Developmental Pathway Modeling in Considering Behavior Problems in Young Russian Children

Abstract

In planning interventions it is essential to understand how adverse risk factors in early childhood are associated with child mental health problems, whether some types of problems can be better explained by the specific risk factors, and whether early risk factors are differently related to different types of child behavior problems. A community sample of 692 1.5-3.5-year-old children from Northern Russia was assessed by means of maternal reports. The study compared two models for the development of internalizing (withdrawn, anxious/depressed) and externalizing (aggressive, destructive) behavior problems in relation to the same early risk factors using structural equation modeling. Findings suggested that the development of these problems is related to maternal psychological problems and alcohol use during pregnancy, and mediated by the continuing maternal and family dysfunction and compromised postnatal condition of the child. Results indicated good model fit for both internalizing and externalizing problems, and neither of the models fit significantly better than the other. Findings are discussed in terms of understanding developmental risk and informing intervention and prevention efforts.

What Research Is Being Done on Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the Russian Research Community?

“…These studies provide a description of neurodevelopmental, mental, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, metabolic and other disorders presented in children with PAE and/or FASD. (Semenov et al , 1987; Donetc, 1992; Erokhova and Bozhenov, 1997; Grjibovski et al , 2002, 2004; Khatckel and Popov, 2005, 2009a,b, 2011; Miller et al , 2006; Ruchkin et al , 2008; Palchik et al , 2009, 2011; Kashirskaya, 2010; Khoroshkina and Krivtcova, 2010; Sheffer, 2012). …”

A Multi-Domain Model of Risk Factors for ODD Symptoms in a Community Sample of 4-Year-Olds

“…Studies of a single mediator are relatively common, e.g., see the Grant et al (2003) discussion of mediational models for stress and child psychopathology. Studies exploring complex models of pathways leading to child psychopathology, however, are still uncommon (Pickles and Hill 2006), with studies by Ruchkin et al (2008) and Smeekens et al (2007) being notable exceptions. Studies including multiple domains may also reduce the problem of omitted variables, i.e., variables associated with outcomes that were omitted from a study's causal model.…”

A Systematic Review of Household and Family Alcohol Use and Childhood Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…A number of studies used validated questionnaires to assess childhood behavioural problems which included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [ 45 , 53 , 55 , 58 , 62 ], Childhood Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) [ 47 , 56 , 57 , 60 , 61 ], Childhood Psychopathology Measurement Schedule (CPMS) [ 50 , 51 , 59 ], the Rutter A2 Scale of Behaviour [ 52 ], and Youth Self-Report [ 63 ], whereas three studies [ 46 , 48 , 59 ] included development disorders, namely oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) as neurodevelopment outcomes (Supplementary Table S1).…”

“…In a second South African study, Nothling et al (2013), found that maternal alcohol abuse did not have significant explanatory power for child behaviour problems in various models [61]. Ruchkin et al (2008) in Russian children found children's aggressive and destructive behaviour to be significantly and positively (albeit weakly) correlated with alcohol amount, but not with alcohol frequency [57]. In an Ukrainian study, Burlaka et al (2017) used the Youth Self-Report questionnaire (which is a parallel form to the CBCL) specifically looking at maternal alcohol use, and found no statistically significant correlation with child internalisation problems [63].…”

“…Overall, 10 studies [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] described an overall significant correlation and/or association between alcohol exposure in household and a higher prevalence and/or severity of childhood behavioural problems/disorders. Six papers showed mixed results [55][56][57][58][59][60], whereas three papers [61][62][63] did not demonstrate any significant correlation and/or association.…”