Margaux Sageot,Robin Achterhof,Anu P Hiekkaranta,Aleksandra Lecei,Kristof Vansteeland,Inez Myin-Germeys,Ruud van Winkel
{"title":"Unraveling psychosis risk in sexual minorities: temporal dynamics of social defeat and suspiciousness in adolescence.","authors":"Margaux Sageot,Robin Achterhof,Anu P Hiekkaranta,Aleksandra Lecei,Kristof Vansteeland,Inez Myin-Germeys,Ruud van Winkel","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70042","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUNDPrevious research suggests that sexual minorities are at higher risk for psychotic experiences, possibly due to repeated social defeat experiences. However, empirical research investigating this hypothesis is largely lacking. This study examined how experiences of \"feeling excluded\" and \"not belonging\" impact the prospective development of psychotic experiences in an adolescent sexual minority group, defined here as non-heterosexual attraction to others.METHODSExperience sampling method (ESM) data from 1913 Flemish adolescents (aged 11-20) in the SIGMA study were analyzed. They reported their momentary feelings of exclusion when alone, belonging when in the company of others (both operationalizations of social defeat), and suspiciousness. Multilevel linear regression models tested the bidirectional, within- and between-person associations between social defeat and suspiciousness, and the effects of sexual minority status.RESULTSLower feelings of belonging when in company significantly predicted higher suspiciousness at the next beep [95% CI: -0.03, -0.01], whereas increased feelings of exclusion when alone did not. Moreover, suspiciousness did not significantly predict feelings of exclusion and belonging at the next beep, confirming the direction of effect. Sexual minority participants reported generally lower belonging in social settings [95% CI: -0.68, -0.29] and higher suspiciousness [95% CI: 0.16, 0.57], but not higher feelings of exclusion. The interaction between social defeat and sexual minority status was not significant, indicating no differential sensitivity to social defeat experiences.CONCLUSIONSThe experience of \"not fitting in\" when in company may be the most poignant social factor increasing risk for psychotic experiences in sexual minority youth. The findings highlight the need for inclusive environments where sexual minority individuals feel supported and integrated.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas Page,Lianna Angel,Sophie Borgia,Colleen Reynolds,Dougie Zubizarreta,Honor Young,Max R Ashton,James White
{"title":"Emotional and behavioural difficulties in gender minority compared to cisgender adolescents: identity specific findings from a contemporary national study.","authors":"Nicholas Page,Lianna Angel,Sophie Borgia,Colleen Reynolds,Dougie Zubizarreta,Honor Young,Max R Ashton,James White","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70050","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUNDGender minority adolescents are more likely to report emotional and behavioural difficulties compared to their cisgender peers. However, little is known about these experiences for adolescents with specific gender minority identities.METHODSCross-sectional data were obtained from the 2021/22 Student Health and Well-being survey, a national survey of 11-16-year-olds in Wales, UK. Emotional and behavioural difficulties were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Gender identity and assigned sex at birth were self-reported. Multivariable linear regressions with robust standard errors were used to examine associations between gender identity and emotional and behavioural difficulties, adjusting for age, ethnicity, household-level affluence and correction for multiple testing.RESULTSOf the 122,766 participants, 2.0% (2,455) identified as a person with a gender minority identity. Twenty-eight gender minority identities were self-reported, with the most prevalent being transgender boy and nonbinary assigned female at birth (both 0.6%). Young people assigned female at birth comprised 80% of gender minority adolescents. In the adjusted model, emotional and behavioural difficulties were reported most frequently by people who identified as non-binary (B = 7.66, 95% CI 7.25, 8.06) and another gender identity (B = 7.86, 95% CI 7.34, 8.38), then transgender (B = 5.05, 95% CI 4.58, 5.51), when compared to cisgender adolescents. Female sex assigned at birth was associated with more reported difficulties than male sex assigned at birth for adolescents with a transgender or cisgender identity, but not a nonbinary identity.CONCLUSIONSIn this population-based study, emotional and behavioural difficulties were reported most frequently by adolescents who identified as nonbinary and another gender identity, then transgender, then cisgender. Health and educational practitioners need to be aware that emotional and behavioural difficulties differ across gender minority identities.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tony Charman,Tessel Bazelmans,Greg Pasco,Jannath Begum Ali,Mark H Johnson,Emily J H Jones,
{"title":"Mid-childhood developmental and behavioural outcomes in infants with a family history of autism and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.","authors":"Tony Charman,Tessel Bazelmans,Greg Pasco,Jannath Begum Ali,Mark H Johnson,Emily J H Jones, ","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70048","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUNDProspective studies of autism family history infants primarily report recurrence and predictors of autism at 3 years. Less is known about ADHD family history infants and later childhood outcomes. We characterise profiles of mid-childhood developmental and behavioural outcomes in infants with a family history of autism and/or ADHD to identify potential support needs and patterns of co-occurrence across domains.METHODSTwo hundred and sixty-three infants (51% male; N = 198 autism/ADHD family history; N = 65 no family history) were assessed at 6-12 years. A latent profile analysis (LPA) with indicator variables measuring developmental abilities (IQ, adaptive function) and behavioural traits (autism, ADHD, anxiety) identified dimensional, data-derived outcome classes.RESULTSA seven-class solution was the most robust and clinically meaningful. Two classes (27% and 23%) had typical development; two classes had high autism, ADHD, and anxiety traits-one with low IQ and adaptive function (10%) and one with average IQ but low adaptive function (13%); one class had elevated autism and ADHD but not anxiety traits (10%); and the final two classes had elevated ADHD (9%) and anxiety (8%) traits in isolation. Sex distribution was balanced across all classes. Children with autism were found in all classes but predominantly in the classes with low IQ/adaptive functioning and high behavioural traits, as well as in the class with elevated autism and ADHD traits. We found only partial continuity between membership of similarly derived 3-year LPA classes and mid-childhood LPA classes.CONCLUSIONSMany autism/ADHD family history infants develop typically. However, by mid-childhood, in addition to those with autism, others show elevated neurodevelopmental (autism, ADHD) and neuropsychiatric (anxiety) behavioural traits. Lower developmental abilities (IQ and adaptive function) are primarily seen in children with an autism diagnosis. Family history infants should be monitored through childhood, and support provided should challenges emerge.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Supporting families in the first 1,000 days of life - a balancing act.","authors":"Maartje P C M Luijk,Tessa J Roseboom","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70041","url":null,"abstract":"From the moment of fertilization, human development takes a phenomenal pace. In no other period of life are more biological and developmental milestones met than in the first 1,000 days after conception. All organs and systems are formed, and children start to discover the world, learn whom to trust and where to find comfort in times of distress. Evidence from biological, psychological, social and economic research shows that the environment in the first 1,000 days significantly impacts a person's ability to reach their full potential. Children who grow up in unpredictable and unsafe environments often struggle with the consequences for the rest of their lives. Investments in this critical period of human development have proven to be the most cost-effective way to improve lifelong health and well-being. Therefore, this period has gained interest both in political debate and society at large. In this contribution, we demonstrate that while the focus on the first 1,000 days is scientifically sound and historically grounded, it is time to reflect on its societal impact. We focus on its unintended negative consequences for parental well-being. Evidence for the importance of the first 1,000 days should drive collective action rather than reinforce individual blame. Parenting is not just a private matter; governments have a duty to provide parents with the resources to give their children the best start in life.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145008829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jack K Nejand, Margherita Malanchini, Ivan Voronin, Thalia C Eley, Kaili Rimfeld
{"title":"How are children's perceptions of the home environment associated with a general psychopathology factor across childhood?","authors":"Jack K Nejand, Margherita Malanchini, Ivan Voronin, Thalia C Eley, Kaili Rimfeld","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Comorbidity and heterogeneity in psychiatric disorders may stem from a general psychopathology (p) factor influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Although the relative contributions of these influences on psychopathology are established, the longitudinal associations between the p-factor and specific environmental exposures and the aetiology of these associations across development are not well understood. Here, we examine whether twin-rated home environment contributes to changes in the p-factor over time or, conversely, whether the p-factor influences twin-rated home environment, reflecting potential evocative gene-environment processes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were obtained from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). Cross-lagged panel analyses were conducted separately to ascertain the direction of associations between parent-rated p, twin-rated p, and twin-rated home environment (chaos at home and parental discipline) at ages 9, 12, and 16 (N = 6,213). Biometric autoregressive cross-lagged twin models were used to assess the aetiology of these associations, and MZ differences analyses were used to control for familial effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both parent-rated and twin-rated p-factor and twin-rated home environment were stable over time, although the twin-rated p-factor (r = .44 [0.42, 0.46]-.40 [0.37, 0.41]) was more variable than the parent-rated p-factor (r = .72 [0.71, 0.74]-.63 [0.61, 0.64]). Twin-rated home environment was more variable than p-factor in all cross-lagged models (phenotypic and MZ differences). Small, significant bidirectional associations were found between the p-factor and twin-rated home environment, with stronger cross-lagged paths from the p-factor to the twin-rated home environment than vice versa. These longitudinal associations persisted over time, though attenuated for parent-rated p-factor. Genetic analyses revealed that bidirectional cross-lagged paths were largely explained by shared environmental factors, with a smaller proportion explained by genetic factors. This pattern of results was confirmed in MZ difference analyses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest a dynamic and bidirectional relationship between p-factor and twin-rated home environment across development, predominantly influenced by shared environmental factors. Changes in one can affect the other, highlighting the complexity of psychopathology's environmental influences. This underscores the need for further investigation into gene-environment interplay to inform prevention and intervention strategies for psychopathology.</p>","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145013610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Georgina M. Hosang, Miriam I. Martini, Angelica Ronald, Henrik Larsson, Sebastian Lundström, Paul Lichtenstein, Mark J. Taylor
{"title":"Subclinical hypomania, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diagnoses: phenotypic and aetiological overlap","authors":"Georgina M. Hosang, Miriam I. Martini, Angelica Ronald, Henrik Larsson, Sebastian Lundström, Paul Lichtenstein, Mark J. Taylor","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70045","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundSubclinical hypomanic symptoms are fairly common in the general population but are linked to psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. However, the genetic and environmental origins of these associations are unclear. This twin study examined the phenotypic and aetiological associations between subclinical hypomania and psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diagnoses.MethodsParticipants were 4,932 twin pairs from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. Hypomanic symptoms were assessed using the parent‐rated Mood Disorders Questionnaire when the twins were aged 18. Specialist diagnoses of 14 conditions and symptoms were ascertained from Swedish population registries. Phenotypic associations between hypomania and these conditions/symptoms were investigated, and their aetiological overlap was examined using the twin method.ResultsSubclinical hypomania was significantly associated with all 14 diagnoses. The highest odds were for psychotic disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.33–1.64, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < .001). The genetic correlations between subclinical hypomania and these diagnoses ranged from 0.12 (95% CI: 0.04–0.33) for eating disorders (other than anorexia) to 0.58 (95% CI: 0.28–1.00) for drug misuse disorders. The nonshared environmental correlations were highest for psychotic disorders (0.52, 95% CI: −0.02 to 0.92) and lowest for body dissatisfaction (0.04, 95% CI: −0.01 to 0.08). For bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, genetic, and nonshared environmental correlations with subclinical hypomania were of a similar magnitude.ConclusionsThe association between subclinical hypomania and the diagnosis of multiple psychiatric phenotypes highlights its important role in the developmental pathway to clinical disorders, its complex origins, and that it may represent a quantitative trait for various psychiatric phenotypes.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145002809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sex-specific pathways from early irritability trajectories to later suicidal ideations and behaviors: Findings from the ABCD study®.","authors":"Nellia Bellaert,Angelique Simeone,Lanting Zhang,Haoran Zhuo,Massimiliano Orri,Zeyan Liew,Wan-Ling Tseng","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70044","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have demonstrated that children with high irritability are at increased risk for suicidal ideations and behaviors. However, they have mostly relied on teacher reports and shown mixed findings regarding sex differences. We aimed to identify developmental trajectories of childhood irritability, test their direct and indirect (through psychopathology) associations with adolescent suicidal ideations and behaviors, and examine whether these associations differed by sex.METHODSThis study used five waves of data from the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) Study (N = 4,583). Parents rated their children's irritability yearly from ages 9-10 to ages 11-12, internalizing (e.g. depression) and externalizing (e.g. aggression) symptoms at ages 12-13, and suicidal ideations and behaviors (SIBs) at ages 13-14 using the child behavior checklist. Subgroups of irritability trajectories were derived using growth mixture modeling. Path analysis was conducted to test the total, direct, and indirect pathways from irritability trajectories to SIBs through internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and sex differences in those paths.RESULTSFour irritability trajectories were identified: low-stable (73.01%), rising (12.04%), declining (10.28%), and high-stable (4.67%). Compared with the other trajectories, children on the high-stable irritability trajectory were at higher risk for suicidal ideations (β = .13, p < .001), directly (β = .03, p = .04) and indirectly through internalizing and externalizing (β = .04 and 0.05, respectively, p's < .001) symptoms. Sex differences emerged for the rising and declining trajectories: pathways to suicidal ideations were mainly mediated by internalizing symptoms in females and externalizing symptoms in males. Pathways from all irritability trajectories to suicidal behaviors were mediated by internalizing and externalizing symptoms and were stronger in females than males.CONCLUSIONSDistinct trajectories of parent-reported irritability in childhood are differentially associated with suicidal ideation and behavior in adolescence, with the high-stable trajectory conferring the greatest risk. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms play key mediating roles, with notable sex differences in children following rising and declining irritability trajectories. Females with high irritability at any time point in preadolescence were at particular risk for suicidal behaviors.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"83 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144995666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jinho Kim, Hayun Jang, Keun Young Kwon, Hansol Park
{"title":"Understanding the link between adolescent depression and precarious employment in adulthood: evidence from a sibling fixed effects analysis","authors":"Jinho Kim, Hayun Jang, Keun Young Kwon, Hansol Park","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70047","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundAdolescent depressive symptoms may mark the beginning of long‐term trajectories of socioeconomic disadvantage, yet their role in shaping labor market outcomes remains understudied. This study investigates the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms in adolescence and precarious employment in adulthood and explores the mediating roles of persistent depressive symptoms and educational attainment.MethodsUsing a sample of 3,703 individuals from full sibling pairs in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we employed sibling fixed effects models to control for unobserved family‐level confounding. Precarious employment in adulthood was measured using a multidimensional index reflecting job instability, material insecurity, lack of benefits, and limited decision‐making autonomy.ResultsAdolescent depressive symptoms were positively associated with precarious employment in adulthood (<jats:italic>b</jats:italic> = 0.0165, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < .01), even after adjusting for family‐level confounders. No significant gender differences were observed. Mediation analyses revealed that subsequent depressive symptoms in young adulthood mediated approximately 23.0% of this association, while educational attainment accounted for an additional 18.9%, independent of later depressive symptoms.ConclusionsThese findings highlight adolescent depressive symptoms as a significant early risk factor for employment precarity in adulthood. The results underscore the importance of early mental health interventions and suggest that improving emotional well‐being and educational outcomes during adolescence may reduce long‐term socioeconomic disadvantage.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144930295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marie‐Pier Larose, Isabel Schuurmans, Edward D. Barker, Liliana Garcia Mondragon, Henning Tiemeier, Irwin Waldman, Charlotte Cecil
{"title":"Associations between genetic predisposition to mental health problems and academic achievement: a developmental perspective using two population‐based cohorts","authors":"Marie‐Pier Larose, Isabel Schuurmans, Edward D. Barker, Liliana Garcia Mondragon, Henning Tiemeier, Irwin Waldman, Charlotte Cecil","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70043","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundChildren's cognitive abilities play an important role throughout their academic career, but recent studies highlight the negative impacts of aggression, inattention, and impulsivity on academic success. These behaviors and traits are central to most externalizing (EXT) and neurodevelopmental (NDD) problems, which are substantially genetically influenced. We examined the mechanisms by which high levels of genetic predispositions to EXT and NDD problems associate with elevated mental health symptoms and subsequently lead to lower levels of academic achievement in two developmental periods (i.e., childhood and adolescence).MethodsAnalyses were performed on a subset of participants from the Generation R Study (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 2,992) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 5,099). Using structural equation modeling, we simultaneously tested for indirect pathways between polygenic scores for externalizing and neurodevelopmental problems (PGS‐EXT and PGS‐NDD) and academic achievement (age 12 in the Generation R Study and age 16 in ALSPAC) via children's symptomatology for conduct, attention, social, and oppositional defiant problems reported by mothers during early childhood (Generation R Study) and from childhood to adolescence (ALSPAC study). Our models were adjusted for children's sex, exposure to adversity, cognitive abilities, early school achievement (only in ALSPAC), and genetic predisposition to educational attainment.ResultsIn both cohorts, we found that higher levels of PGS‐NDD were associated with lower levels of academic achievement via higher attention problems. In adolescence only, we found that higher levels of PGS‐NDD and PGS‐EXT were associated with lower academic achievement via higher levels of conduct problems.ConclusionsGenetic predispositions to EXT and NDD were indirectly associated with academic achievement beyond the PGS for educational attainment, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to support children with attention problems in educational settings and to intervene on conduct problems, particularly during adolescence.Pre‐registration numberDoi: <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" xlink:href=\"https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/SQTJH\">10.17605/OSF.IO/SQTJH</jats:ext-link>.","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144930296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ellen Verhoef, Lucía de Hoyos, Fenja Schlag, Jeffrey van der Ven, Mitchell Olislagers, Philip S. Dale, Evan Kidd, Simon E. Fisher, Beate St Pourcain
{"title":"Developing language in a developing body: genetic associations of infant gross motor behaviour and self‐care/symbolic actions with emerging language abilities","authors":"Ellen Verhoef, Lucía de Hoyos, Fenja Schlag, Jeffrey van der Ven, Mitchell Olislagers, Philip S. Dale, Evan Kidd, Simon E. Fisher, Beate St Pourcain","doi":"10.1111/jcpp.70021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70021","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundMastering gross motor abilities in early infancy and culturally defined actions (e.g. self‐care routines) in late infancy can initiate cascading developmental changes that affect language learning. Here, we adopt a genetic perspective to investigate underlying processes, implicating either shared or “gateway” mechanisms, where the latter enable children to interact with their environment.MethodsSelecting heritable traits (<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup>, heritability), we studied infant gross motor (6 months) and self‐care/symbolic (15 months) skills as predictors of 10 language outcomes (15–38 months) in genotyped children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> ≤ 7,017). Language measures were combined into three interrelated language factors (LF) using structural equation modeling (SEM), corresponding to largely different age windows (LF<jats:sub>15M</jats:sub>, LF<jats:sub>24M</jats:sub>, LF<jats:sub>38M</jats:sub>, 51.3% total explained variance). Developmental genomic and non‐genomic relationships across measures were dissected with Cholesky decompositions using genetic‐relationship‐matrix structural equation modeling (GRM‐SEM) as part of a multivariate approach.ResultsGross motor abilities at 6 months (<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.18 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .06)) and self‐care/symbolic actions at 15 months (<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.18 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .06)) were modestly heritable, as well as the three derived language factor scores (LFS<jats:sub>15M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.12 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .05), LFS<jats:sub>24M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.21 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .06), LFS<jats:sub>38M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>h</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.17 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .05)), enabling genetic analyses. Developmental genetic models (GRM‐SEM) showed that gross motor abilities (6 months) share genetic influences with self‐care/symbolic actions (15 months, factor loading <jats:italic>λ</jats:italic>; <jats:italic>λ</jats:italic> = 0.22 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .09)), but not with language performance (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> ≥ .05). In contrast, genetic influences underlying self‐care/symbolic actions, independent of early gross motor skills, were related to all three language factors (LFS<jats:sub>15M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>λ</jats:italic> = 0.26 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .09), LFS<jats:sub>24M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>λ</jats:italic> = 0.28 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .10), LFS<jats:sub>38M</jats:sub>‐<jats:italic>λ</jats:italic> = 0.30 (<jats:italic>SE</jats:italic> = .10)). Multivariate models studying individual language outcomes provided consistent results, both for genomic and non‐genomic influences.ConclusionsGenetically encoded p","PeriodicalId":187,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144923961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}