Friendship and social functioning following early institutional rearing: The role of ADHD symptoms

Abstract

Early institutional rearing is associated with increased risk for subsequent peer relationship difficulties, but the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. Friendship characteristics, social behaviors with peers, normed assessments of social problems, and social cue use were assessed in 142 children (mean age = 10.06, SD = 2.02; range 7–13 years), of whom 67 were previously institutionalized (PI), and 75 were raised by their biological families. Anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, often elevated among PI children, were examined as potential mediators of PI status and baseline social functioning and longitudinal follow-ups (2 and 4 years later). Twenty-seven percent of PI children fell above the Child Behavior Checklist Social Problems cutoff. An examination of specific social behaviors with peers indicated that PI and comparison children did not differ in empathic concern or peer social approach, though parents were more likely to endorse aggression/overarousal as a reason that PI children might struggle with friendships. Comparison children outperformed PI children in computerized testing of social cue use learning. Finally, across these measures, social difficulties exhibited in the PI group were mediated by ADHD symptoms with predicted social problems assessed 4 years later. These findings show that, when PI children struggle with friendships, mechanisms involving attention and behavior regulation are likely contributors.

Signs of attachment disorders and social functioning among early adolescents with a history of institutional care

“…Finally, while this study focused on signs of attachment disorders and social functioning in children with a history of institutional care, it is likely that other domains of psychopathology and early life adversity are relevant. For example, symptoms of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a common behavioral phenotype found in children with a history of deprivation, as well as experiences of childhood maltreatment have been associated with deficits in social functioning reported by both caregivers and teachers (Humphreys, Gabard-Durnam, et al, 2017;Rogosch, Cicchetti, & Aber, 1995). The issue of comorbidity between signs of RAD and DSED and other forms of psychopathology in the prediction of social functioning could be important.…”

“…Domains of social functioning include appropriate assertiveness, self-regulation, and navigating social conflict (e.g., relational victimization and bullying), and reports of social functioning can differ based on context and informant (e.g., home/caregivers vs. school/teachers). Recent findings suggest that difficulties in social functioning observed among children with a history of institutional care include a lack of social approach and increased aggression/overarousal with peers (Humphreys, Gabard-Durnam, et al, 2017). Therefore, assessing multiple domains of social functioning will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of which domains of social functioning are most associated with RAD and DSED.…”

Self-reported neglect, amygdala volume, and symptoms of anxiety in adolescent boys

“…Based on the results of previous studies that examined hemispheric interactions (Mehta et al, 2009; Pechtel et al, 2014) and on recent evidence that stress has lateralized effects on the brain that often implicate the right side (Ocklenburg, Korte, Peterburs, Wolf, & Güntürkün, 2016), we hypothesized that neglect would be associated more strongly with right than with left amygdala volume, and again, to a greater extent in boys than in girls. Finally, given the link between neglect and anxiety (Humphreys, Gabard-Durnam, et al, 2017; Zeanah et al, 2009) and given that amygdala plays an important role in anxiety in individuals with (Gee et al, 2013; Tottenham et al, 2010, 2011) and without (Barrós-Loscertales et al, 2006; De Bellis et al, 2000) histories of neglect, we examined whether amygdala volume would mediate the association between self-reported neglect and symptoms of anxiety.…”

Neural meaning making, prediction, and prefrontal–subcortical development following early adverse caregiving

“…The current framework also generates hypotheses about whether schematic representations in mPFC–subcortical circuitry provide additional, more meaning-making explanations for the longer term emotional/social difficulties following crEA exposure (Hanson, Nacewicz, et al, 2015c; Humphreys et al, 2019; Thomason & Marusak, 2017; VanTieghem & Tottenham, 2017). The risk for long-term mental health problems are apparent even once the adverse caregiving environment is removed (for a review, see Golm et al, 2020; Gunnar, 2001).…”