Dataset Information

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence.

Methods

We examined genetic and environmental influences on parental ratings of behavior problems across childhood (age 4) and adolescence (ages 12 and 16) as predictors of educational achievement at age 16 using a longitudinal classical twin design.

Results

Shared-environmental influences on anxiety, conduct problems, and peer problems at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Genetic influences on the externalizing behaviors of conduct problems and hyperactivity at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Moreover, novel genetic and (to a lesser extent) nonshared-environmental influences acting on conduct problems and hyperactivity emerged at ages 12 and 16, adding to the genetic prediction from age 4.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that genetic and shared-environmental factors underpinning behavior problems in early childhood predict educational achievement in midadolescence. These findings are consistent with the notion that early-childhood behavior problems reflect the initiation of a life-course persistent trajectory with concomitant implications for social attainment. However, we also find evidence that genetic and nonshared-environment innovations acting on behavior problems have implications for subsequent educational achievement, consistent with recent work arguing that adolescence represents a sensitive period for socioaffective development.

SUBMITTER: Lewis GJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5324692 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

Lewis Gary J GJ Asbury Kathryn K Plomin Robert R

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines 20161110 3

<h4>Background</h4>Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence.<h4>Methods</h4>We examined genetic and environmental influences on parental ratings of behavior problems across childhood (age 4) and adolescence (ag ...[more]

PMID: 27861883

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Project description:ImportanceMental health problems in early life are associated with labor market marginalization, especially in youths with persistent internalizing and externalizing problems. However, previous research has not adjusted for familial (genetic and shared environmental) factors.ObjectiveTo examine associations of early-life internalizing and externalizing problems with adulthood unemployment and work disability, adjusting for familial factors.Design, setting, and participantsThis population-based prospective cohort study included Swedish twins who were born in 1985-1986 and surveyed at 4 consecutive waves across childhood and adolescence until 2005. Through linkage to nationwide registries, participants were followed up from 2006 to 2018. Data analyses were conducted between September 2022 and April 2023.ExposuresInternalizing and externalizing problems, assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist. Participants were differentiated regarding duration of internalizing and externalizing problems (persistent, episodic, and noncases).Main outcomes and measuresUnemployment (180 days or more of being unemployed) and work disability (60 days or more of being sickness absent or disability pensioned) during follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were calculated to obtain cause-specific hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs in the whole cohort and exposure-discordant twin pairs.ResultsOf 2845 participants, 1464 (51.5%) were female. Incident unemployment was experienced by 944 (33.2%) and incident work disability by 522 (18.3%) participants. Compared with noncases, persistent internalizing problems were associated with unemployment (HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.27-1.92) and work disability (HR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.80-2.99). Similarly, compared with noncases, persistent externalizing problems were associated with unemployment (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.55-2.26) and work disability (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.87-3.03). Persistent cases had overall higher risks of adverse outcomes than episodic cases. After adjustment for familial factors, associations with unemployment were no longer statistically significant, whereas associations with work disability remained or were only slightly reduced.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of young Swedish twins, familial factors explained the associations between early-life persistent internalizing and externalizing problems and unemployment; such factors were comparatively less important for the association with work disability. This suggests nonshared environmental factors may be important for the risk of future work disability among young individuals with persistent internalizing and externalizing problems.

Dataset Information

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

Similar Datasets

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