scholarly journals Sibling bullying in middle childhood and psychotic disorder at 18 years: a prospective cohort study

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (14) ◽  
pp. 2321-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slava Dantchev ◽  
Stanley Zammit ◽  
Dieter Wolke

AbstractBackgroundBeing bullied by a sibling has been recently identified as a potential risk factor for developing depression and self-harm. It is unknown whether this risk extends to other serious mental health problems such as psychosis. We investigated whether sibling bullying victimization or perpetration in middle childhood was prospectively associated with psychotic disorder in early adulthood.MethodsThe current study investigated 6988 participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK community-based birth cohort. Sibling bullying was reported at 12 years and psychotic disorder was assessed via a semi-structured interview at 18 years.ResultsInvolvement in sibling bullying was associated with psychotic disorder in a dose-response fashion, even after controlling for a range of confounders. Those involved several times a week were 2–3 times more likely to meet criteria for a psychotic disorder [odds ratio (OR); 95% confidence interval (CI)]: victimization (OR 2.74; CI 1.28–5.87); perpetration (OR 3.16; CI 1.35–7.41). Categorical analysis indicated that particularly victims (OR 3.10; CI 1.48–6.50) and bully-victims (OR 2.66; CI 1.24–5.69) were at increased risk of psychotic disorder. Involvement in both sibling and peer bullying had a dose-effect relationship with a psychotic disorder, with those victimized in both contexts having more than four times the odds for a psychotic disorder (OR 4.57; CI 1.73–12.07).ConclusionParents and health professionals should be aware of the adverse long-term effects of sibling bullying.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Maria C. Magnus ◽  
Diana D. S. Ferreira ◽  
Maria Carolina Borges ◽  
Kate Tilling ◽  
Deborah A. Lawlor ◽  
...  

Background: Several studies have found that women who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of miscarriage. There is also some evidence of associations of other aspects of cardiometabolic health, including blood pressure and lipids, with miscarriage risk, although these have not been examined to the same extent as body-mass index (BMI). Methods: Our objective was to investigate the risk of miscarriage according to pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health. We examined pre-pregnancy levels of BMI, blood pressure, fasting insulin and metabolites profile at age 18 and risk of miscarriage by age 24. The study included adult female offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children with a pregnancy between 18 and 24 years of age (n=434 for BMI and blood pressure; n=265 for metabolites). We used log-binomial regression to calculate adjusted associations between cardiometabolic health measures and miscarriage. Results: The overall risk of miscarriage was 22%.  The adjusted relative risks for miscarriage were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92-1.00) for BMI (per unit increase), 0.98 (0.96-1.00) for systolic blood pressure, and 1.00 (0.97-1.04) for diastolic blood pressure (per 1 mmHg increase).  Total cholesterol, total lipids and phospholipids in HDL-cholesterol were associated with increased likelihood of miscarriage, but none of the p-values for the metabolites were below the corrected threshold for multiple testing (p-value ≤0.003). Conclusions: Our findings indicate no strong evidence to support a relationship between pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health and risk of miscarriage in young, healthy women who became pregnant before age 24. Future studies are necessary that are able to evaluate this question in samples with a wider age range.


Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132094751
Author(s):  
Geovanna Rodriguez ◽  
Kim Drastal ◽  
Sigan L Hartley

Youth with autism spectrum conditions have been shown to be at an increased risk for bullying victimization. The overall aim of this study was to identify factors associated with increased risk for bullying victimization in youth with autism during middle childhood to early adolescence (aged 5–12 years) and to explore the potential time-ordered associations between bullying victimization and mental health problems 12 months later. The average age of the youth with autism was 7.90 years ( SD = 2.33), 86% were male, 34.6% had an intellectual disability, and 84% were White, non-Hispanic. Youth with autism who experienced bullying victimization (vs no victimization) were older in age, had more severe autism symptoms, and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems at study onset. Using two cross-lagged structural equation models, the associations between maternal report of youth bullying victimization and teacher report of youth mental health problems using two waves of data were tested. Internalizing and externalizing mental health problems at Time 1 did not relate to change in likelihood of being bullied 1 year later. In contrast, bullying victimization at Time 1 was associated with an increase in internalizing mental health problems ( β = 0.24, p < 0.05). Lay Abstract Youth with autism spectrum disorders are disproportionately at risk for bullying victimization compared to typically developing children and adolescents. While internalizing and externalizing mental health problems have been linked to victimization experiences, few studies have examined the longitudinal effects bullying victimization experiences may have on youth mental health outcomes. The present study investigated longitudinal associations between bullying victimization and mental health problems in a sample of children with autism in middle childhood to early adolescence (aged 5 to 12 years). Findings from our study suggest that youth with autism who experienced bullying victimization (versus no victimization) were older in age, had more severe autism symptoms, and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems at study onset. Though externalizing mental health problems at study onset (Time 1) did not relate to change in the likelihood of being bullied one year later (Time 2), experiences of bullying victimization did relate to an increase in parent reports of internalizing mental health problems. This study expanded on previous cross-sectional studies by including two waves of data in a relatively large sample of youth with autism and highlights important information that may be helpful in adapting approaches to intervention at the individual level. Moreover, our findings support the need for bullying programs that may need to focus particular attention to subgroups of youth with autism who may be most at-risk for bullying victimization such as those with more autism symptoms and those with past experiences of victimization (given the chronic nature of bullying).


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Maria C. Magnus ◽  
Diana D. S. Ferreira ◽  
Maria Carolina Borges ◽  
Kate Tilling ◽  
Deborah A. Lawlor ◽  
...  

Background: Several studies have found that women who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of miscarriage. There is also some evidence of associations of other aspects of cardiometabolic health, including blood pressure and lipids, with miscarriage risk, although these have not been examined to the same extent as body-mass index (BMI). Methods: Our objective was to investigate the risk of miscarriage according to pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health. We examined pre-pregnancy levels of BMI, blood pressure, fasting insulin and metabolites profile at age 18 and risk of miscarriage by age 24. The study included adult female offspring in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children with a pregnancy between 18 and 24 years of age (n=434 for BMI and blood pressure; n=265 for metabolites). We used log-binomial regression to calculate adjusted associations between cardiometabolic health measures and miscarriage. Results: The overall risk of miscarriage was 22%.  The adjusted relative risks for miscarriage were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92-1.00) for BMI (per unit increase), 0.98 (0.96-1.00) for systolic blood pressure, and 1.00 (0.97-1.04) for diastolic blood pressure (per 1 mmHg increase).  Total cholesterol, total lipids and phospholipids in HDL-cholesterol were associated with increased likelihood of miscarriage, but none of the p-values for the metabolites were below the corrected threshold for multiple testing (p-value ≤0.003). Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy cardiometabolic health in late adolescence was not associated with miscarriage risk in young, healthy women who became pregnant before age 24.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Westrupp ◽  
Gery Karantzas ◽  
Jacqui A Macdonald ◽  
Lisa Olive ◽  
George Joseph Youssef ◽  
...  

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant risks to the mental health and wellbeing of Australian families. Employment and economic uncertainty, chronic stress, anxiety, and social isolation are likely to have negative impacts on parent mental health, couple and family relationships, as well as child health and development. Objective: This study aims to: (1) provide timely information on the mental health impacts of the emerging COVID-19 crisis in a close to representative sample of Australian parents and children (0-18 years); (2) identify adults and families most at risk of poor mental health outcomes; and, (3) identify factors to target through clinical and public health intervention to reduce risk. Specifically, this study will investigate the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased risk for parents’ mental health, lower wellbeing, loneliness, and alcohol use; parent-parent and parent-child relationships (both verbal and physical); and child and adolescent mental health problems. Methods: The study aims to recruit a close to representative sample of at least 2,000 adults aged 18 years and over living in Australia who are parents of a child 0-4 years (early childhood, N=400); 5-12 years (primary school N=800); and 13-18 years (secondary school, N=800). The design will be a longitudinal cohort study using an online recruitment methodology. Participants will be invited to complete an online baseline self-report survey (20 minutes) followed by a series of shorter online surveys (10 minutes) scheduled every two weeks for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., estimated to be 14 surveys over 6 months). Results: The study will employ post stratification weights to address differences between the final sample and the national population in geographic communities across Australia. Associations will be analyzed using multilevel modeling with time-variant and time-invariant predictors of change in trajectory over the testing period. Conclusions: This study will provide timely information on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on parents and children in Australia; identify communities, parents, families, and children most at risk of poor outcomes; and, identify potential factors to address in clinical and public health interventions to reduce risk.


2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 707-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Bladh ◽  
John Carstensen ◽  
Ann Josefsson ◽  
Orvar Finnström ◽  
Gunilla Sydsjö

Children born with non-optimal birth characteristics — that is, are small for gestational age and/or preterm — have an increased risk for several long-term effects such as neurological sequelae and chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to examine whether twins exhibited a different outcome, compared with singletons, in terms of hospitalization during adolescence and early adulthood, and to what extent differences remain when considering the divergence in birth characteristics between singletons and twins. Persons born between 1973 and 1983 in Sweden and surviving until age 13 were included and followed until the end of 2006. Data on birth characteristics, parental socio-demographic factors, and hospitalizations were collected from national registers. Adjusting for parental socio-demographic factors, twins had a higher risk of being hospitalized than singletons (odds ratio, OR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.10–1.25) and more often due to ‘Congenital anomalies’ (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.06–1.28), ‘Infections’ (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.08–1.20), ‘External causes of illness’ (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.06–1.15), and ‘Diseases of the nervous system’ (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.10–1.26). Stratifying for birth characteristics, this difference diminishes, and for some diagnoses non-optimal twins seem to do slightly better than non-optimal singletons. Thus, twins with non-optimal birth characteristics had a lower risk of hospitalization than non-optimal singletons on, for example, ‘Congenital anomalies’ and ‘Diseases of the nervous system’ (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.77–0.96; OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.81–0.97, respectively) and Total (any) hospitalization (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.83–0.92). Among those with optimal birth characteristics, twins had an increased hospitalization due to ‘External causes of illness’ (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02–1.13) compared with optimal singletons. Twins have higher hospitalization rates than singletons. In stratifying for birth characteristics, this difference diminishes, and for some diagnoses, non-optimal twins seem to do less poorly than non-optimal singletons.


2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 447-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Karim ◽  
Victoria Tischler ◽  
Peter Gregory ◽  
Panos Vostanis

Background: Homeless families are an increasing but marginalised part of society. They have diverse and complex needs that have often not been addressed by the available services. There is some evidence that psychosocial factors continue to be detrimental to the mental health of these families even after rehousing. Method: Thirty-five homeless families were assessed on their mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory Scale, Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents), parenting problems (Parenting Daily Hassles Scale), and service satisfaction (semi-structured interview) following admission to two homeless hostels, and four months later, when most families (69%) had been rehoused in the community. Results: Children and their mothers continued to experience high rates of mental health problems whilst resident in the hostels and after rehousing. However, a proportion of parents expressed a subjective improvement, which was often associated with their housing and social circumstances. A diverse range of further needs was described. Conclusions: There is a need to address the complex problems experienced by these families, with housing only forming one aspect of this provision. Interagency strategy, commissioning and services are required to meet the needs of this vulnerable group of parents and children.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Goodwin ◽  
A. Sourander ◽  
C. S. Duarte ◽  
S. Niemelä ◽  
P. Multimäki ◽  
...  

BackgroundPrevious studies have documented associations between mental and physical health problems in cross-sectional studies, yet little is known about these relationships over time or the specificity of these associations. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between mental health problems in childhood at age 8 years and physical disorders in adulthood at ages 18–23 years.MethodMultiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between childhood mental health problems, reported by child, parent and teacher, and physical disorders diagnosed by a physician in early adulthood.ResultsSignificant linkages emerged between childhood mental health problems and obesity, atopic eczema, epilepsy and asthma in early adulthood. Specifically, conduct problems in childhood were associated with a significantly increased likelihood of obesity and atopic eczema; emotional problems were associated with an increased likelihood of epilepsy and asthma; and depression symptoms at age 8 were associated with an increased risk of asthma in early adulthood.ConclusionsOur findings provide the first evidence of an association between mental health problems during childhood and increased risk of specific physical health problems, mainly asthma and obesity, during early adulthood, in a representative sample of males over time. These data suggest that behavioral and emotional problems in childhood may signal vulnerability to chronic physical health problems during early adulthood.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Post ◽  
W. Veling ◽  

Abstract Background Lesbian, bisexual, or gay individuals (LBGs) have an increased risk for mental health problems compared to heterosexuals, but this association has sparsely been investigated for psychotic disorders. The aim of this study was: (1) to examine whether LBG sexual orientation is more prevalent in individuals with a non-affective psychotic disorder (NAPD) than in people without a psychotic disorder; and if so, (2) to explore possible mediating pathways. Methods Sexual orientation was assessed in the 6-year follow-up assessment of the Dutch Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis study (GROUP), a case–control study with 1547 participants (582 patients with psychotic disorder, 604 siblings, and 361 controls). Binary logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the risk of patients with a psychotic disorder being LBG, compared to siblings and controls. Perceived discrimination, history of bullying, childhood trauma (CT), and sexual identity disclosure were investigated as potential mediating variables. Results The proportion of individuals with LBG orientation was 6.8% in patients (n = 40), 4.3% in siblings (n = 26), and 2.5% in controls (n = 10). The age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio of LBG for patients was 1.57 (95% CI 1.08–2.27; p = 0.019), compared to siblings and controls. Discrimination, bullying, and CT all partially mediated this association. Conclusions Adverse social experiences related to sexual minority status may increase the risk for NAPD. Sexual identity, behavior, and difficulties need more attention in everyday clinical practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Hardman ◽  
Mahvish Q. Rahim ◽  
Meagan E. Miller ◽  
Scott L. Coven ◽  
Seethal A. Jacob ◽  
...  

Background: Adolescent/young adult (AYA) patients with hematologic and oncologic conditions are at increased risk for complications of COVID-19 and thus are important targets for vaccine outreach. AYA patients are transitioning from relying upon parental vaccine decision-making to independently making their own decisions. AYA with sickle cell disease (SCD) are of particular concern because a high proportion are African American and experience structural racism in addition to their illness. Further, AYA patients with chronic conditions may consider their past and present illness in their decision-making process. Methods: As part of a larger IRB-approved study, we recruited vaccine decision-makers for AYA patients aged 9-21 years attending SCD and oncology survivor clinics, including AYA patients 18-21 years old and parents of AYA patients 9-21 years old. After informed consent, participants completed a short demographic survey and a semi-structured interview regarding their vaccine decision-making process. Questions about the COVID-19 vaccine were incorporated given the ongoing pandemic. Results: Forty-nine parents and 21 AYA patients were recruited. The primary barriers reported regarding vaccination were concerns about its short-term side effects (57% AYAs; 37% parents) and potential to have unknown, long-term effects (10% AYAs; 14% parents). There were also concerns voiced about how rapidly the vaccine was developed (14% AYAs; 27% parents) and misconceptions about the vaccine (19% AYAs; 10% parents). Parents and AYA patients described the benefits of vaccination as lowering personal risk (62% AYAs; 35% parents) and several also mentioned the community benefits of preventing the spread of COVID-19 (19% AYAs; 8% parents) and a possible return to “normal” (14% AYAs; 10% parents). Potential Impact: The data from this study will further the understanding of how parents and young adults with chronic hematologic and oncologic conditions make decisions about COVID-19 vaccination, a vital tool for protecting medically and socially vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S26-S26
Author(s):  
Frauke Schultze-Lutter ◽  
Chantal Michel ◽  
Benno G Schimmelmann ◽  
Maurizia Franscini ◽  
Nina Traber-Walker ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Compared to adults, children and adolescents of the community more frequently report clinical high risk of psychosis (CHR) criteria. Yet, little is known about the prevalence of CHR criteria in clinical children and adolescents’ samples. Thus, we studied the prevalence of CHR criteria and symptoms in 8- to 17-year-old inpatients with disorders that have been associated with greater odds to develop psychosis in adulthood, i.e., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, social and specific phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders and Asperger’s disorder. Methods As part of the multicenter naturalistic Bi-national Evaluation of At-Risk Symptoms in children and adolescents (BEARS-Kid) study, 8- to 17-year-olds of the community (N=235) and 8- to 17-year-old inpatients with any one of the above main diagnoses who were not suspected to be at increased risk of psychosis (N=306) were examined for CHR symptoms and criteria with the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument, Child & Youth version and with the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes. Results At 6.4%, the prevalence rate of CHR criteria in the community sample did not significantly differ from the 8.2%-rate in the inpatient sample. CHR criteria and symptoms were generally associated with age but not with group membership. Discussion This indicates that, irrespective of their mental health status, children and adolescents present more frequently with CHR criteria compared to young adults of the community for whom a 2.4%-rate of CHR criteria had earlier been reported. Furthermore, these findings contradict assumptions that CHR criteria might be diagnostically puripotential or merely severity markers of mental illness. Yet, more research into these symptoms and their cause and meaning in children and adolescents is needed to understand their significance in this age group and to detect factors that convey their clinical relevance in adulthood.


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