@article {268, title = {Criterion Validity and Utility of the General Factor of Psychopathology in Childhood: Predictive Associations With Independently Measured Severe Adverse Mental Health Outcomes in Adolescence}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Child \& Adolescent Psychiatry}, volume = {57}, year = {2018}, pages = {372 - 383}, abstract = {

Objective

We examined whether a parent-rated general factor of psychopathology in childhood would predict independently measured, severe adverse mental health outcomes in adolescence.

Method

We used the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden, which targets all twin children in Sweden. Parents rated their children (N = 16,806) on 43 symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, conduct problems, and anxiety/emotionality when the twins turned 9 or 12 years of age. Adverse mental health outcomes in adolescence were retrieved from national registers, and included psychiatric diagnoses, prescription of anxiolytic or antidepressant medication, court convictions of crimes, and failure to achieve eligibility for high school.

Results

Parent-rated inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, conduct problems, and anxiety/emotionality in childhood predicted all adverse mental health outcomes in adolescence (mean odds ratio = 1.76; range = 1.41\−2.18; all p \< .05). However, several of these associations were nonsignificant in a multiple regression framework, suggesting the influence of common variance. A general factor of psychopathology uniquely predicted all outcomes (mean odds ratio = 1.58; range = 1.34\−1.84; all p \< .05), whereas the specific factors predicted only a subset of the outcomes.

Conclusion

Mental health problems in childhood are associated with a host of adverse outcomes in adolescence, and, to a considerable extent, these associations are driven by a general factor of psychopathology. The general factor may therefore be important to clinical prognosis, which informs clinical decision making for children.

}, keywords = {-factor, bifactor, General factor of psychopathology, heterotypic continuity}, issn = {0890-8567}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.12.016}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856718301667}, author = {Erik Pettersson and Benjamin B Lahey and Henrik Larsson and Paul Lichtenstein} } @article {273, title = {Preconception and prenatal cannabis use and the risk of behavioural and emotional problems in the offspring; a multi-informant prospective longitudinal study}, journal = {International Journal of Epidemiology}, year = {2018}, pages = {dyy186}, abstract = {

Background:

Studies of the long-term consequences of maternal cannabis use on child development beyond the neonatal period are sparse. In the current study, we use a multi-information approach to assess the association of prenatal cannabis exposure and child behavioural and emotional functioning. To explore the possible causal nature of the association, we investigated whether maternal tobacco and paternal cannabis use during pregnancy were also associated with child problems.

Methods:

The study population included children of a population-based birth cohort in The Netherlands (n = 5903). Information on parental cannabis use was collected using questionnaires; urine of mothers was analysed for the presence of cannabis metabolites. Child behavioural and emotional problems at approximately 7-10\ years were measured using validated teacher-, child- and mother-reports.

Results:

Our findings show associations of maternal cannabis use during pregnancy with offspring externalising problems (B = 0.53; 95\% CI: 0.29-0.77), but not with internalising problems (B = -0.10; 95\% CI: -0.31-0.11). However, maternal cannabis use before pregnancy was also associated with offspring externalising problems (B = 0.27; 95\% CI: 0.02-0.52). Further, cannabis use by the father was associated with child externalising problems (B = 0.36; 95\% CI: 0.22-0.49) but not internalising problems.

Conclusions:

Prenatal exposure to maternal cannabis use is specifically associated with offspring behavioural problems, but not emotional problems. This association is probably not due to an effect of intrauterine cannabis exposure on fetal development, because both maternal and paternal cannabis exposure during pregnancy were related to offspring externalising problems. Our findings suggest that the association can be explained through residual confounding, most likely through shared genetic vulnerabilities for parental cannabis use and offspring behavioural problems.

}, doi = {10.1093/ije/dyy186}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyy186}, author = {Hanan El Marroun and Koen Bolhuis and Franken, Ingmar H A and Vincent W.V. Jaddoe and Manon H.J. Hillegers and Benjamin B Lahey and Henning Tiemeier} } @article {267, title = {ADHD Medication and Substance-Related Problems}, journal = {American Journal of Psychiatry}, volume = {174}, year = {2017}, pages = {877-885}, abstract = {

Objective: substance use disorders are major contributors to excess mortality among individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet associations between pharmacological ADHD treatment and substance-related problems remain unclear. This study investigated concurrent and long-term associations between ADHD medication treatment and substance-related events.

Method: the authors analyzed 2005\–2014 commercial health care claims from 2,993,887 (47.2\% female) adolescent and adult ADHD patients. Within-individual analyses compared the risk of substance-related events (i.e., emergency department visits related to substance use disorders) during months in which patients received prescribed stimulant medication or atomoxetine relative to the risk during months in which they did not.

Results: in adjusted within-individual comparisons, relative to periods in which patients did not receive ADHD medication, male patients had 35\% lower odds of concurrent substance-related events when receiving medication (odds ratio=0.65, 95\% CI=0.64\–0.67), and female patients had 31\% lower odds of concurrent substance-related events (odds ratio=0.69, 95\% CI=0.67\–0.71). Moreover, male patients had 19\% lower odds of substance-related events 2 years after medication periods (odds ratio=0.81, 95\% CI=0.78\–0.85), and female patients had 14\% lower odds of substance-related events 2 years after medication periods (odds ratio=0.86, 95\% CI= 0.82\–0.91). Sensitivity analyses supported most findings but were less consistent for long-term associations among women.

Conclusions: these results provide evidence that receiving ADHD medication is unlikely to be associated with greater risk of substance-related problems in adolescence or adulthood. Rather, medication was associated with lower concurrent risk of substance-related events and, at least among men, lower long-term risk of future substance-related events.

}, doi = {10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16060686}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16060686}, author = {Quinn, Patrick D. and Chang, Zheng and Hur, Kwan and Gibbons, Robert D. and Benjamin B Lahey and Rickert, Martin E. and Sj{\"o}lander, Arvid and Lichtenstein, Paul and Henrik Larsson and D{\textquoteright}Onofrio, Brian M.} } @article {265, title = {Relative Immaturity in Childhood and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms From Childhood to Early Adulthood: Exploring Genetic and Environmental Overlap Across Development}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Child \& Adolescent PsychiatryJournal of the American Academy of Child \& Adolescent Psychiatry}, volume = {55}, year = {2016}, month = {2016/10/01}, pages = {886 - 895}, abstract = {

ObjectiveAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to immaturity relative to peers in childhood, yet it is unclear how such immaturity is associated with ADHD across development. This longitudinal twin study examined the genetic and environmental contributions to the association between parents? perception of their child?s immaturity relative to peers (RI) in childhood and ADHD symptoms across development.ObjectiveAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to immaturity relative to peers in childhood, yet it is unclear how such immaturity is associated with ADHD across development. This longitudinal twin study examined the genetic and environmental contributions to the association between parents? perception of their child?s immaturity relative to peers (RI) in childhood and ADHD symptoms across development.

}, isbn = {0890-8567}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2016.06.014}, author = {Brikell, Isabell and Kuja-Halkola, Ralf and Larsson, Jan-Olov and Benjamin B Lahey and Kuntsi, Jonna and Lichtenstein, Paul and Rydelius, Per-Anders and Henrik Larsson} }