Home screening questionnaire: Its validity in assessing home environment
To develop a quick, practical tool to identify home environments likely to be suboptimal for the development of children, we adapted segments of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory, which assesses the environments of children from birth to 6 years, and devised the Home Screening Questionnaire (HSQ). Whereas the HOME inventory requires a home visit, the HSQ consists of two forms, one for children from birth to 3 years, another for 3 to 6 years, that are completed by parents without a home visit. The questions are formulated at the third to sixth grade reading level and can be completed in 15 to 20 minutes. Scoring and interpretation by a professional takes 5 minutes. HSQ puestions were answered by more than 1500 parents of low-income families. Between 81% and 86% of the environments determined to be of concern by the HOME inventory were identified by the briefer and less expensive HSQ. Thus the HSQ readily lends itself to use by health care providers who serve low-income families.
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Socioeconomic status and parenting-related differences in preschoolers' working memory
2024, Learning and Individual DifferencesThe relations between socioeconomic status (SES), parenting-related factors, and children's cognitive ability are well-documented. However, limited research has investigated whether there are interactions between SES and parenting-related factors in their association with children's cognitive performance. In this study, we used an extensive battery of SES and parenting-related measures to examine their association with kindergarten children's working memory (WM). Children (N = 190) were recruited from five kindergartens in Bangkok, Thailand, and were administered three WM tasks. Caregivers completed a questionnaire on their SES, parenting stress, parenting behaviours, and provision of cognitive stimulation. Multiple-indicators-multiple-causes models revealed that income and cognitive stimulation were unique explanatory variables for WM and had greater explanatory power than other SES and parenting-related factors. Several SES indicators interacted with parenting-related factors. Specifically, a negative association between permissive parenting and WM and a positive association between cognitive stimulation and WM were found only among families whose mothers were less educated and among those with less prestigious occupations, respectively. A negative association between parenting stress and WM was found only among the highest-income families and among those with highly educated mothers. These findings underscore the importance of considering the interactive roles of both SES and parenting-related factors on children's cognitive capabilities. These findings provide information on the families that WM interventions should best target.
This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between family socioeconomic status (SES) and parenting-related factors on kindergarten children's working memory in Thailand. The findings showed that parenting-related variables do not have uniform relations with WM but vary depending on socioeconomic status. Specifically, permissive parenting and cognitive stimulation were only related to WM when mothers were less educated or had less prestigious occupational status. In contrast, parenting stress was associated with WM only among families with the highest income and whose mothers were the most educated. The results suggest that interventions should be customized according to these SES and parenting variables. Less educated parents may benefit from guidance on setting appropriate boundaries, while affluent, highly educated parents may require support in stress management.
Prenatal exposure to phthalates and emotional/behavioral development in young children
2023, NeuroToxicologyEndocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates, found in our daily environment, are nowadays suggested to be associated with adverse outcomes. Prenatal exposure was found associated with neurodevelopmental complications such as behavioral difficulties in school age children.
To explore the association between intrauterine exposure to phthalates and emotional/behavioral development of 24 months old toddlers.
Women were recruited at 11–18 weeks of gestation and provided spot urine samples, analyzed for phthalate metabolites (DEHP, DiNP, MBzBP). Offspring were examined at 24 months of age, using standard maternal report, regarding developmental and behavioral problems (CBCL, ASQ-3, HOME questionnaires) (N = 158). To explore the associations between metabolite levels and developmental outcomes, multivariate GLM analysis (General Linear Model) was used according to tertiles and developmental scores on each developmental outcome.
Associations of Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) maternal exposure with behavioral-developmental outcomes were found only in boys. Compared with boys with lower DEHP maternal exposure, boys with high DEHP maternal exposure had lower developmental score in personal social abilities in the ASQ-3 questionnaire (50.68 + 8.06 and 44.14 + 11.02, high and low DEHP, respectively, p = 0.03), and more internalizing problems (for example, emotionally reactive score in high and low DEHP: 53.77 + 7.41 and 50.50 + 1.19, respectively, p = 0.029; anxious or depressed score: 53.38 + 5.01 and 50.75 + 1.34, respectively, p = 0.009; and somatic complaints scores 64.03 + 10.1 and 55.84 + 7.84, respectively, p = 0.003), and externalizing problems (49.28 + 8.59 and 43.33 + 9.11, respectively, p = 0.039). No differences were found in the development and behavior problems between high and low DEHP maternal exposure level in girls.
Maternal DEHP metabolite concentrations measured in first trimester urine was associated with children’s emotional/behavioral developmental problems in 24-months old boys, supporting accumulating evidence of DEHP as a potentially harming chemical and call for environmental attention.
Early Childhood Lutein and Zeaxanthin Intake Is Positively Associated with Early Childhood Receptive Vocabulary and Mid-Childhood Executive Function But No Other Cognitive or Behavioral Outcomes in Project Viva
2022, Journal of NutritionLutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids associated with better cognition in older adults. Recent evidence suggests that their dietary intake may also have cognitive implications in childhood.
The aim was to examine associations of early childhood lutein and zeaxanthin (L/Z) intake with cognition in early and mid-childhood.
Among 1378 children in Project Viva, a prospective cohort, mothers reported their child’s dietary intake in early childhood (median: 3.2 y) using a food-frequency questionnaire. Child cognition and behavior were assessed at the same time point using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III) and the Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities (WRAVMA) and at mid-childhood (median: 7.7 y) using the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, the WRAVMA drawing subtest, the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
Children consumed a daily mean (SD) of 1.0 (0.4) mg L/Z in early childhood. Children in the third-quartile category of L/Z intake had a mean PPVT-III score 2.40 (95% CI: 0.27, 4.53) points higher than children in the lowest quartile category in early childhood, suggesting better receptive vocabulary. Children in the highest quartile category of L/Z intake had a parent-reported mean BRIEF Global Executive Composite score 1.65 (95% CI: −3.27, −0.03) points lower than children in the lowest quartile category in mid-childhood, indicating better executive function. We did not observe associations between L/Z intake and any of the other cognitive or behavioral outcomes assessed.
The overall findings do not provide strong evidence of an association between child L/Z intake and cognition and behavior. However, the positive associations found between early childhood L/Z intake and early childhood receptive vocabulary and mid-childhood executive function, in addition to previous evidence of neurodevelopmental benefit of L/Z intake, suggest that this relation deserves further investigation.
Diathesis-stress or differential susceptibility? Comparing the theories when determining the outcomes for children born before 33 weeks' gestation
2022, Acta PsychologicaInfants born preterm (less than 37 weeks completed gestation) have a higher risk of suboptimal cognitive and behavioral outcomes when compared with their term-born counterparts. The risk and severity of poor outcome increases as gestational age at birth decreases; however, not all children born preterm will develop deficits, and environmental influences post birth may have a role in shaping developmental outcomes. Whilst early preterm birth is not preventable, it may be possible to intervene after birth via the environment in order to improve outcomes. The diathesis-stress theory hypothesizes that vulnerable individuals will have worse outcomes after a negative environmental exposure, whereas the differential susceptibility theory posits that vulnerable (or plastic) individuals can be both adversely and positively affected by environmental factors. These two theories were compared in 535 children born <33 weeks' gestation. The interaction between the degree of prematurity and the home environment (as measured by the Home Screening Questionnaire) at 18 months on cognition (Intelligence Quotient from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence) and behavior (Total Difficulties Score from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) at 7 years was explored. Evidence was not found for either theory, although a supportive/stimulating home environment appeared to contribute to a decrease in the risk or severity of suboptimal scores. Future research is needed to establish stronger evidence in order to inform interventions to improve the home environment of children born preterm.
Prenatal urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and toddler cognition, language, and behavior
2022, Environment InternationalAnimal and epidemiological studies suggest that prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may negatively impact toddler neurodevelopment.
We investigated this association in 835 mother–child pairs from CANDLE, a diverse pregnancy cohort in the mid-South region of the U.S. PAH metabolite concentrations were measured in mid-pregnancy maternal urine. Cognitive and Language composite scores at ages 2 and 3 years were derived from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (Bayley-3). Behavior Problem and Competence scores at age 2 were derived from the Brief Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA). We used multivariate linear or Poisson regression to estimate associations with continuous scores and relative risks (RR) of neurodevelopment delay or behavior problems per 2-fold increase in PAH, adjusted for maternal health, nutrition, and socioeconomic status. Secondary analyses investigated associations with PAH mixture using Weighted Quantile Sum Regression (WQS) with a permutation test extension.
1- hydroxypyrene was associated with elevated relative risk for Neurodevelopmental Delay at age 2 (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03,1.39). Contrary to hypotheses, 1-hydroxynaphthalene was associated with lower risk for Behavior Problems at age 2 (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83,0.98), and combined 1- and 9-hydroxyphenanthrene was associated with 0.52-point higher (95% CI: 0.11,0.93) Cognitive score at age 3. For PAH mixtures, a quintile increase in hydroxy-PAH mixture was associated with lower Language score at age 2 (βwqs = −1.59; 95% CI: −2.84, −0.34; ppermutation = 0.07) and higher Cognitive score at age 3 (βwqs = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.11, 1.82; ppermutation = 0.05). All other estimates were consistent with null associations.
In this large southern U.S. population we observed some support for adverse associations between PAHs and neurodevelopment.
Prenatal and childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and child executive function and behavioral problems
2021, Environmental ResearchEarly life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may adversely impact neurodevelopment, but epidemiological findings are inconsistent. In the Project Viva pre-birth cohort, we examined associations of prenatal and childhood PFAS plasma concentrations with parent and teacher assessments of children's behavior problems [Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)] and executive function abilities [Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)] at age 6–10 years (sample sizes 485–933). PFAS concentrations in pregnant Project Viva mothers (in 1999–2002) and children at ages 6–10 (in 2007–10) were similar to concentrations at similar time points in women and children in the nationally representative U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We observed no consistent associations of prenatal PFAS concentrations with behavior or executive function. Childhood concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) were associated with higher parent-rated SDQ Total Difficulties scores (mean = 6.7, standard deviation (SD) = 4.9), suggesting greater behavioral problems (top (Q4) versus bottom (Q1) quartile PFOA: 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3, 2.7; PFOS: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.3, 2.5; PFHxS: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.3; PFNA: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 2.2; PFDA: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.0, 1.1); teacher-rated SDQ scores did not show associations. Higher childhood PFOS was associated with higher (indicating more problems) parent-rated BRIEF General Executive Composite (GEC) scores (standardized to mean = 50, SD = 10) (Q4 vs. Q1: 2.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 4.6), while teacher BRIEF GEC scores indicated more problems among children with higher PFHxS (Q4 vs. Q1: 3.5, 95% CI: −0.8, 6.3). There were no consistent patterns of sexual dimorphism in associations. In a cohort of U.S. children, we observed cross-sectional associations of childhood PFAS concentrations with greater behavioral and executive function problems, but no consistent associations with prenatal PFAS.