Hatch Stephani L, Jones Peter B, Kuh Diana, Hardy Rebecca, Wadsworth Michael E J, Richards Marcus
Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Soc Sci Med. 2007 Jun;64(11):2285-96. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.02.027. Epub 2007 Mar 29.
We examined whether childhood cognitive ability was associated with two mental health outcomes at age 53 years: the 28 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) as a measure of internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the CAGE screen for potential alcohol abuse as an externalising disorder. A total of 1875 participants were included from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, also known as the British 1946 birth cohort. The results indicated that higher childhood cognitive ability was associated with reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression GHQ-28 scores in women, and increased risk of potential alcohol abuse in both men and women. Results were adjusted for educational attainment, early socioeconomic status (SES) and adverse circumstances, and adult SES, adverse circumstances, and negative health behaviours. After adjusting for childhood cognitive ability, greater educational attainment was associated with reporting greater symptoms of anxiety and depression on the GHQ-28. Although undoubtedly interrelated, our evidence on the diverging effects of childhood cognitive ability and educational attainment on anxiety and depression in mid-adulthood highlights the need for the two to be considered independently. While higher childhood cognitive ability is associated with fewer internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression in women, it places both men and women at higher risk for potential alcohol abuse. Further research is needed to examine possible psychosocial mechanisms that may be associated with both higher childhood cognitive ability and greater risk for alcohol abuse. In addition, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the gender-specific link between childhood cognitive ability and the risk of experiencing internalising disorders in mid-adulthood warrants further consideration.
我们研究了儿童时期的认知能力是否与53岁时的两种心理健康结果相关：用28项一般健康问卷（GHQ - 28）来衡量焦虑和抑郁的内化症状，以及用CAGE筛查潜在酒精滥用作为外化障碍。共有1875名参与者来自医学研究理事会全国健康与发展调查，也被称为英国1946年出生队列。结果表明，儿童时期较高的认知能力与女性报告较少的焦虑和抑郁症状（GHQ - 28得分）相关，并且与男性和女性潜在酒精滥用风险增加相关。结果针对教育程度、早期社会经济地位（SES）和不利环境，以及成人SES、不利环境和不良健康行为进行了调整。在调整儿童认知能力后，更高的教育程度与在GHQ - 28上报告更多的焦虑和抑郁症状相关。虽然无疑相互关联，但我们关于儿童认知能力和教育程度对中年焦虑和抑郁的不同影响的证据凸显了需要将两者独立考虑。虽然儿童时期较高的认知能力与女性较少的焦虑和抑郁内化症状相关，但它使男性和女性面临更高的潜在酒精滥用风险。需要进一步研究以检查可能与儿童时期较高认知能力和更高酒精滥用风险相关的心理社会机制。此外，儿童认知能力与中年内化障碍风险之间性别特异性联系的潜在机制值得进一步考虑。
