Cross-cohort change in adolescent outcomes for children with mental health problems

Sellers, Ruth, Warne, Naomi, Pickles, Andrew, Maughan, Barbara, Thapar, Anita ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3689-737X and Collishaw, Stephan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4296-820X 2019. Cross-cohort change in adolescent outcomes for children with mental health problems. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 60 (7) , pp. 813-821. 10.1111/jcpp.13029

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (203kB) | Preview

Abstract

Background Child mental health problems are common. Previous studies have examined secular changes in their prevalence but have not assessed whether later outcomes have changed. We therefore aimed to test whether outcomes of child mental health problems have changed over a 40‐year period. Methods Three cohorts were utilized: The National Child Development Study (NCDS: N = 14,544, aged 7 in 1965), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC: N = 8,188, aged 7 in 1998), and the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS: N = 13,192, aged 7 in 2008). Mental health problems at age 7 were identified using the parent‐reported Rutter‐A scale (NCDS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (ALSPAC and MCS). Associated outcomes were compared across cohorts: age 11 social functioning, age 16 exam attainment and age 16 mental health. Results Child mental health problems were common in each cohort (boys: 7.0%–9.7%; girls: 5.4%–8.4%). Child mental health problems became more strongly associated with social functioning problems (boys: NCDS OR = 1.95 (1.50, 2.53), MCS OR = 3.77 (2.89, 4.92); interaction p < .001; girls: NCDS OR = 1.69 (1.22, 2.33), MCS OR = 3.99 (3.04, 5.25), interaction p < .001), lower academic attainment for boys (NCDS OR = 0.49 (0.31, 0.78), ALSPAC OR = 0.30 (0.22, 0.41), interaction p = .009), and age 16 mental health problems (boys: NCDS d′ = 0.55 (0.38, 0.72), ALSPAC d′ = 0.95 (0.73, 1.16); interaction p = .004; girls: NCDS d′ = 0.50 (0.34, 0.65), ALSPAC d′ = 0.99 (0.78, 1.20); interaction p < .001). Conclusions Child mental health problems have become more strongly associated with negative social, educational and mental health outcomes in recent generations.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0021-9630
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 January 2019
Date of Acceptance:	8 January 2019
Last Modified:	06 May 2023 12:12
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/118237

Citation Data

Cited 70 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item