The Effect of Posture on Classroom Participation

Past research suggested that students with low self-esteem participate less in class than students with high self-esteem. Separately, prior research investigated the effects of nonverbal behavior on different variables such as confidence and performance. In the current research, we explored the effect of posture on the level of class participation (i.e. the number of times participants raised their hand to participate during a question-answer session). First, participants were asked to take a self-esteem questionnaire before participating in a simulated lecture. Next, participants were randomly assigned to either a slumped or upright posture condition. During the lecture, participants watched a short video followed by a question-answer session. Lastly, participants filled out a second self-esteem questionnaire and then took a quiz. We hypothesized that participants in the upright condition would show a greater increase in self-esteem, be more likely to answer first, and participate more than those in the slumped condition. The results showed no difference in participation levels between the two conditions; however, participants in the upright condition showed a higher increase in self-esteem and were more likely to answer first compared to participants in the slumped condition. Therefore, the research provides insight into posture’s effect on the classroom experience and, more specifically, participation and self-esteem

Association between the timing of childhood adversity and epigenetic patterns across childhood and adolescence:Findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective cohort

BackgroundChildhood adversity is a potent determinant of health across development and is associated with altered DNA methylation signatures, which might be more common in children exposed during sensitive periods in development. However, it remains unclear whether adversity has persistent epigenetic associations across childhood and adolescence. We aimed to examine the relationship between time-varying adversity (defined through sensitive period, accumulation of risk, and recency life course hypotheses) and genome-wide DNA methylation, measured three times from birth to adolescence, using data from a prospective, longitudinal cohort study.MethodsWe first investigated the relationship between the timing of exposure to childhood adversity between birth and 11 years and blood DNA methylation at age 15 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective cohort study. Our analytic sample included ALSPAC participants with DNA methylation data and complete childhood adversity data between birth and 11 years. We analysed seven types of adversity (caregiver physical or emotional abuse, sexual or physical abuse [by anyone], maternal psychopathology, one-adult households, family instability, financial hardship, and neighbourhood disadvantage) reported by mothers five to eight times between birth and 11 years. We used the structured life course modelling approach (SLCMA) to identify time-varying associations between childhood adversity and adolescent DNA methylation. Top loci were identified using an R2 threshold of 0·035 (ie, ≥3·5% of DNA methylation variance explained by adversity). We attempted to replicate these associations using data from the Raine Study and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). We also assessed the persistence of adversity-DNA methylation associations we previously identified from age 7 blood DNA methylation into adolescence and the influence of adversity on DNA methylation trajectories from ages 0-15 years.FindingsOf 13 988 children in the ALSPAC cohort, 609-665 children (311-337 [50-51%] boys and 298-332 [49-50%] girls) had complete data available for at least one of the seven childhood adversities and DNA methylation at 15 years. Exposure to adversity was associated with differences in DNA methylation at 15 years for 41 loci (R2 ≥0·035). Sensitive periods were the most often selected life course hypothesis by the SLCMA. 20 (49%) of 41 loci were associated with adversities occurring between age 3 and 5 years. Exposure to one-adult households was associated with differences in DNA methylation at 20 [49%] of 41 loci, exposure to financial hardship was associated with changes at nine (22%) loci, and physical or sexual abuse was associated with changes at four (10%) loci. We replicated the direction of associations for 18 (90%) of 20 loci associated with exposure to one-adult household using adolescent blood DNA methylation from the Raine Study and 18 (64%) of 28 loci using saliva DNA methylation from the FFCWS. The directions of effects for 11 one-adult household loci were replicated in both cohorts. Differences in DNA methylation at 15 years were not present at 7 years and differences identified at 7 years were no longer apparent by 15 years. We also identified six distinct DNA methylation trajectories from these patterns of stability and persistence.InterpretationThese findings highlight the time-varying effect of childhood adversity on DNA methylation profiles across development, which might link exposure to adversity to potential adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents. If replicated, these epigenetic signatures could ultimately serve as biological indicators or early warning signs of initiated disease processes, helping identify people at greater risk for the adverse health consequences of childhood adversity

Association between the timing of childhood adversity and epigenetic patterns across childhood and adolescence:findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective cohort

BACKGROUND: Childhood adversity is a potent determinant of health across development and is associated with altered DNA methylation signatures, which might be more common in children exposed during sensitive periods in development. However, it remains unclear whether adversity has persistent epigenetic associations across childhood and adolescence. We aimed to examine the relationship between time-varying adversity (defined through sensitive period, accumulation of risk, and recency life course hypotheses) and genome-wide DNA methylation, measured three times from birth to adolescence, using data from a prospective, longitudinal cohort study.METHODS: We first investigated the relationship between the timing of exposure to childhood adversity between birth and 11 years and blood DNA methylation at age 15 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective cohort study. Our analytic sample included ALSPAC participants with DNA methylation data and complete childhood adversity data between birth and 11 years. We analysed seven types of adversity (caregiver physical or emotional abuse, sexual or physical abuse [by anyone], maternal psychopathology, one-adult households, family instability, financial hardship, and neighbourhood disadvantage) reported by mothers five to eight times between birth and 11 years. We used the structured life course modelling approach (SLCMA) to identify time-varying associations between childhood adversity and adolescent DNA methylation. Top loci were identified using an R 2 threshold of 0·035 (ie, ≥3·5% of DNA methylation variance explained by adversity). We attempted to replicate these associations using data from the Raine Study and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). We also assessed the persistence of adversity-DNA methylation associations we previously identified from age 7 blood DNA methylation into adolescence and the influence of adversity on DNA methylation trajectories from ages 0-15 years. FINDINGS: Of 13 988 children in the ALSPAC cohort, 609-665 children (311-337 [50-51%] boys and 298-332 [49-50%] girls) had complete data available for at least one of the seven childhood adversities and DNA methylation at 15 years. Exposure to adversity was associated with differences in DNA methylation at 15 years for 41 loci (R 2 ≥0·035). Sensitive periods were the most often selected life course hypothesis by the SLCMA. 20 (49%) of 41 loci were associated with adversities occurring between age 3 and 5 years. Exposure to one-adult households was associated with differences in DNA methylation at 20 [49%] of 41 loci, exposure to financial hardship was associated with changes at nine (22%) loci, and physical or sexual abuse was associated with changes at four (10%) loci. We replicated the direction of associations for 18 (90%) of 20 loci associated with exposure to one-adult household using adolescent blood DNA methylation from the Raine Study and 18 (64%) of 28 loci using saliva DNA methylation from the FFCWS. The directions of effects for 11 one-adult household loci were replicated in both cohorts. Differences in DNA methylation at 15 years were not present at 7 years and differences identified at 7 years were no longer apparent by 15 years. We also identified six distinct DNA methylation trajectories from these patterns of stability and persistence. INTERPRETATION: These findings highlight the time-varying effect of childhood adversity on DNA methylation profiles across development, which might link exposure to adversity to potential adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents. If replicated, these epigenetic signatures could ultimately serve as biological indicators or early warning signs of initiated disease processes, helping identify people at greater risk for the adverse health consequences of childhood adversity.FUNDING: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Cohort and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources, EU's Horizon 2020, US National Institute of Mental Health.</p

Testing the Incremental Validity of Subjective Socioeconomic Status in Predicting Mental Health Outcomes Among Black Adolescents Living in Poverty

Growing up in economic disadvantage is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of mental health across the life course. Although the child development literature has largely focused on objective socioeconomic position (e.g., household income, parental education), some recent studies have explored how subjective social status (SSS), or perceived socioeconomic position, confers risk for youth psychopathology. Such studies have consistently found that youth with lower SSS are at increased risk for mental health problems compared to their higher SSS peers, regardless of the objective socioeconomic environment. Yet, it remains relatively unknown how SSS relates to objective socioeconomic measures and to mental health in marginalized groups and in objectively low socioeconomic settings. The current study aimed to address this gap by testing whether youth-reported SSS predicts mental health above and beyond objective socioeconomic indicators in a community-based sample of Black adolescents living in poverty. In contrast to prior findings, the current study found that lower SSS relative to society was modestly protective against externalizing problems, suggesting that the SSS-mental health relationship may be different, or more nuanced, for Black youth living in economically disadvantaged communities. However, the majority of mental health outcomes analyzed were not significantly associated with either objective or subjective socioeconomic measures. Instead, other cultural, rank-based dynamics may be contributing to mental health in this population. If interventions are to be developed targeting SSS to improve adolescent mental health and well-being, then cultural, contextual, and racial considerations should be considered

Declines in social–emotional skills in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe present study investigated whether social–emotional skills in first year college students differed before and after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdowns.MethodsParticipants (N = 1,685) consisted of first year college students (mean age 18.53 years) selected from a broader cohort enrolled in a longitudinal study on college mental health at liberal arts colleges in the United States. In a cohort-sequential design, participants completed an online survey assessing social–emotional skills in January of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. Using analysis of covariance, we examined mean differences in social–emotional skills between students who were first years before (January 2018–2020) and after the lockdowns (January 2022), controlling for sociodemographic variables.ResultsThe post-lockdown group scored significantly lower on emotional control and expressivity and marginally higher on social sensitivity compared to the pre-lockdown group. No group differences in social/emotional expressivity or social control were detected.DiscussionThese findings indicate that the COVID-19 lockdowns impaired some, but not all, social–emotional skills in first year college students. Addressing social–emotional skills in college may help to reduce the COVID-19 mental health burden

Socioeconomic changes predict genome-wide DNA methylation in childhood

Childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) is a major determinant of health and well-being across the entire life course. To effectively prevent and reduce health risks related to SEP, it is critical to better understand when and under what circumstances socioeconomic adversity shapes biological processes. DNA methylation (DNAm) is one such mechanism for how early life adversity 'gets under the skin'. In this study, we evaluated the dynamic relationship between SEP and DNAm across childhood using data from 946 mother-child pairs in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We assessed six SEP indicators spanning financial, occupational, and residential domains during very-early childhood (ages 0-2), early childhood (ages 3-5), and middle childhood (ages 6-7). Epigenome-wide DNAm were measured at 412956 CpGs from peripheral blood at age 7. Using an innovative two-stage structured life course modeling approach, we tested three life-course hypotheses for how SEP shapes DNAm profiles-accumulation, sensitive period, and mobility. We showed that changes in the socioeconomic environment were associated with the greatest differences in DNAm, and that middle childhood may be a potential sensitive period when socioeconomic instability is especially important in shaping DNAm. Top SEP-related DNAm CpGs were overrepresented in genes involved in pathways important for neural development, immune function, and metabolic processes. Our findings highlight the importance of socioeconomic stability during childhood and if replicated, may emphasize the need for public programs to help children and families experiencing socioeconomic instability and other forms of socioeconomic adversity. [Abstract copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected].

The timing of childhood adversity associates with epigenetic patterns across childhood and adolescence: Results from a prospective, longitudinal study

Background: Childhood adversity is a potent determinant of health across development. Altered DNA methylation (DNAm) signatures have been identified in children exposed to adversity and may be more common among children exposed during sensitive periods in development. However, it remains unclear if adversity has persistent epigenetic associations across childhood and adolescence. We examined the relationship between time-varying adversity and genome-wide DNAm, measured three times from birth to adolescence using prospective data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Methods: We investigated the relationship between the timing of exposure to seven adversity types (measured 5-8 times between ages 0-11) and blood DNAm at age 15 using a structured life course modeling approach. We also assessed the persistence of adversity-DNAm associations we previously identified from age 7 blood DNAm into adolescence and the influence of adversity on DNAm trajectories from ages 0-15. We attempted to replicate our age 15 associations using data from the Raine Study and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). Findings: Adversity associated with differences in age 15 DNAm at 41 loci (R2≥0.035). Most loci (20/41; 49%) were associated with adversities occurring between ages 3-5. Most associations were identified for exposures to one-adult households (20/41; 49%), financial hardship (9/41; 22%), or physical/sexual abuse (4/41; 10%). Differences in age 15 DNAm were not present in age 7 DNAm; DNAm differences previously identified at age 7 resolved by age 15. We identified six distinct DNAm trajectories from these patterns of stability and persistence. We replicated the direction of associations for 90% (18/20 loci) of one-adult household loci using adolescent blood DNAm from the Raine Study and 64% of loci (18/28 loci) using saliva DNAm from the FFCWS. The direction of effects for 11 one-adult household loci were replicated in both cohorts. Interpretation: These findings highlight the time-varying impact of childhood adversity on DNAm profiles across development, providing a potential biological mechanism linking adversity to adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents