L’évolution des enfants difficiles

Dans cet article, les auteurs relatent une recherche faite, dans le cadre du projet Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, sur l'ajustement des enfants socialement atypiques durant l'adolescence. Plus précisément, ils tentent de répondre à la question suivante: Quels comportements de l'enfant et quelles tangentes de son développement mènent à des problèmes psychologiques majeurs à l'adolescence et à l'âge adulte? Après une analyse complexe de divers facteurs, leurs résultats indiquent que les enfants perçus comme agressifs, repliés sur eux-mêmes ou souvent agressifs et repliés sur eux-mêmes par leur camarades, sont susceptibles d'avoir des problèmes à l'adolescence. Ils explicitent ensuite selon ces trois groupes les difficultés de chacun.In this article, the authors discuss a study carried out during a Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project that deals with the adjustment of socially atypical children in their adolescent years. More precisely, they try to answer the following question : What child behaviors and which tangents of their development lead to major psychological problems as an adolescent and as an adult? After a complex analysis of various factors, their results indicate that children perceived as aggressive, keeping to themselves or often aggressive and keeping to themselves because of peer pressure, are liable to have problems in their adolescent years. The authors then elaborate on the difficulties experienced by each of these three groups

De l’agressivité à la maternité. Étude longitudinale sur 30 ans auprès de filles agressives devenues mères : trajectoires de leur agressivité durant l’enfance, indicateurs de leurs caractéristiques parentales et développement de leurs enfants

L’agressivité chez les filles tend à ne pas se manifester de la même façon que chez les garçons ; de plus, elle suit une trajectoire longitudinale particulière. Les filles agressives envers leurs pairs ne se caractérisent pas tant par leurs manifestations de délinquance et de criminalité ; elles s’orientent plutôt vers une trajectoire de troubles sociaux et de santé mentale qui, à terme, compromet leur avenir scolaire, social et professionnel, de même que leur état de santé physique. Les compétences parentales des filles agressives, de même que le fonctionnement de leur famille, peuvent aussi être affectées ; dans ce cas, c’est la socialisation, la santé et le développement de toute une nouvelle génération d’enfants qui sont menacés. La Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project (Enquête longitudinale sur les risques, Université Concordia) suit un échantillon intergénérationnel de 1 770 sujets vivant à Montréal, dont un sous-échantillon de plus de 200 filles dites très agressives, et le compare avec un échantillon de garçons agressifs et un groupe témoin composé d’enfants des deux sexes. Les participants sont suivis de l’enfance à l’âge adulte sur une période de 30 ans. Le présent article décrit les trajectoires à long terme des filles agressives et les conséquences de cette agressivité sur une large variété d’éléments psychosociaux et de santé comme la maternité et la transmission des risques à la prochaine génération. Plus particulièrement, nous souhaitons : (1) établir les trajectoires des filles qui mènent de l’agressivité dans l’enfance au développement négatif à l’âge adulte, (2) établir les indicateurs de santé et les facteurs physiologiques connexes qui comportent des risques pour les filles agressives et leurs enfants et (3) évaluer comment l’agressivité à l’enfance se répercute sur le rôle maternel et le développement de la prochaine génération. Enfin, les retombées de nos conclusions seront discutées.Childhood aggression in girls may take different forms and follow different longitudinal trajectories from those typical of aggressive boys. Even when overt delinquency and criminality are avoided, girls who are aggressive towards their peers may follow a life course involving continuing social and mental health problems. From a longterm perspective, academic, social, health, and occupational achievement are likely to be negatively affected. Family functioning and parenting abilities may also be compromised, placing the offspring of these girls, a subsequent generation, at risk for social, health, and developmental problems. The Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, which follows an intergenerational sample of 1770 inner-city Montrealers, includes a sub-sample of over 200 highly aggressive girls, with comparison groups of aggressive boys and normative children of both genders. Participants have been followed over a 30-year period, from childhood into adulthood. The present paper describes the long-term trajectories and sequelae of girlhood aggression in the context of a broad range of negative psychosocial and health outcomes, including parenting and the inter generational transfer of risk to offspring. More specifically, (1) trajectories by which childhood aggression places girls at risk for negative developmental outcomes are outlined, (2) health behaviours and physiological correlates that signify risk to aggressive girls and their offspring are delineated, and (3) pathways through which girlhood aggression influences parenting and offspring development are elucidated. Implications of these findings are discussed

Neighbourhood disadvantage and behavioural problems during childhood and the risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors and events from a prospective cohort

Both low socioeconomic status (SES) and behavioural problems in childhood are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood, but their combined effects on CVD are unknown. Study objectives were to investigate the effect of neighbourhood level SES and behavioural problems during childhood on the development of CVD risk factors and events during adulthood. Participants were from a longitudinal cohort (n=3792, baseline: 6–13years of age) of Montreal children, followed from 1976 to 2010. SES was a composite measure of neighbourhood income, employment, education, and single-parent households separately assessed from census micro data sets in 1976, 2001, and 2006. Behavioural problems were assessed based on sex-specific peer assessments. CVD events were from medical records. Sex-stratified multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, frequency of medical visits, and parental history of CVD. Males from disadvantaged neighbourhoods during childhood were 2.06 (95% CI: 1.09–3.90, p=0.03) and 2.51 (95% CI: 1.49–4.22, p=0.0005) times more likely to develop a CVD risk factor or an event, respectively, than males not from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Aggressive males were also 50% more likely to develop a CVD risk factor or event. Females from disadvantaged neighbourhoods during childhood were 1.85 (95% CI: 1.33–2.59, p=0.0003) times more likely to develop a CVD risk factor. Future studies should aim to disentangle the interpersonal from the socioeconomic effects on CVD incidence. Keywords: Neighbourhood disadvantage, Cardiovascular risk, Prospective cohort, Socioeconomic status, Longitudina

Neighbourhood disadvantage and behavioural problems during childhood and the risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors and events from a prospective cohort

Both low socioeconomic status (SES) and behavioural problems in childhood are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood, but their combined effects on CVD are unknown. Study objectives were to investigate the effect of neighbourhood level SES and behavioural problems during childhood on the development of CVD risk factors and events during adulthood. Participants were from a longitudinal cohort (n=3792, baseline: 6–13years of age) of Montreal children, followed from 1976 to 2010. SES was a composite measure of neighbourhood income, employment, education, and single-parent households separately assessed from census micro data sets in 1976, 2001, and 2006. Behavioural problems were assessed based on sex-specific peer assessments. CVD events were from medical records. Sex-stratified multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, frequency of medical visits, and parental history of CVD. Males from disadvantaged neighbourhoods during childhood were 2.06 (95% CI: 1.09–3.90, p=0.03) and 2.51 (95% CI: 1.49–4.22, p=0.0005) times more likely to develop a CVD risk factor or an event, respectively, than males not from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Aggressive males were also 50% more likely to develop a CVD risk factor or event. Females from disadvantaged neighbourhoods during childhood were 1.85 (95% CI: 1.33–2.59, p=0.0003) times more likely to develop a CVD risk factor. Future studies should aim to disentangle the interpersonal from the socioeconomic effects on CVD incidence. Keywords: Neighbourhood disadvantage, Cardiovascular risk, Prospective cohort, Socioeconomic status, Longitudina

The Influence of Parenting on Early Childhood Health and Health Care Utilization

ObjectiveThis study examined whether parenting, specifically parental support, structure, and behavioral control, predicted early childhood health care use and moderated the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage.MethodsA sample of 250 parent-child dyads from a longitudinal intergenerational research program participated.ResultsGreater parental support was associated with increased rates of nonemergency care and a higher ratio of outpatient to emergency room (ER) services, a pattern reflecting better health and service use. Support also moderated the negative effects of disadvantaged family background. Greater behavioral control by parents predicted lower rates of both nonemergency care and ER visits. Structured parenting and behavioral control were associated with lower rates of respiratory illness.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of considering parenting practices when examining variations in early childhood health and health care, and the relevance of parental behavior in designing interventions for high-risk populations

The longitudinal effects of maternal parenting practices on children’s body mass index z-scores are lagged and differential

Abstract Background The longitudinal relation between parenting practices and styles with children’s body mass index z-scores (zBMI) is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest the relationship may be complex, but small samples and short follow-ups diminish the strength of the evidence. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether the relationship is bidirectional, time-varying, and lagged using data from a large, representative birth cohort of Quebec children. Methods Data were from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD), a prospective birth cohort (n = 1,602). The mothers’ interactions with their children (at ages 6, 8, 10, and 12 years) were utilized in factor analysis to identify three latent parenting practices (disciplinarian, lenient, and responsive). The parenting practices were analyzed with K-means clustering to identify the parenting styles. The temporal and bidirectional relationships were assessed in a cross-lagged path analysis using a structural equation modelling framework. Mixed models controlling for age, sex, income, mother’s education, and whether the participant was first-born were estimated. Missing data were handled with full information maximum likelihood. Results From the linear mixed models, greater lenient and responsive parenting practices were associated with higher zBMI (B = 0.03, p < 0.05) two years later. However, there was no evidence that the relationship was bidirectional nor that parenting style was predictive of children’s zBMI. Conclusion While mothers’ parenting practices were unaffected by their children’s zBMI, parental practices were predictive of future zBMI among their prepubertal children. More in-depth exploration of parenting practices and their potential impact on pediatric weight is needed

Maternal and child health problems: The inter-generational consequences of early maternal aggression and withdrawal

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdrawal on adult health, and to examine the transfer of health-risk to offspring. Previous studies have linked aggression to poor health habits, whereas social withdrawal has been linked to increased symptom reporting. Little research has attempted to examine the effects of parents' childhood behaviour problems on health in the next generation. Seventy-four parents from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Montreal (roughly half of whom were identified in childhood as being highly aggressive and/or withdrawn) and their offspring aged 9-11-years old participated in this prospective, longitudinal study. Health histories of mothers and target children were taken during structured home interviews. Regression analyses tested the relationship between parents' behaviour problems in childhood and subsequent health outcomes in both generations. Mothers who were high on both aggression and withdrawal in childhood showed the earliest signs of health problems. Maternal childhood aggression predicted lower self-rated health and some current health problems, whereas maternal childhood withdrawal predicted more somatizing symptoms such as frequent headaches. Offspring of socially withdrawn mothers or fathers were more likely to be prescribed medication for respiratory problems and Ritalin, despite no matching maternal reports of higher incidence of behavior or respiratory problems. In summary, there were distinct health patterns for families of individuals who are highly aggressive and socially withdrawn in childhood, with implications for transfer of poor health habits to the next generation.Canada Maternal health Child health Health-related behaviours Smoking Generations