Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2021 Apr;62(4):382-391. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13260. Epub 2020 May 14.
Early adversity consistently predicts youth psychopathology. However, the pathways linking unique dimensions of early adversity, such as deprivation, to psychopathology are understudied. Here, we evaluate a theoretical model linking early deprivation exposure with psychopathology prospectively through language ability.
Participants included 2,301 youth (47.5% female) enrolled in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. We include data from assessment points at ages 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15. Latent factors for deprivation and threat were modeled from multiple indicators at ages 1 and 3. Youth language ability was assessed at Age 5. Indicators of psychopathology were assessed at ages 5, 9, and 15. A structural equation model tested longitudinal paths to internalizing and externalizing psychopathology from experiences of deprivation and threat.
Deprivation from birth to Age 3 was associated with an indirect effect on internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early childhood (Age 5), later childhood (Age 9), and adolescence (Age 15) via language ability in early childhood (Age 5). Early threat exposure was associated with increased internalizing and externalizing psychopathology across all ages. There was no significant indirect effect from threat to psychopathology via language ability.
The effects of deprivation on psychopathology during early childhood, late childhood, and adolescence are explained, in part, through early childhood language ability. Results provide insight into language ability as a possible opportunity for intervention.
早期逆境始终预示着青少年精神病理学。然而，将早期逆境的独特维度（如剥夺）与精神病理学联系起来的途径研究不足。在这里，我们通过语言能力前瞻性地评估了一个将早期剥夺暴露与精神病理学联系起来的理论模型。
参与者包括 2301 名青少年（47.5%为女性），他们参加了脆弱家庭和儿童福利研究。我们纳入了年龄为 1 岁、3 岁、5 岁、9 岁和 15 岁时的评估数据。从 1 岁和 3 岁的多个指标中对剥夺和威胁的潜在因素进行建模。5 岁时评估青少年的语言能力。5 岁、9 岁和 15 岁时评估精神病理学的指标。结构方程模型测试了从剥夺和威胁经历到内化和外化精神病理学的纵向路径。
从出生到 3 岁的剥夺与儿童早期（5 岁）、后期儿童期（9 岁）和青春期（15 岁）的内化和外化症状通过儿童早期（5 岁）的语言能力呈间接相关。早期的威胁暴露与所有年龄段的内化和外化精神病理学都有关。威胁对精神病理学的间接影响没有通过语言能力来解释。
剥夺对儿童早期、后期儿童期和青春期精神病理学的影响，部分通过儿童早期的语言能力来解释。研究结果为语言能力作为一种可能的干预机会提供了深入了解。
