1 research outputs found
Childhood neurodevelopmental problems and adolescent bully victimization : population-based, prospective twin study in Sweden
Bully victimization is a common problem among children with neurodevelopmental
disorders, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum
disorder. Previous research was mostly cross-sectional and seldom accounted for
co-morbid psychopathology, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about
causality and specificity of any association. Using a genetically informative
prospective design, we investigated the association between various
neurodevelopmental problems (NDPs) in childhood and bully victimization in
adolescence, and the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors
to this association. We obtained parent-reports of NDPs at age 9/12 years and
self-reported bully victimization at age 15 for 3,921 children participating in
the The Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (CATSS). Structural equation
modelling was used to control for NDP co-morbidity and bully victimization at
baseline. Cholesky decomposition was used to analyse genetic and environmental
contributions to observed associations. Because most of the NDPs were associated
to later bully victimization, a common effect of all NDPs was summarized into a
general NDP factor. Controlling for this general factor, only problems with
social interaction and motor control uniquely predicted subsequent bully
victimization in girls. General and unique associations were influenced by both
genetic and unique environmental factors. NDPs in general and social interaction
and motor problems in particular predicted later bully victimization. The
longitudinal design and twin analyses indicated that these associations might be
causal. Knowledge of these vulnerabilities may be important when designing risk
assessment and prevention strategies.The Swedish Council for Working Life and Social ResearchThe Research Council of the Swedish National Alcohol MonopolyThe Söderström-Königska FoundationFunds under the ALF agreementThe Swedish Research CouncilAccepte