Search

Background: Regulatory problems (RPs; excessive crying, sleeping, or feeding difficulties) that co‐occur (i.e., multiple) or are persistent have been associated with cognitive and behavioral problems in childhood. However, it remains unknown if multiple or persistent RPs are associated with cognitive and behavioral problems in adulthood. Methods: This large prospective longitudinal study (N = 759) was conducted in two cohorts in Germany (N = 342) and Finland (N = 417). RPs were assessed at 5, 20, and 56 months via the same standardized parental interviews and neurological examinations. In young adulthood, questionnaires were used to assess behavioral problems. Cognitive functioning was assessed with IQ tests. We examined the effects of multiple or persistent RPs on the outcomes via analysis of covariance tests and logistic regression controlled for the influence of cohort. Results: Of 163 participants with RPs, 89 had multiple and 77 had persistent RPs. Adults who had early multiple or persistent RPs (N = 151) reported more internalizing (p =.001), externalizing (p =.020), and total behavioral problems (p =.001), and, specifically, more depressive (p =.012), somatic (p =.005), avoidant personality (p <.001), and antisocial personality problems (p =.006) than those who never had RPs (N = 596). Participants with multiple or persistent RPs were more likely to receive any ADHD diagnoses (p =.017), particularly of hyperactive/impulsive subtype (p =.032). In contrast, there were no associations between multiple or persistent RPs and IQ scores in young adulthood. Conclusions: The results indicate long‐lasting associations between multiple or persistent RPs and behavioral problems. Thus, screening for early RPs could help to identify children who are at risk for later behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Davis and Kramer (2021) in their commentary on our study (Bilgin & Wolke, 2020) state that we 'argue that leaving an infant to "cry it out", rather than responding to the child's cries, had no adverse effects on mother‐infant attachment at 18 months' (Davis & Kramer, 2021, p. 1). Instead, we wrote that 'contemporary practice by some parents to occasionally or often "leaving infant to cry it out" during the first 6 months was not associated with adverse behavioural development and attachment at 18 months' (p. 8). Based on the empirical findings of our observation study, we suggested that 'increased use of "leaving to cry it out" with age may indicate differential responding by mothers to aid the development of infant self‐regulation' (p. 8). Indeed, in an editorial of our study, the joint editor of this journal concluded that 'Bilgin and Wolke responsibly conclude that there is little reason to make definitive pronouncements to parents of young infants about how much to let them cry it out, given that both the attachment theory (responding promptly early promotes security) and learning theory (ignoring crying prevents dependency) formulations were unsupported by their findings' (Zeanah, 2020, p. 1172). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leaving infant to cry it out has been the subject of discussion among researchers and parents. Nevertheless, there is paucity of empirical research investigating the association between leaving infant to cry it out and consequent crying duration and frequency, mother–infant attachment and behavioural development. Methods: The sample with complete longitudinal data comprised 178 infants and their caretakers. Parental use of 'leaving infant to cry out' and cry duration were assessed with maternal report at term, 3, 6 and 18 months, and frequency of crying was assessed at term, 3 and 18 months of age. Attachment was measured at 18 months using the strange situation procedure. Behavioural development of the infant was assessed with two observational measures and a parent‐report questionnaire at 18 months. Results: The use of 'leaving infant to crying' was rare at term and increased over the next 18 months. 'Leaving infants to cry it out' at term was associated with a decrease in crying frequency at 3 months. Furthermore, leaving infants to cry it out a few times at term and often at 3 months was associated with shorter fuss/cry duration at 18 months of age. No adverse impacts of leaving infants to cry it out in the first 6 months on infant–mother attachment and behavioural development at 18 months were found. Conclusions: Contemporary practice of some parents in the United Kingdom to occasionally or often 'leaving infant to cry it out' during the first 6 months was not associated with adverse behavioural development and attachment at 18 months. Increased use of 'leaving to cry it out' with age may indicate differential responding by parents related to infant self‐regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rejection sensitivity and justice sensitivity are personality traits that are characterized by frequent perceptions and intense adverse responses to negative social cues. Whereas there is good evidence for associations between rejection sensitivity, justice sensitivity, and internalizing problems, no longitudinal studies have investigated their association with eating disorder (ED) pathology so far. Thus, the present study examined longitudinal relations between rejection sensitivity, justice sensitivity, and ED pathology. Method: Participants (N = 769) reported on their rejection sensitivity, justice sensitivity, and ED pathology at 9–19 (T1), 11–21 (T2), and 14–22 years of age (T3). Results: Latent cross‐lagged models showed longitudinal associations between ED pathology and anxious rejection sensitivity, observer and victim justice sensitivity. T1 and T2 ED pathology predicted higher T2 and T3 anxious rejection sensitivity, respectively. In turn, T2 anxious rejection sensitivity predicted more T3 ED pathology. T1 observer justice sensitivity predicted more T2 ED pathology, which predicted higher T3 observer justice sensitivity. Furthermore, T1 ED pathology predicted higher T2 victim justice sensitivity. Discussion Rejection sensitivity—particularly anxious rejection sensitivity—and justice sensitivity may be involved in the maintenance or worsening of ED pathology and should be considered by future research and in prevention and treatment of ED pathology. Also, mental health problems may increase rejection sensitivity and justice sensitivity traits in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early regulatory problems (RPs) are associated with childhood internalising and externalising symptoms. Internalising and externalising symptoms, in turn, are associated with adolescent psychopathology (e.g. personality disorders, depression). We examined whether RPs are directly associated with adolescent psychopathology, or whether associations are indirect via childhood internalising and externalising symptoms. Methods: We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Mothers reported on their child's RPs at 6, 15–18 and 24–30 months, and internalising and externalising symptoms at 4, 7, 8 and 9.5 years. Adolescent psychotic, depression and BPD symptoms were assessed at 11–12 years. Children were grouped by their patterns of co‐developing internalising and externalising symptoms using parallel process latent class growth analysis (PP‐LCGA). Path analysis was used to examine direct and indirect associations from RPs to the three adolescent outcomes. Results: There were four groups of children with distinct patterns of co‐developing internalising and externalising (INT/EXT) symptoms. Most children (53%) demonstrated low–moderate and stable levels of INT/EXT symptoms. A small proportion (7.7%) evidenced moderate and increasing INT and high stable EXT symptoms: this pattern was strongly predictive of adolescent psychopathology (e.g. depression at 11 years: unadjusted odds ratio = 5.62; 95% confidence intervals = 3.82, 8.27). The other two groups were differentially associated with adolescent outcomes (i.e. moderate–high increasing INT/moderate decreasing EXT predicted mother‐reported depression at 12, while low stable INT/moderate–high stable EXT predicted child‐reported depression at 11). In path analysis, RPs at each time‐point were significantly indirectly associated with symptoms of BPD and child‐ and mother‐reported depression symptoms via the most severe class of INT/EXT symptoms. Conclusions: Consistent with a cascade model of development, RPs are predictive of higher levels of co‐developing INT/EXT symptoms, which in turn increase risk of adolescent psychopathology. Clinicians should be aware of, and treat, early RPs to prevent chronic psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated if crying, sleeping or feeding problems that co-occur (multiple regulatory problems [RPs]) or are persistent predict attention problems and diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood and adulthood. Participants were 342 individuals who were assessed at 5, 20, and 56 months for crying, sleeping, and feeding (RPs) and at 6, 8, and 28 years for ADHD diagnoses, attention problems, and attention span. Infants/toddlers with multiple/persistent RPs had an increased risk of receiving an ADHD diagnosis both in childhood and adulthood compared to those who never had RPs. Multiple/persistent RPs were further associated with a high-decreasing attention problems trajectory from childhood to adulthood. Interventions to alleviate early RPs may prevent the development of attention problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]