Mental Health in Ethnic Minority Populations in the UK: Developmental Trajectories from Early Childhood to Mid Adolescence.

A large body of literature has demonstrated that there are developmental differences in mental health problems. However, less is known about the development of mental health problems in ethnic minority children, particularly at the population level. Using a detailed ethnic classification and nationally representative data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 18, 521, 49% female, 18% ethnic minority), this study examines ethnic differences in children's mental health problems and trajectories of mental health from ages 3 to 14 years. Growth curve modeling revealed that ethnic minority children followed different developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems than white children, either in terms of the mean-level and/or rate of change across age. These differences were not explained by child sex, socioeconomic status, maternal depressive symptoms, and maternal immigrant status, highlighting the need for further research exploring the factors that underpin ethnic inequalities in child mental health.

Differential effects of cannabis exposure during early versus later adolescence on the expression of psychosis in homeless and precariously housed adults.

Longitudinal studies of cannabis exposure during early adolescence in the general population frequently report an increased risk of subsequently developing psychotic symptoms or a psychotic illness. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the effects of early cannabis exposure on psychosis in homeless and precariously housed adults, who represent a population afflicted with high rates of psychosis. The aim of the present study was to examine how early cannabis exposure (by age 15) compared to later first use (after age 15) affected the expression of adult psychosis in this population. Secondary measures of psychopathology, drug use, cognition and brain structure were also collected. 437 subjects were recruited from single room occupancy hotels in the urban setting of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada. Psychiatric diagnoses were determined, and psychotic symptom severity was measured with the 5-factor PANSS. Participants completed a battery of neurocognitive tests, and brain structure was assessed using structural and diffusion tensor imaging MRI scans. Results indicated that early cannabis exposure was associated with an increased risk (OR = 1.09, p < .05) of developing substance induced psychosis, whereas later first use increased risk (OR = 2.19, p < .01) of developing schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. There was no group difference in neurocognitive function, although differences were observed in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and white matter tract diffusivity. These findings indicate that early cannabis exposure in this population may increase the risk of developing drug associated psychoses, which could potentially be mediated in part through altered neurodevelopmental brain changes.