The current investigation tested childhood developmental antecedents of adolescent empathy, self-control, callous-unemotionality, and delinquency, namely difficult temperament, positive socialization ...experiences, and intelligence; it also tested potential mediation effects of temperament via socialization. Data were collected as part of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care and Youth Development Study, which followed N = 1364 children from birth through 15 years (51% female, 80% European American). Early positive socialization (maternal sensitivity, secure attachment, and quality home environment) and temperament variables were assessed from 1 to 36 months, intelligence at age 9, and self-control, empathy, callous-unemotionality, and delinquency at age 15. Based on structural equation modeling hypothesis tests, early positive socialization positively predicted self-control and empathy, and negatively predicted callous-unemotionality and delinquency. Intelligence uniquely and positively predicted empathy. Difficult infant temperament indirectly predicted each of the four traits through early positive socialization. Important research and practical implications are discussed.
Duckworth and Seligman’s seminal work found that self-discipline (self-control) was more salient for academic achievement than intelligence. Very little replication work exists, including in ...different cultures; the current study addressed these gaps. Data were collected from 6
th
and 7
th
grade cohorts of early adolescents (
N
= 589; age:
Mean
= 12.34 years, and
SD
= 0.89; 58% female) over two years. The study tested whether self-control was a stronger predictor than intelligence in explaining academic performance two years later as well as in explaining developmental changes over the course of two years. Path analyses provided evidence that both self-control and intelligence longitudinally predicted teacher-reported academic competence as well as school-reported grades; however, intelligence was a significantly stronger predictor than self-control. In addition, only intelligence predicted developmental changes in each measure of academic performance over time, self-control did not.
Objectives
The present study tested the role of low self-control, positive parental and peer relationships, and ethnic minority status (Armenian or Azeri), in explaining variability in depressive ...symptoms in Georgian youth.
Methods
Self-report data were collected from
N
= 8254 adolescents in Georgia (55.5% female,
M
age = 15.57, SD 1.03). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) with latent constructs.
Results
Low self-control significantly and positively predicted depressive symptoms, while perceived parental warmth did so negatively; peer friendship quality was unrelated. Ethnic minority status explained a very small amount of unique variance in depressive symptoms for Azeri youth only, not for Armenian adolescents. Multi-group SEM moderation tests provided evidence that the links between constructs were invariant across ethnic groups. The model explained 15.6% of variance in depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
Findings support the salience of the tested depressive symptom correlates among Georgian adolescents, consistent with previous evidence from other countries. Adolescent ethnic minority status did not increase risk of depressive symptoms. Self-control emerged as the strongest correlate.
Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric morbidity have each been associated with accelerated biological aging primarily through cross-sectional studies. Using data from a prospective longitudinal ...study of individuals with histories of childhood maltreatment and control participants followed into midlife, we tested 2 hypotheses examining whether 1) psychiatric symptoms mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging and 2) psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) act in conjunction with childhood maltreatment to exacerbate the association of child maltreatment to aging.
Children (ages 0–11 years) with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched control children were followed into adulthood (N = 607) and interviewed over several waves of the study. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms were assessed at mean ages of 29 (interview 1) and 40 (interview 2) years. Biological age was measured from blood chemistries collected later (mean age = 41 years) using the Klemera-Doubal method. Hypotheses were tested using linear regressions and path analyses.
Adults with documented histories of childhood maltreatment showed more symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety at both interviews and more advanced biological aging, compared with control participants. PTSD symptoms at both interviews and depression and anxiety symptoms only at interview 2 predicted accelerated biological aging. There was no evidence of mediation; however, anxiety and depression moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and biological aging.
These new findings reveal the shorter- and longer-term longitudinal impact of PTSD on biological aging and the amplifying effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between child maltreatment and biological aging.
Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric morbidity are associated with biological aging. We used data from a prospective longitudinal study of children with documented histories of maltreatment and demographically matched control participants followed and interviewed in adulthood. Depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed at ages 29 and 40 years, and biological age was measured from blood chemistries collected later. Adults with histories of childhood maltreatment showed more symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety and more advanced biological aging compared with control participants. PTSD symptoms predicted accelerated biological aging longitudinally. Anxiety and depression amplified the relationship between child maltreatment and biological aging.
Previous research suggests that out-of-home placement experiences increase the risk for mental health problems and criminal involvement. However, few studies have examined the mechanisms whereby ...out-of-home placement increases the risk for these outcomes. The present study examines whether sleep problems in part explain the relationship between childhood placement experiences and depression and anxiety and criminal arrests in adulthood. Data are from a prospective longitudinal study of 531 children with documented cases of childhood maltreatment (14% with no out-of-home placement, 68% placed solely for abuse and/or neglect, and 18% placed for maltreatment and delinquency) who were followed up into adulthood. Cases are from 1967 to 1971 from a metropolitan county in the Midwest. Sleep problems were assessed in young adulthood (Mage = 29 years). Depression and anxiety symptoms and arrest records were assessed in middle adulthood (Mage = 40 years). Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Both types of out-of-home placement experiences (for maltreatment only and for maltreatment and delinquency) predicted more sleep problems in adulthood across all models. Sleep problems in young adulthood predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression in middle adulthood, but not criminal arrests. Sleep problems mediated the relationship between placement only and internalizing symptoms and results differed for male, female, White, and Black individuals examined separately. Using court-substantiated cases of childhood abuse and neglect, this study demonstrates the long-term negative consequences of out-of-home placement experiences for sleep problems and anxiety and depression in adulthood. More attention is needed to insure adequate sleep for maltreated children.
Public Policy Relevance Statement
In a longitudinal study of maltreated children, out-of-home placement experiences in childhood led to sleep problems in young adulthood and sleep problems in young adulthood led to higher levels of anxiety and depression in middle adulthood. These findings highlight the need for greater attention and efforts to facilitate sleep in placement settings. Ensuring that maltreated children have adequate sleep conditions may be one of the ways to reduce subsequent mental health problems.
This research sought to determine whether inadequate sleep conditions in childhood and sleep problems in young adulthood in part explain the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and ...anxiety and depression later in life. Children with documented histories of abuse and neglect and matched controls were followed up and assessed in young and middle adulthood. Abused and neglected children were more likely to report experiencing inadequate sleep conditions in childhood, sleep problems in young adulthood, and higher levels of depression and anxiety later in middle adulthood. Results revealed significant indirect paths from childhood maltreatment to anxiety and depression in middle adulthood through inadequate sleep conditions in childhood and sleep problems in young adulthood. This longitudinal follow-up of children with documented cases of maltreatment reveals the important role of sleep disturbances in the lives of maltreated children and adults and sleep disturbances in the development of subsequent anxiety and depression.
Purpose
Lower socio‐economic status (SES) and psychopathy are risk factors for criminal behaviour. This study examines whether psychopathic trait scores moderate the relationship between childhood ...family and neighbourhood SES and adult arrests.
Methods
A large group of Midwest children ages 0–11 years old during 1967–1971 were interviewed as adults in 1989–1995 (N = 1144) at mean age 29. Childhood family SES was based on information collected during the interview and neighbourhood SES were based on census tract information from childhood. Psychopathic trait scores were based on information from interviews and case records. Official arrest data were used to assess criminal behaviour in adulthood.
Results
Childhood family SES, childhood neighbourhood SES, and psychopathic trait scores each independently predicted the number of adult arrests. As expected, lower childhood family SES and childhood neighbourhood SES predicted a larger number of adult arrests, and higher psychopathic trait scores were associated with a greater number of adult arrests. Childhood family SES and childhood neighbourhood SES also interacted with psychopathic trait scores to predict adult arrests. For individuals with low psychopathic trait scores, lower childhood family SES and lower childhood neighbourhood SES each predicted a higher number of adult arrests, whereas this was not the case for individuals with high psychopathic trait scores.
Conclusions
Childhood SES (family and neighbourhood) continues to affect criminal behaviour long into adulthood. But neither childhood family SES, childhood neighbourhood SES, or psychopathic traits alone explain the extent of adult arrests. For people with comparably low levels of psychopathic traits, childhood family and neighbourhood socio‐economic status continued to impact adult arrests.
To grit or not to grit, that is the question Vazsonyi, Alexander T.; Ksinan, Albert J.; Ksinan Jiskrova, Gabriela ...
Journal of research in personality,
February 2019, 2019-02-00, Letnik:
78
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
•Tested measurement of and the validity of grit, vis-à-vis self-control.•Lifecourse sample, from young adulthood to 55+.•Grit and self-control largely indistinguishable in predicting long-term goals.
...The current study tested the validity of grit as a non-cognitive construct related to, yet distinct from self-control. Data were collected from N = 1907 adults spanning the life-course (53.1% female, M age = 41.4 years). Associations between grit and present and past goals were very similar to ones observed with self-control. Extensive model tests using structural equation modeling provided evidence of substantial overlap between these two constructs, calling into question the conceptual and empirical distinctiveness of grit vis-à-vis self-control, as well as the importance of grit as a unique and independent characteristic salient for the pursuit and achievement of long-term goals. This finding was consistent and invariant across adult developmental periods. Study implications for grit-investment are discussed.
The present study employed parallel analyses to develop a greater understanding of the relationships between infant socialization (maternal sensitivity and home quality), early childhood self-control ...(attentional focusing, inhibitory control, gratification delay, and self-control), and measures of reactive-overt and relational aggression, assessed from ages 8.5 to 15 years. Self-reported, mother reported, and observational data were employed from a national sample of N = 1364 children (the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care and Youth Development Study). Findings provided evidence that positive infant socialization during the first two years of life positively predicted self-control that in turn negatively predicted both reactive-overt and relational aggression at age 8.5 years. In addition, socialization factors maintained direct effects on developmental changes in both measures of aggression at age 10.5 years (relational), 11.5 years (reactive-overt and relational), and 15 years (reactive-overt and relational). Self-control also negatively predicted developmental changes in both measures of aggression at 11.5 years. These findings highlight the long-term developmental effects of positive infant socialization experiences on the developmental course of reactive-overt and relational aggression, but also the salience of self-regulatory capacities in understanding the etiology of and ongoing developmental changes in aggressive behaviors.
•Infant socialization predicted self-control and aggressive behaviors•Socialization and self-control predicted developmental changes in aggression•Notable similarities for both reactive-overt and relational aggression
The mechanism(s) through which child contact can lead to more positive mental health and romantic relationship outcomes among incarcerated fathers are not sufficiently studied. The present study ...tests whether the associations between frequency of child contact and later psychological distress and conflict in romantic relationships are mediated by perceived social support. Self-reported longitudinal data from a sample of incarcerated men who participated in a fatherhood education program (
= 2,096) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Variables were assessed pre- and post-program participation. As hypothesized, more frequent child contact was associated with greater perceived social support, which predicted reduced psychological distress and reduced partner conflict. There were significant indirect effects of child contact on psychological distress and partner conflict via perceived social support. The findings may inform policies aiming to help incarcerated fathers to better manage psychological distress and conflictual relationships, preparing them for a more successful return to society.
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