1963, to examine the effects of particular childhood family compositions and compare between them. The dataset further allows us to look at the effects of family structure on an array of traits relating to sexual maturity, reproduction, and risk-taking. Our results show that, for both sexes, living with a single mother or mother and stepfather during childhood was often associated with faster progression to life history events and greater propensity for risk-taking behaviours. However, living with a single father or father and stepmother was typically not significantly different to having both natural parents for these outcomes. Our results withstand adjustment for socioeconomic status, age, ethnicity, age at puberty (where applicable), and sibling configuration. While these results support the hypothesis that early family environment influences subsequent reproductive strategy, the different responses to the presence or absence of different parental figures in the household rearing environment suggests that particular family constructions exert independent influences on childhood outcomes. Our results suggest that father-absent households (i.e. single mothers or mothers and stepfathers) are most highly associated with subsequent fast life history progressions, compared with mother

The structural equation analysis of childhood abuse, adult stressful life events, and temperaments in major depressive disorders and their influence on refractoriness

PubMed Central

Toda, Hiroyuki; Inoue, Takeshi; Tsunoda, Tomoya; Nakai, Yukiei; Tanichi, Masaaki; Tanaka, Teppei; Hashimoto, Naoki; Nakato, Yasuya; Nakagawa, Shin; Kitaichi, Yuji; Mitsui, Nobuyuki; Boku, Shuken; Tanabe, Hajime; Nibuya, Masashi; Yoshino, Aihide; Kusumi, Ichiro

2015-01-01

Background Previous studies have shown the interaction between heredity and childhood stress or life events on the pathogenesis of a major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we tested our hypothesis that childhood abuse, affective temperaments, and adult stressful life events interact and influence the diagnosis of MDD. Patients and methods A total of 170 healthy controls and 98 MDD patients were studied using the following self-administered questionnaire surveys: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Life Experiences Survey, the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire, and the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS). The data were analyzed with univariate analysis, multivariable analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results The neglect scores of the CATS indirectly predicted the diagnosis of MDD through cyclothymic and anxious temperament scores of the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire in the structural equation modeling. Two temperaments – cyclothymic and anxious – directly predicted the diagnosis of MDD. The validity of this result was supported by the results of the stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis as follows: three factors – neglect, cyclothymic, and anxious temperaments – were significant predictors of MDD. Neglect and the total CATS scores were also predictors of remission vs treatment-resistance in MDD patients independently of depressive symptoms. Limitations The sample size was small for the comparison between the remission and treatment-resistant groups in MDD patients in multivariable analysis. Conclusion This study suggests that childhood abuse, especially neglect, indirectly predicted the diagnosis of MDD through increased affective temperaments. The important role as a mediator of affective temperaments in the effect of childhood abuse on MDD was suggested. PMID:26316754

Childhood antecedents of adult sense of belonging.

PubMed

Hagerty, Bonnie M; Williams, Reg Arthur; Oe, Hiroaki

2002-07-01

Sense of belonging has been proposed to be a basic human need, and deficits in sense of belonging have been linked to problems in social and psychological functioning. Yet, there is little evidence about what early life experiences contribute to sense of belonging. The purpose of this study was to examine potential childhood antecedents of adult sense of belonging. The sample consisted of 362 community college students ranging in age from 18 to 72 years, with a mean age of 26 years. Measures included the Sense of Belonging Instrument, the Parental Bonding Instrument, and the Childhood Adversity and Adolescent Deviance Instrument. Multiple regression analysis was used to correlate childhood antecedents with adult sense of belonging. The final reduced model included 12 variables, which accounted for 25% of the variance in sense of belonging. Significant positive antecedents with a relationship with sense of belonging were perceived caring by both mother and father while growing up, participation in high school athletic activity, and parental divorce. Significant negative variables with a relationship with sense of belonging included perceived overprotection of father, high school pregnancy, family financial problems while growing up, incest, and homosexuality. Knowledge of these factors should influence interventions with families regarding child-rearing and parenting practices, mediating the effects of crises during childhood such as divorce and teen pregnancy, and the interpersonal growth needs of teenagers. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

PubMed

Lewis, Gary J; Asbury, Kathryn; Plomin, Robert

2017-03-01

Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence. We examined genetic and environmental influences on parental ratings of behavior problems across childhood (age 4) and adolescence (ages 12 and 16) as predictors of educational achievement at age 16 using a longitudinal classical twin design. Shared-environmental influences on anxiety, conduct problems, and peer problems at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Genetic influences on the externalizing behaviors of conduct problems and hyperactivity at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Moreover, novel genetic and (to a lesser extent) nonshared-environmental influences acting on conduct problems and hyperactivity emerged at ages 12 and 16, adding to the genetic prediction from age 4. These findings demonstrate that genetic and shared-environmental factors underpinning behavior problems in early childhood predict educational achievement in midadolescence. These findings are consistent with the notion that early-childhood behavior problems reflect the initiation of a life-course persistent trajectory with concomitant implications for social attainment. However, we also find evidence that genetic and nonshared-environment innovations acting on behavior problems have implications for subsequent educational achievement, consistent with recent work arguing that adolescence represents a sensitive period for socioaffective development. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Gendered Pathways: Violent Childhood Maltreatment, Sex Exchange, and Drug Use.

PubMed

Verona, Edelyn; Murphy, Brett; Javdani, Shabnam

2015-04-20

Recent work has emphasized the role of violent victimization, along with risky contexts like sex exchange, in pathways to problems of externalizing and substance use in women. Nonetheless, few studies have empirically tested gender differences involving the roles of adversity factors (e.g., childhood violent maltreatment, sex exchange) in drug use patterns. The present study tested a model of gender differences in relationships between childhood physical and sexual abuse, sex exchange, and two indicators of drug use: engagement and symptoms of disorder. We recruited an ethnically-diverse sample of 304 (130 women) adults with recent histories of violence and/or drug use, who completed a substance use diagnostic interview, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and a sex exchange questionnaire. First, structural equation modeling revealed that childhood sexual and physical abuse were related to increased drug engagement in women and men, respectively, above the influence of early childhood contextual variables (e.g., neighborhood, family) and age. Second, sexual abuse was related to sex exchange, which in turn was related to drug use symptoms in women but not men. These data provide empirical support for distinct trauma-related pathways to drug use problems in men and women, which has implications for gendered explanations and prevention approaches.

Childhood trauma and chronic illness in adulthood: mental health and socioeconomic status as explanatory factors and buffers.

PubMed

Mock, Steven E; Arai, Susan M

2010-01-01

Experiences of traumatic events in childhood have been shown to have long-term consequences for health in adulthood. With data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey we take a life course perspective of cumulative disadvantage and examine the potential role of mental health and socioeconomic status in adulthood as multiple mediators of the link between childhood trauma and chronic illness in adulthood. Mental health and socioeconomic status are also tested as buffers against the typically adverse consequences of childhood trauma. The results suggest mental health and socioeconomic status partially explain the association of childhood trauma with chronic illness in adulthood, with mental health showing a stronger effect. In addition, an analysis of the interactions suggested higher socioeconomic status is a potential protective factor for those with a history of trauma. Results also suggest cumulative disadvantage following trauma may lead to chronic illness and suggest the need for public health expenditures on resources such as counseling and income supports to prevent or reduce psychological harm and chronic illness resulting from traumatic events.

Generating Visionary Policy for Early Childhood Education and Care: Politicians' and Early Childhood Sector Advocate/Activists' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bown, Kathryn; Sumsion, Jennifer

2016-01-01

This article contributes to the global conversation about generating a "vision" in early childhood education and care policy by reporting on an investigation of influences on politicians' policy decisions in early childhood education and care in Australia. This article is inspired by the provocations of social and political theorists who…

Childhood Cancer Genomics Gaps and Opportunities - Workshop Summary

Cancer.gov

NCI convened a workshop of representative research teams that have been leaders in defining the genomic landscape of childhood cancers to discuss the influence of genomic discoveries on the future of childhood cancer research.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PEREFCTIONISM

PubMed Central

Halmi, Katherine A.; Bellace, Dara; Berthod, Samantha; Ghosh, Samiran; Berrettini, Wade; Brandt, Harry A.; Bulik, Cynthia M.; Crawford, Steve; Fichter, Manfred M.; Johnson, Craig L.; Kaplan, Allan; Kaye, Walter H.; Thornton, Laura; Treasure, Janet; Woodside, D. Blake; Strober, Michael

2012-01-01

Objective To examine childhood perfectionism in anorexia nervosa (AN) restricting (RAN), purging (PAN), and binge eating with or without purging (BAN) subtypes. Method The EATATE, a retrospective assessment of childhood perfectionism, and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) were administered to 728 AN participants. Results EATATE responses revealed General Childhood Perfectionism, 22.3% of 333 with RAN, 29.2% of 220 with PAN, and 24.8% of 116 with BAN; School Work Perfectionism, 31.2% with RAN, 30.4% with PAN, and 24.8% with BAN; Childhood Order and Symmetry, 18.7% with RAN, 21.7% with PAN, and 17.8% with BAN; and Global Childhood Rigidity, 42.6% with RAN, 48.3% with PAN and 48.1% with BAN. Perfectionism preceded the onset of AN in all subtypes. Significant associations between EDI-2 Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction were present with four EATATE subscales. Discussion Global Childhood Rigidity was the predominate feature that preceded all AN subtypes. This may be a risk factor for AN. PMID:22488115

CHILDHOOD DEPRESSION. Exploring the association between family violence and other psychosocial factors in low-income Brazilian schoolchildren

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Childhood depression affects the morbidity, mortality and life functions of children. Individual, family and environmental factors have been documented as psychosocial risk factors for childhood depression, especially family violence, which results in inadequate support, low family cohesion and poor communication. This study investigates the association between psychosocial depression factors in low-income schoolchildren and reveals the potential trouble spots, highlighting several forms of violence that take place within the family context. Methods The study was based on a cross-sectional analysis of 464 schoolchildren aged between 6 and 10, selected by random sampling from a city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Socio-economic, family and individual variables were investigated on the strength of the caregivers’ information and organized in blocks for analysis. A binary logistic regression model was applied, according to hierarchical blocks. Results The final hierarchical regression analysis showed that the following variables are potential psychosocial factors associated with depression in childhood: average/poor relationship with the father (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.32-7.94), high frequency of victimization by psychological violence (humiliation) (OR 6.13, 95% CI 2.06-18.31), parental divorce (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.14-7.32) and externalizing behavior problems (OR 3.53 IC 1.51-8.23). Conclusions The results point to multiple determinants of depressive behavior in children, as well as the potential contribution of psychological family violence. The study also reveals potential key targets for early intervention, especially for children from highly vulnerable families. PMID:22776354

Global Characteristics of Childhood Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

PubMed Central

Zhang, L; Samad, A; Pombo-de-Oliveira, MS; Scelo, G; Smith, MT; Feusner, J; Wiemels, JL; Metayer, C

2014-01-01

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) comprises approximately 5–10% of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases in the US. While variation in this percentage among other populations was noted previously, global patterns of childhood APL have not been thoroughly characterized. In this comprehensive review of childhood APL, we examined its geographic pattern and the potential contribution of environmental factors to observed variation. In 142 studies (spanning >60 countries) identified, variation was apparent—de novo APL represented from 2% (Switzerland) to >50% (Nicaragua) of childhood AML in different geographic regions. Because a limited number of previous studies addressed specific environmental exposures that potentially underlie childhood APL development, we gathered 28 childhood cases of therapy-related APL, which exemplified associations between prior exposures to chemotherapeutic drugs/radiation and APL diagnosis. Future population-based studies examining childhood APL patterns and the potential association with specific environmental exposures and other risk factors are needed. PMID:25445717

The Relationship between Childhood Trauma and Suicidal Ideation: Role of Maltreatment and Potential Mediators.

PubMed

Bahk, Yong-Chun; Jang, Seon-Kyeong; Choi, Kee-Hong; Lee, Seung-Hwan

2017-01-01

Childhood trauma is recognized as an important risk factor in suicidal ideation, however it is not fully understood how the different types of childhood maltreatment influence suicidal ideation nor what variables mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation. This study examined the path from childhood trauma to suicidal ideation, including potential mediators. A sample of 211 healthy adults completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Beck scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSI), Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Path analysis was used to investigate the relationship among study variables. Of the several types of childhood maltreatment we considered, only childhood sexual abuse directly predicted suicidal ideation (β=0.215, p=0.001). Childhood physical abuse (β=0.049, 95% confidence interval: 0.011-0.109) and childhood emotional abuse (β=0.042, 95% confidence interval: 0.001-0.107) indirectly predicted suicidal ideation through their association with anxiety. Childhood neglect indirectly predicted suicidal ideation through association with perceived social support (β=0.085, 95% confidence interval: 0.041-0.154). Our results confirmed that childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of suicidal ideation. Perceived social support mediated the relationship between suicidal ideation and neglect. Anxiety fully mediated the relationship between suicidal ideation and both physical abuse and emotional abuse. Interventions to reduce suicidal ideation among survivors of childhood trauma should focus on anxiety symptoms and attempt to increase their social support.