Department of Developmental Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Psychol Med. 2010 Oct;40(10):1659-68. doi: 10.1017/S0033291709992091. Epub 2010 Jan 8.
There is growing evidence on the importance of experiences of stressful events in the development of psychopathology. This study aimed to investigate the role of stressful events in the continuity of internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as the cross-influence of these problems from early childhood to late adolescence.
Data came from a general population sample of 396 children followed from the ages of 3 to 18 years. Parent-ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems at ages 3, 5, 10 and 18 years were used. Parents also reported on the presence of stressful events between the ages of 3 and 5 years, and 5 and 10 years. Adolescent reports on stressful events over the ages of 10-18 years were used. Structural equation models were used to disentangle/analyse the role of stressful events in the development of internalizing and externalizing problems.
From the age of 3 years onwards externalizing symptoms predicted experiences of stressful events. In turn, these experiences predicted later externalizing problems. Stressful events also explained part of the continuity of internalizing problems from the age of 10 years onwards, but not during childhood. From childhood onwards, cross-influences from externalizing problems to subsequent internalizing problems were found to run through stressful events. Only in adolescence cross-influences from internalizing problems to externalizing problems were found, again via stressful events.
From childhood onwards to late adolescence, stressful events play a significant role in both the continuity and the co-occurrence of externalizing and internalizing problems. Theoretical and methodological implications of these findings are discussed.
越来越多的证据表明，应激事件体验在精神病理学的发展中具有重要作用。本研究旨在调查应激事件在内外问题连续性中的作用，以及这些问题从儿童早期到青少年晚期的交叉影响。
数据来自一个从 3 岁到 18 岁进行随访的一般人群样本，共 396 名儿童。在 3、5、10 和 18 岁时，父母对内外问题进行了评定。父母还报告了 3-5 岁和 5-10 岁之间的应激事件。青少年在 10-18 岁时报告了应激事件。使用结构方程模型来区分/分析应激事件在内外问题发展中的作用。
从 3 岁开始，外显症状预测了应激事件的发生。反过来，这些经历又预测了后来的外显问题。应激事件还解释了从 10 岁开始，内隐问题连续性的一部分，但在儿童期没有。从儿童期开始，外显问题对随后的内隐问题的交叉影响被发现是通过应激事件发生的。只有在青春期，内隐问题对外显问题的交叉影响才被发现，也是通过应激事件发生的。
从儿童期到青少年晚期，应激事件在外显和内隐问题的连续性和共病中都起着重要作用。讨论了这些发现的理论和方法学意义。
