Comparison of the stability of glycoprotein acetyls and high sensitivity C-reactive protein as markers of chronic inflammation.

It has been suggested that glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) better reflects chronic inflammation than high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), but paediatric/life-course data are sparse. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and UK Biobank, we compared short- (over weeks) and long-term (over years) correlations of GlycA and hsCRP, cross-sectional correlations between GlycA and hsCRP, and associations of pro-inflammatory risk factors with GlycA and hsCRP across the life-course. GlycA showed high short-term (weeks) stability at 15 years (r = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.56, 0.94), 18 years (r = 0.74; 0.64, 0.85), 24 years (r = 0.74; 0.51, 0.98) and 48 years (r = 0.82 0.76, 0.86) and this was comparable to the short-term stability of hsCRP at 24 years. GlycA stability was moderate over the long-term, for example between 15 and 18 years r = 0.52; 0.47, 0.56 and between 15 and 24 years r = 0.37; 0.31, 0.44. These were larger than equivalent correlations of hsCRP. GlycA and concurrently measured hsCRP were moderately correlated at all ages, for example at 15 years (r = 0.44; 0.40, 0.48) and at 18 years (r = 0.55; 0.51, 0.59). We found similar associations of known proinflammatory factors and inflammatory diseases with GlycA and hsCRP. For example, BMI was positively associated with GlycA (mean difference in GlycA per standard deviation change in BMI = 0.08; 95% CI = 0.07, 0.10) and hsCRP (0.10; 0.08, 0.11). This study showed that GlycA has greater long-term stability than hsCRP, however associations of proinflammatory factors with GlycA and hsCRP were broadly similar.

Long-term associations between early attachment and parenting and adolescent susceptibility to post-traumatic distress in a South African high-risk sample.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that children and young people living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not only exposed more frequently to trauma but also have a higher likelihood of encountering traumas of greater severity than those living in high-income countries (HICs). This may lead to higher rates of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, developmental pathways to risk or resilience after trauma exposure in LMICs are underresearched. METHODS: We examined early parenting and attachment as potentially important formative factors for later stress reactivity in a longitudinal cohort of South African children (N = 449). Parenting and attachment were assessed at child age 18 months, and interpersonal trauma exposure, PTSS and parenting stress were measured at 13 years (N = 333; core sample with data on all measures: N = 213). Following a vulnerability-stress approach, separate regression models were run to investigate whether parent-child attachment at 18 months, parental sensitivity and intrusiveness during play at 12 months, and current parenting stress at 13 years, interacted with adolescents' extent of interpersonal trauma exposure to predict their PTSS levels at 13 years. RESULTS: We found no predictive effects of either early attachment or current parenting stress in relation to child PTSS. There was some evidence for predictive influences of parental early intrusiveness and sensitivity on adolescent outcomes, though associations were unexpectedly positive for the latter. No interaction effects supporting a vulnerability-stress model were found. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we found limited evidence that elements of the early parent-child environment predict child risk/resilience to trauma in LMIC children. Future studies should include more frequent assessments of relevant constructs to capture changes over time and consider further what comprises adaptive parenting in high-risk contexts.

Investigating the dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder in single- and multi-event trauma-exposed youth: Prevalence, course, prognosis, severity and functional impairment.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed, following both single- and multi-event trauma, to ascertain prevalence and course of the dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD-DS) in youth; how well early PTSD-DS predicts later PTSD; and whether dissociation accounts for unique variance in post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and functional impairment over and above the effect of other post-trauma cognitive processing factors and PTSS respectively. DESIGN AND METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of data from the Acute Stress Programme for Children and Teenagers study (n = 234) and the Coping in Care After Trauma study (n = 110) in which children had experienced single- and multi-event trauma respectively. RESULTS: PTSD-DS diagnosis was common in children with PTSD regardless of trauma experienced (>39.0%). PTSD-DS showed a similar trajectory of natural recovery to PTSD, and it was similarly predictive of later PTSD following single-event trauma. Finally, dissociation was a significant factor in PTSS and functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS: These results should be viewed in the context of several limitations including narrow sample of participants which reduces the generalizability of results, concerns around children's ability to conceptualize challenging concepts such as dissociation and the use of self-report measures to form diagnostic groups. The PTSD-DS diagnosis may offer clinical utility to the extant PTSD diagnosis in children and adolescents, as dissociation has been shown to be a contributory factor in the maintenance of both PTSS and functional impairment. Further research is required to inform further editions of the DSM and other diagnostic systems.

The feasibility and acceptability of delivering a group trauma-focused intervention to children in care.

OBJECTIVE: Young people in care (i.e., in the child welfare system) are a group who have often experienced very high rates of potentially traumatic events, including maltreatment. It is well-documented that they have high rates of trauma-related mental health difficulties, such as posttraumatic stress. To address the needs of the large number of young people who may benefit from support, scalable interventions are crucial. But also important is that they are effective and deliverable - particularly given the complexity of this group and services. We assessed a five-session group CBT-based intervention for PTSD. The primary goal was to understand core procedural and protocol uncertainties to address prior to a definitive trial. METHODS: Participants were 34 10-17 year olds in care, with moderate to severe posttraumatic stress symptoms, and their caregiver. We ran seven groups (four online), delivered in social care and NHS-based mental health teams. Data were collected via pre-, post-, 3-month follow-up questionnaires and qualitative interviews. RESULTS: Of the 34 participants allocated to the intervention, 27 (80%) attended at least three of the five sessions (most attended all). Caregiver attendance was lower (50%). There was generally good completion of assessment measures. Qualitatively, most participants were positive about the intervention, and many reported improvements in areas such as coping, sleep, and willingness to talk about experiences. However, there were important concerns about the lack of ongoing support, given this was a low-intensity intervention for a group who often had complex needs. CONCLUSION: The intervention and research protocols were acceptable to most young people and carers. With modifications, a future definitive trial would likely be possible. However, key considerations include: how (and whether) to screen for PTSD; the trial design; and the option to embed high-intensity support (e.g., via assessing a stepped-care model).

Sex differences in the severity and natural recovery of child PTSD symptoms: a longitudinal analysis of children exposed to acute trauma.

BACKGROUND: Higher levels of PTSD symptoms are present among trauma-exposed females v. males in adulthood; however, much less is known about the emergence of this sex difference during development. METHODS: In a multi-study sample of 7-18-year-olds (n = 3397), we examined the effect of sex and age on the severity of PTSD symptoms after a single incident trauma at 1 month (T1), and on symptom change after a natural recovery period of 3 (T2) and 6 months (T3). PTSD scores were harmonised across measurement types, and linear regressions were used to determine sex and age effects, adjusting for study level variance and trauma type. RESULTS: A sex × age interaction was observed at T1 (p < 0.001) demonstrating that older age was associated with greater PTSD symptom severity in females (ß = 0.008, p = 0.047), but less severe symptoms in males (ß = -0.011, p = 0.014). The same pattern was observed at T2 and T3, with sex differences beginning to emerge by age 12 years. PTSD symptoms decreased naturally by ~25% at T2 with little further improvement by T3. Further, females showed a greater reduction in symptoms at T3 than males, although the same effect was not observed at T2. CONCLUSIONS: Sex differences in PTSD symptoms become apparent during adolescence, due to opposing changes in susceptibility occurring in females and males with age. Understanding the factors contributing to these findings is likely to provide wider insight into sex-specific psychological vulnerability to trauma-related psychopathology.

Association between childhood maltreatment and social functioning in individuals with affective disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Childhood maltreatment has been linked to impairments in social functioning and social cognition in adults with affective disorders. However, conclusions have been limited by inconsistent findings across different maltreatment subtypes and social domains. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify associations between childhood maltreatment (overall and subtypes - physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse, and/or physical and/or emotional neglect) and different domains of social functioning and social cognition in adults with affective disorders (bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder). We also examined effect moderators and mediators of these associations. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on 12.12.2022 which identified 29 studies included in qualitative synthesis (n = 3022 individuals with affective disorders), of which 27 (n = 2957) were pooled in meta-analyses. Across studies, five social functioning and five social cognition domains were examined, of which four domains of social functioning and two domains of social cognition had sufficient data for meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42022288976). RESULTS: Social functioning: childhood maltreatment was associated with lower global social functioning (r = -0.11 to -0.20), poorer interpersonal relations (r = -0.18 to -0.33), and with aggressive behaviour (r = 0.20-0.29) but was unrelated to vocational functioning. Emotional abuse and emotional neglect showed the largest magnitudes of effect. Social cognition: there was no meta-analytic evidence of associations between maltreatment and social cognition domains. Exploratory moderation analyses did not identify any consistent moderators. Narrative synthesis identified attachment style as possible moderator, and sensory patterns, anxiety, and depressive symptoms as possible mediators between childhood maltreatment and social outcomes. Overall, the available evidence was limited, particularly in relation to social cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with affective disorders are at risk of social functioning difficulties after childhood maltreatment exposure, an effect observed across multiple maltreatment subtypes, social functioning domains, and diagnoses. Addressing social functioning problems may benefit maltreated adults with both bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

Sex-Based Contributors to and Consequences of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Women are twice as likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to men after a traumatic experience. The purpose of this mini review was to explore recent research on biological contributors to this sex difference. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified 51 studies published since 2019. Studies found that beyond the influence of sex on the prevalence and symptoms of PTSD, there is evidence for and against sex-based differences in genetic and epigenetic factors (n = 8), brain structure and function (n = 11), neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses (n = 5), and in the role of sleep on emotional memory processing (n = 1). Sex differences were also observed in recovery and during PTSD treatment (n = 16). Finally, there is emerging evidence of sex-differentiated risk for medical and psychiatric comorbidities in PTSD (n = 10). Rapid advances are being made using integrated multidisciplinary approaches to understand why females are at a heightened risk for developing PTSD.

The journey back to normality: Support systems and posttrauma needs following exposure to single-incident trauma among children and adolescents.

Social support has been linked to posttrauma adjustment in children and adolescents, but the components of good support remain poorly defined. We conducted qualitative interviews with 30 youths aged 7-16 years after being admitted to a hospital following a single-incident trauma, predominantly injury or illness. The aim was to identify youths' support needs and examine the support they received across different recovery stages. Thematic analysis revealed that although participants appreciated increased attention and warm support during their hospital stay, most wanted their lives to return to normal soon afterward and were frustrated by barriers to achieving this. Participants received support from different sources, but parents and peers were the most important providers of emotional support and the people with whom these individuals most frequently engaged in trauma-related conversations. Furthermore, although it was important that schools were sensitive to the youths' potential limitations regarding their ability to engage with lessons, emotional support from teachers was less valued. Overall, this study implies that ecological models incorporating multiple interacting layers capture the structure of youths' posttrauma support systems well. These findings may be used to tailor posttrauma interventions more closely to child and adolescent needs at different recovery stages and highlight the importance of having parents and, where possible, peers involved in posttrauma interventions or prevention programs.

Child posttraumatic stress symptoms in an acute injury sample: Patterns of associations among child report, parent report, and child heart rate parameters.

Parent-child agreement on measures of child posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is moderate at best, and understanding of this discrepancy is limited. To address this, we conducted an item-level investigation of parent-child symptom agreement to examine the potential influence of parental posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) on parents' reports of their child's PTSS. We also examined heart rate (HR) indices as possible independent indicators of child PTSD, examining patterns of association with parent versus child report. Parent-child dyads (N = 132, child age: 6-13 years, 91.7% White) were recruited after the child's hospital admission following an acute, single-incident traumatic event. At 1-month posttrauma, questionnaires assessing children's PTSS (self- and parental reports) and parental PTSS were administered. For a subset of participants (n = 70), children's HR recordings were obtained during a trauma narrative task and analyzed. Parent and child reports of child PTSS were weakly positively correlated, r = .25. Parental PTSS were found to be stronger positive predictors of parental reports of child PTSS than the children's own symptom reports, ß = 0.60 vs. ß = 0.14, and were associated with higher parent-reported child PTSS relative to child reports. Finally, children's self-reported PTSS were associated with HR indices, whereas parent reports were not, ßs = -.33-.30 vs. ßs = -.15-.01. Taken together, children's self-reported PTSS could be a more accurate reflection of their posttrauma physiological distress than parent reports. The potential influence of parental PTSS on their perceptions of their child's symptoms warrants further consideration.

Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and the novel inflammatory marker glycoprotein acetyls in two generations of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases in adulthood, potentially mediated by chronic low-grade inflammation. Glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) is a marker of chronic and cumulative inflammation. We investigated associations between ACEs and GlycA at different ages, in two generations of the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort. METHODS: ALSPAC offspring's total ACE scores were generated for two age periods using prospectively collected data: 0-7y and 0-17y. GlycA was measured using high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance at mean ages 8y, 18y, and 24y. Sample sizes ranged from: n = 5116 (8y) to n = 3085 (24y). ALSPAC mothers (n = 4634) retrospectively reported ACEs experienced before age 18y and GlycA was assessed at mean age 49y. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations between ACEs (total ACE score and individual ACEs) and subsequent GlycA in both samples, adjusting for key confounders. RESULTS: Mean GlycA levels were similar in offspring and mothers and over time. In offspring, there was no evidence that ACEs (total score or individual ACE) were associated with GlycA at age 8y or 18y, or 24y after adjustment for maternal age at birth and parity, maternal marital status, household occupational social class, maternal education, maternal smoking, own ethnicity, sex, and age in months. In mothers, there was evidence of a positive association between the total ACE score and GlycA at age 49y (adjusted mean difference 0.007 mmol/L; 95%CI: 0.003, 0.01). Emotional neglect was the only individual ACE associated with higher GlycA after adjusting for confounders and other ACEs. CONCLUSION: Results suggest the association between ACEs and GlycA may emerge in middle age. Future research should explore the extent to which inflammation in adulthood mediates well-documented associations between ACEs and adverse health outcomes in later life.

Social Functioning in Individuals Affected by Childhood Maltreatment: Establishing a Research Agenda to Inform Interventions.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is linked to impairments in various domains of social functioning. Here, we argue that it is critical to identify factors that underlie impaired social functioning as well as processes that mediate the beneficial health effects of positive relationships in individuals exposed to CM. Key research recommendations are presented, focusing on: (1) identifying attachment-related alterations in specific inter- and intrapersonal processes (e.g., regulation of closeness and distance) that underlie problems in broader domains of social functioning (e.g., lack of perceived social support) in individuals affected by CM; (2) identifying internal (e.g., current emotional state) and external situational factors (e.g., cultural factors, presence of close others) that modulate alterations in specific social processes; and (3) identifying mechanisms that explain the positive health effects of intact social functioning. Methodological recommendations include: (1) assessing social processes through interactive and (close to) real-life assessments inside and outside the laboratory; (2) adopting an interdisciplinary, lifespan perspective to assess social processes, using multi-method assessments; (3) establishing global research collaborations to account for cultural influences on social processes and enable replications across laboratories and countries. The proposed line of research will contribute to globally develop and refine interventions that prevent CM and further positive relationships, which - likely through buffering the effects of chronic stress and corresponding allostatic load - foster resilience and improve mental and physical health, thereby reducing personal suffering and the societal and economic costs of CM and its consequences. Interventions targeting euthymia and psychological well-being are promising therapeutic concepts in this context.

Adapting and testing a brief intervention to reduce maternal anxiety during pregnancy (ACORN): report of a feasibility randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the acceptability and feasibility of a new brief intervention for maternal prenatal anxiety within maternity services in London and Exeter, UK. METHODS: One hundred fourteen pregnant individuals attending their 12-week scan at a prenatal clinic with elevated symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7 score of ≥7) were randomly assigned to either the ACORN intervention + Treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 57) or to usual care only (n = 57). The ACORN intervention consisted of 3 2-h group sessions, led by a midwife and psychological therapist, for pregnant individuals and their partners. The intervention included psychoeducation about anxiety, strategies for problem-sovling and tolerating uncertainty during pregnancy, including communicating about these with others, and mindfulness exercises. RESULTS: Engagement rates with ACORN met or exceeded those in primary care services in England. In the intervention arm, 77% (n = 44) of participants attended at least one session, 51% (n = 29) were adherent, defined as attending two or more sessions. Feedback was positive, and participants in the ACORN treatment group demonstrated evidence of a larger drop in their levels of anxiety than the participants in the TAU-only group (Cohen's d = 0.42). CONCLUSION: The ACORN intervention was acceptable to pregnant individuals and their partners and resulted in reductions in anxiety. With further evaluation in a larger-scale trial with child outcomes, there is significant potential for large scale public health benefit.

Differences in the diagnosis and treatment decisions for children in care compared to their peers: An experimental study on post-traumatic stress disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Despite evidence of high rates of diagnosable mental health difficulties in children in care, there remains ongoing debate around the appropriateness of traditional diagnoses and treatments. The aim of this study was to quantitatively explore whether mental health diagnosis and treatment decision-making differed when a young person was identified as being in care, specifically focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a trauma-specific mental health disorder with rates substantially higher in children in care versus their peers. METHODS: Participants were 270 UK mental health professionals who completed an online survey. Participants were randomized to receive one of two vignettes, which were identical in their description of a teenage boy experiencing PTSD symptoms, except in one he was in foster care and in the other he lived with his mother. Participants were asked to select a primary diagnosis, treatment approach, and potential secondary diagnosis. RESULTS: Professionals were twice as likely to choose a primary diagnosis of PTSD and a National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)-recommended PTSD treatment when randomized to the mother vignette versus the foster carer vignette. Selecting PTSD as the primary diagnosis made clinicians three times more likely to select a NICE-recommended treatment for PTSD. Developmental trauma was the most common 'diagnosis' for both groups, although this led to different treatment decisions. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of PTSD, we found children in care face diagnosis and treatment decision-making biases. Practice implications are discussed.

Harsh parenting and child conduct and emotional problems: parent- and child-effects in the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort.

In high-income countries, links between harsh and abusive parenting and child conduct and emotional problems are well-documented. However, less is known about these relationships in low- and middle-income countries, where harsh parenting may be more widely accepted and higher rates of conduct or emotional problems may exist which could influence the strength of these associations. We sought to investigate these relationships in a large population-based, prospective longitudinal study from Brazil, which also allowed us to test for sex differences. Using data from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study (N = 4231) at ages 6 and 11 years, we applied cross-lagged path analysis to examine the relationships between harsh parenting (Conflict Tactics Scale Parent-Child version), and child conduct and emotional problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). We found reciprocal relationships between harsh parenting and child conduct problems, with harsh parenting at age 6 predicting child conduct problems at age 11, and vice versa, even after adjusting for initial levels of conduct problems and harsh parenting, respectively. For child emotional problems, only unidirectional effects were found, with harsh parenting at age 6 predicting child emotional problems at age 11, after adjusting for initial levels of emotional problems, but not vice versa. No significant sex differences were observed in these relationships. These observations based on a middle-income country birth cohort highlight the potential universality of detrimental effects of harsh parenting on child conduct and emotional problems and affirm the importance of addressing parent- and child-effects in preventive and treatment interventions, especially those targeting conduct problems.

Intimate partner violence and growth outcomes through infancy: A longitudinal investigation of multiple mediators in a South African birth cohort.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to poor fetal and infant growth. However, factors underlying this relationship are not well understood, particularly in the postnatal time period. In a South African cohort, we investigated (1) associations between IPV in pregnancy and growth at birth as well as postnatal IPV and child growth at 12 months and (2) whether maternal depression, tobacco or alcohol use or infant hospitalizations mediated IPV-growth relationships. Mothers were enrolled in pregnancy. Maternal IPV was measured during pregnancy and 10 weeks postpartum; depression, alcohol and tobacco use were measured during pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum. Child weight and length were measured at birth and 12 months and converted to z-scores for analysis. Linear regression and structural equation models investigated interrelationships between IPV and potential mediators of IPV-growth relationships. At birth, among 1,111 mother-infant pairs, maternal emotional and physical IPV were associated with reduced weight-for-age z-scores (WFAZ). Only physical IPV was associated with length-for-age z-scores (LFAZ) at birth. Antenatal maternal alcohol and tobacco use mediated IPV-growth relationships at birth. Postnatally, among 783 mother-infant pairs, emotional and physical IPV were associated with reduced WFAZ at 12 months. Only emotional IPV was associated with LFAZ at 12 months. Maternal tobacco use was a mediator postnatally. Findings highlight the role of physical and emotional IPV as risk factors for compromised fetal and infant growth. Findings underscore the importance of programmes to address interrelated risk factors for compromised infant growth, specifically IPV and substance use, which are prevalent in high-risk settings.

A longitudinal study of cognitive predictors of (complex) post-traumatic stress in young people in out-of-home care.

BACKGROUND: Young people in out-of-home care are substantially more likely to meet criteria for PTSD than their peers, while their early maltreatment exposure may also place them at greater risk of developing the newly proposed complex PTSD. Yet, there remains limited empirical evidence for the mechanisms that might drive either PTSD or complex features in this group, and ongoing debate about the suitability of existing cognitive behavioural models and their related NICE-recommended treatments. In a prospective study of young people in out-of-home care, we sought to identify demographic and cognitive processes that may contribute to the maintenance of both PTSD symptom and complex features. METHODS: We assessed 120 10- to 18-year-olds in out-of-home care and their primary carer at two assessments: an initial assessment and 12-month follow-up. Participants completed questionnaires on trauma history, PTSD symptoms and complex features, while young people only also self-reported on trauma-related (a) maladaptive appraisals, (b) memory quality and (c) coping. Social workers reported on maltreatment severity. RESULTS: Young people's maltreatment severity was not a robust predictor of either PTSD symptoms or complex features. All three cognitive processes were moderately-to-strongly correlated with baseline and 12-month PTSD symptoms and complex features, with maladaptive appraisals the most robust unique driver of both, even when controlling for initial PTSD symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Existing cognitive models of PTSD are applicable in this more complex sample of young people. The model was also found to be applicable to the additional features of complex PTSD, with the same processes driving both outcomes at both time points. Clinical implications are discussed.

Associations between developmental timing of child abuse and conduct problem trajectories in a UK birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Although there is strong evidence for a relationship between child abuse and neglect and conduct problems, associations between child abuse experienced at different developmental stages and developmental trajectories of conduct problems have not been examined. We sought to investigate effects of timing of child abuse on conduct problem trajectories in a large UK birth cohort study. METHODS: We applied latent class growth analysis to identify conduct problem trajectories in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, using parent-rated conduct problems from ages 4-17 years (N = 10,648). Childhood-only and adolescence-only abuse, in addition to abuse in both developmental periods ('persistent' abuse), were assessed by retrospective self-report at age 22 years (N = 3172). RESULTS: We identified four developmental trajectories: early-onset persistent (4.8%), adolescence-onset (4.5%), childhood-limited (15.4%), and low (75.3%) conduct problems. Childhood-only abuse and 'persistent' abuse were associated with increased odds of being on the early-onset persistent and adolescence-onset conduct problem trajectories compared to the low conduct problems trajectory. Adolescence-only abuse was not predictive of trajectory membership. There were no associations between abuse and childhood-limited trajectory membership. CONCLUSIONS: Early-onset persistent and adolescence-onset conduct problems showed similar patterns of association with abuse exposure, challenging developmental theories that propose qualitative, as opposed to quantitative, differences in environmental risk factors between these trajectories. The results also highlight that childhood-only and 'persistent' abuse were more strongly linked to elevated conduct problem trajectories than adolescence-only abuse, and that 'persistent' abuse is particularly detrimental.

The emergence of sex differences in PTSD symptoms across development: evidence from the ALSPAC cohort.

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional evidence suggests females in late adolescence exhibit higher rates of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) than males and younger age groups. However, longitudinal evidence is limited, and underlying factors are not well understood. We investigated the emergence of sex differences in PTSS from childhood to adolescence in a large, longitudinal UK cohort, and tested whether these could be explained by overlap between PTSS and depressive symptoms, or onset of puberty. METHODS: Trauma exposure and PTSS were assessed at ages 8, 10, 13 (parent-report) and 15 (self-report) years in a sub-sample of 9966 children and adolescents from the ALSPAC cohort-study. Analyses of PTSS focused on those who reported potential trauma-exposure at each time-point (ranged from n = 654 at 15 years to n = 1231 at 10 years). Age at peak-height velocity (APHV) was used as an indicator of pubertal timing. RESULTS: There was no evidence of sex differences in PTSS at ages 8 and 10, but females were more likely to show PTSS at ages 13 (OR 1.54, p = 0.002) and 15 (OR 2.04, p = .001), even once symptoms related to depression were excluded. We found little evidence that the emergence of sex differences was related to pubertal timing (as indexed by APHV). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that females show higher levels of PTSS in adolescence but not during childhood. The emergence of this sex difference does not seem to be explained by overlap with depressive symptoms, while the influence of pubertal status requires further investigation.

Dysfunctional posttraumatic cognitions, posttraumatic stress and depression in children and adolescents exposed to trauma: a network analysis.

BACKGROUND: The latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) proposes a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis reduced to its core symptoms within the symptom clusters re-experiencing, avoidance and hyperarousal. Since children and adolescents often show a variety of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in the aftermath of traumatic events, the question arises whether such a conceptualization of the PTSD diagnosis is supported in children and adolescents. Furthermore, although dysfunctional posttraumatic cognitions (PTCs) appear to play an important role in the development and persistence of PTSD in children and adolescents, their function within diagnostic frameworks requires clarification. METHODS: We compiled a large international data set of 2,313 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years exposed to trauma and calculated a network model including dysfunctional PTCs, PTSD core symptoms and depression symptoms. Central items and relations between constructs were investigated. RESULTS: The PTSD re-experiencing symptoms strong or overwhelming emotions and strong physical sensations and the depression symptom difficulty concentrating emerged as most central. Items from the same construct were more strongly connected with each other than with items from the other constructs. Dysfunctional PTCs were not more strongly connected to core PTSD symptoms than to depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide support that a PTSD diagnosis reduced to its core symptoms could help to disentangle PTSD, depression and dysfunctional PTCs. Using longitudinal data and complementing between-subject with within-subject analyses might provide further insight into the relationship between dysfunctional PTCs, PTSD and depression.

A longitudinal investigation of the role of parental responses in predicting children's post-traumatic distress.

BACKGROUND: While parental post-trauma support is considered theoretically important for child adjustment, empirical evidence concerning the specific aspects of parental responding that influence child post-traumatic distress, or the processes via which any such impacts occur, is extremely limited. We conducted a longitudinal examination of whether parental post-trauma appraisals, trauma-specific support style and general parenting style predicted child post-traumatic stress symptom severity (PTSS) following trauma; and whether such influences operated via the child's own appraisals and coping style. METHOD: We recruited 132 parent-child pairs following children's experience of acute trauma. We examined whether parental responses assessed at 1-month post-trauma, predicted child PTSS at 6-month follow-up. Parental trauma-specific appraisals and responses, and general parenting style, were assessed via both self-report and direct observations. Child-report questionnaires were used to assess PTSS and potential mediators. RESULTS: Initial parent negative appraisals and encouragement of avoidant coping were associated with higher child-reported PTSS at 6-month follow-up. Predictive effects were maintained even when controlling for initial child symptom levels. Observational assessments broadly supported conclusions from self-report. There was evidence that parental influences may operate, in part, by influencing the child's own appraisals and coping responses. In contrast, there was no evidence for an influence of more "adaptive" support or general parenting style on child PTSS. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide important insight into how elements of social support may influence child post-trauma outcomes.