BackgroundThe impact of childhood antisocial behaviour on future maladaptation has been acknowledged. Risk‐taking has been associated with antisocial behaviour in adolescents and adults, but its association with childhood antisocial behaviour is understudied. In this study, we explored the association of children's risk‐taking with antisocial behaviour in mainstream elementary schoolchildren studied longitudinally across 7–11 years.MethodsOne thousand and eighty‐six children (51% boys) were assessed in three annual waves. Antisocial behaviours (aggressive, covert antisocial and oppositional defiant behaviour) were assessed using teacher‐ and peer‐reports. Risk‐taking was measured using the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). The association of antisocial behaviour with risk‐taking was analysed using parallel growth models.ResultsChildren with higher levels of risk‐taking at age 7 showed increased growth in peer‐reported aggression from age 7 to 11. Risk‐taking, that is increased levels at age 7 in boys and increased growth in girls, predicted increased growth in peer‐reported oppositional defiant behaviour. Associations of risk‐taking with teacher‐reported aggression and covert antisocial behaviour were at trend level.ConclusionsResults indicated that already in childhood, among typically developing children, risk‐taking is associated with the development of antisocial behaviour. Future research focused on antisocial behaviour, but also school mental health workers and clinicians should take into account that already in childhood, risk‐taking might affect antisocial behaviour development.

The results suggested that pregnant women reporting anxiety problems should also be screened for sleeping problems, and vice versa, because women who experienced one of these pregnancy-related problems were also at risk of experiencing or developing the other problem.

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Although there is mounting evidence that the experience of being bullied associates with both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, it is not known yet whether the identified associations are specific to these symptoms, or shared between them. The primary focus of this study is to assess the prospective associations of bullying exposure with both general and specific (i.e., internalizing, externalizing) factors of psychopathology. This study included data from 6,210 children participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Child bullying was measured by self-report at ages 8 and 10 years. Child psychopathology symptoms were assessed by parent-interview, using the Development and Well-being Assessment (DAWBA) at ages 7 and 13 years. Bullying exposure significantly associated with the general psychopathology factor in early adolescence. In particular, chronically victimized youth exposed to multiple forms of bullying (i.e., both overt and relational) showed higher levels of general psychopathology. Bullying exposure also associated with both internalizing and externalizing factors from the correlated-factors model. However, the effect estimates for these factors decreased considerably in size and dropped to insignificant for the internalizing factor after extracting the shared variance that belongs to the general factor of psychopathology. Using an integrative longitudinal model, we found that higher levels of general psychopathology at age 7 also associated with bullying exposure at age 8 which, in turn, associated with general psychopathology at age 13 through its two-year continuity. Findings suggest that exposure to bullying is a risk factor for a more general vulnerability to psychopathology.

Research has shown lower rates of employment and independent living in adults with autism. Many of these findings are based on cross-sectional studies, predominantly involving male participants. In a 6-year longitudinal study, we examined determinants of psychosocial outcomes in 917 adults with autism spectrum disorder (425 men, 492 women, mean age 43.5 years). Most were diagnosed in adulthood and had (above) average intellectual abilities. Via a yearly online survey, participants’ objective psychosocial functioning (based on employment, independent living and friendship) and subjective well-being were assessed. Averaged across the five waves of the study, 86% of the sample showed a fair to very good level of objective psychosocial functioning. Objective psychosocial functioning and subjective well-being were positively correlated, and both improved over time. Lower intellectual ability, more autism traits, co-occurring psychiatric conditions and younger age predicted poorer objective outcomes. More autism traits and co-occurring psychiatric conditions predicted lower subjective well-being. There were no gender differences in initial levels of, or changes in, objective and subjective outcomes over time. This study has identified important risk/protective factors for psychosocial outcomes across early and middle adulthood. In general, the findings offer a more positive outlook for adults with autism and average to high intellectual abilities. Lay abstract Previous research has shown that relatively few adults with autism have a paid job or live on their own. However, outcomes also vary a lot and may depend on many different factors. In this study, we examined the level of functioning and happiness of 917 adults with autism (425 men and 492 women) aged 18–65 years. Most of them were of average to high intellectual ability. Over 6 years, we measured whether they had a paid job, close friendships and lived on their own (i.e. their objective functioning). We also measured how happy they felt. Objectively, most autistic adults did fairly to very well. Those with better objective outcomes (e.g. those with paid work) also tended to be happier. Most adults improved in objective functioning and happiness over 6 years. Participants with a lower intellectual ability, more autism traits, mental health problems and younger age had poorer objective outcomes. Participants with more autism traits and mental health problems were less happy. Autistic men and women functioned at similar levels and were equally happy. We found important factors that predict a better (or worse) outcome for autistic adults. Overall, compared with some previous research, our findings give a more positive picture of the outcomes for autistic adults with average to high intellectual abilities.