Behavioural outcomes and psychopathology during adolescence

Preterm birth is associated with a high risk of residual neurodevelopmental disability and cognitive impairment. These problems are closely associated with psychiatric disorders and thus it is unsurprising that preterm birth also confers high risk for poor long term mental health. The risk associated with preterm birth is not a general one, but appears to be specific to symptoms and disorders associated with anxiety, inattention and social and communication problems, and manifest in a significantly higher prevalence of emotional disorders, ADHD and Autism. Adolescence is a key period for mental health and studies have shown that problems evident in childhood persist over this time and are more stable amongst preterm individuals than term-born peers. There is also modest evidence for an increased prevalence of psychotic symptoms in preterm adolescents. The high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, present in around 25% of preterm adolescents, requires long term screening and intervention

Bullying among siblings

Background: Parents are often concerned about repeated conflicts between their daughters and sons. However, there is little empirical research of sibling bullying. Objective: To conduct a review of existing studies of sibling bullying. Are there any associations between sibling bullying and peer bullying at school? What are the consequences of sibling bullying? Is there good justification why sibling bullying has been so neglected in research? Method: Studies of sibling relationships were reviewed. Four quantitative studies were identified that report on both sibling and peer bullying. Results: Sibling bullying is frequent with up to 50% involved in sibling bullying every month and between 16% and 20% involved in bullying several times a week. Experience of sibling bullying increases the risk of involvement in bullying in school. Both, bullying between siblings and school bullying make unique contributions to explaining behavioral and emotional problems. There is a clear dose-effect relationship of involvement of bullying at home and at school and behavioral or emotional problems. Those involved in both have up to 14 times increased odds of behavioral or emotional problems compared to those involved in only one context or not at all. Conclusions: The empirical evidence is limited and studies are mostly cross-sectional studies. Nevertheless, the review suggests that for those victimized at home and at school behavioral and emotional problems are highly increased. Sibling relationships appear to be a training ground with implications for individual well-being. Strengthening families and parenting skills and increasing sibling support is likely to reduce bullying and increase well-being

Prospective study of family adversity and maladaptive parenting in childhood and borderline personality disorder symptoms in a non-clinical population at 11 years

Background Retrospective studies have consistently indicated an association between maladaptive parenting and borderline personality disorder (BPD). This requires corroboration with prospective, longitudinal designs. We investigated the association between suboptimal parenting and parent conflict in childhood and BPD symptoms in late childhood using a prospective sample. Method A community sample of 6050 mothers and their children (born between April 1991 and December 1992) were assessed. Mothers' family adversity was assessed during pregnancy and parenting behaviours such as hitting, shouting, hostility and parent conflict across childhood. Intelligence quotient (IQ) and DSM-IV Axis I diagnoses were assessed at 7–8 years. Trained psychologists interviewed children at 11 years (mean age 11.74 years) to ascertain BPD symptoms. Results After adjustment for confounders, family adversity in pregnancy predicted BPD probable 1 to 2 adversities: odds ratio (OR)=1.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.77]; >2 adversities: OR 1.99 (95% CI 1.34–2.94) and definite 1 to 2 adversities: OR 2.48 (95% CI 1.01–6.08) symptoms. Each point increase in the suboptimal parenting index predicted BPD probable: OR 1.13 (95% CI 1.05–1.23) and definite: OR 1.28 (95% CI 1.03–1.60) symptoms. Parent conflict predicted BPD probable: OR 1.19 (95% CI 1.06–1.34) and definite: OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.06–1.91) symptoms. Within the path analysis, the association between suboptimal parenting and BPD outcome was partially mediated by DSM-IV diagnoses and IQ at 7–8 years. Conclusions Children from adverse family backgrounds, who experience suboptimal parenting and more conflict between parents, have poor cognitive abilities and a DSM-IV diagnosis, are at increased risk of BPD symptoms at 11 years

Preterm birth : high vulnerability and no resiliency? Reflections on van Lieshout et al. (2018)

Globally, 15 million babies are born preterm (<37 weeks gestation) each year, representing 11% of all live births. In the UK, around 7% of children are born preterm each year and around 15% of all preterm born are born more than 8 weeks early (VPT; very preterm) or below 1,500 g birth weight (VLBW). Prematurity is the major cause of infant mortality despite largely increased survival in recent decades attributable to advances in antenatal and neonatal care. Very and extremely preterm born infants (EPT; <28 weeks gestation) often spend many weeks and months in neonatal care before discharge

Moments of class numbers, III

AbstractBy means of the large sieve it is proved that ∑n⩽ϰ hα(−n) = ϑ(α) ϰ(α+2)2 + O(ϰ(α+2)2 − (14+ϵ) holds for every α > 0 and ϵ > 0 (h(−n) is the number of classes of primitive quadratic forms with discriminant −n).Some applications of the large sieve to certain multiplicative functions are announced

Peer victimization in childhood and internalizing problems in adolescence : a prospective longitudinal study

Traumatic childhood experiences have been found to predict later internalizing problems. This prospective longitudinal study investigated whether repeated and intentional harm doing by peers (peer victimization) in childhood predicts internalizing symptoms in early adolescence. 3,692 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), as well as their mothers and teachers, reported on bullying in childhood (7–10 years) and internalizing problems in early adolescence (11–14 years). Controlling for prior psychopathology, family adversity, gender and IQ, being a victim of bullying was associated with higher overall scores, as well as increased odds of scoring in the severe range (>90th percentile) for emotional and depression symptoms. Victims were also more likely to show persistent depression symptoms over a 2-year period. These associations were found independent of whether mothers, teachers or the children reported on bullying. It is concluded that peer victimization in childhood is a precursor of both short-lived and persistent internalizing symptoms, underlining the importance of environmental factors such as peer relationships in the etiology of internalizing problems

Early motor trajectories predict motor but not cognitive function in preterm- and term-born adults without pre-existing neurological conditions

Very preterm (VP; 0.05). Motor problems in childhood were homotypically associated with poorer motor competence in adulthood. Similarly, early cognitive problems were homotypically associated with adult cognitive outcomes. Thus, both motor and cognitive function should be assessed in routine follow-up during childhood