Adverse childhood experiences and neurodevelopmental disorders among youth with and without prenatal substance exposure: A longitudinal matched register-based cohort study

Abstract

Background: Previous research has shown an association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and secondary mental health problems in youth with prenatal substance exposure (PSE), but the association between ACEs and neurodevelopmental disorders is less clear. Methods: This longitudinal register-based cohort study investigated relationships between health at birth, ACEs (out-of-home care (OHC) and maternal adversities), and neurodevelopmental disorders among youth with PSE (alcohol/drugs, n = 615) and matched unexposed controls ( n = 1787). Hospital medical records and register data were merged and analysed using Cox regression models. Results: Conduct and emotional disorders (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems ICD-10, F90–F94) were more common among the exposed than the controls but only when the exposed and controls with no OHC were compared. The difference appeared in hyperkinetic disorders (ADHD, F90), mixed disorders of conduct and emotions (F92) and emotional disorders with onset specific to childhood (F93). Among the exposed and controls with OHC, over 40% had received an F90–F94 diagnosis. Regarding specific developmental disorders (F80–F83, e.g., impairments in speech and language and scholastic skills) the moderate difference between the exposed and controls attenuated after adjustment for OHC. Again, the rates were highest among the exposed with OHC and the controls with OHC. OHC and maternal risks were interrelated and, together with male sex and low birth weight, were associated with neurodevelopmental disorders both among the exposed and controls and decreased the difference between them. Conclusions: A strong association between ACEs and neurodevelopmental disorders was found. Brain research is needed to examine whether ACEs worsen neurodevelopmental outcomes caused by PSE.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Suicide: A Narrative Review

“…Conversely, significant and positive associations between ACEs and neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders have been found, even after adjusting for other covariate factors [ 172 ]. In particular, the association between prenatal alcohol and drug exposure, ACEs, and diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders has been broadly studied [ 173 , 174 ]. Therefore, the burden of ACEs could be one of the main mediators of the association between NDDs and suicidality.…”

Cumulative risk factors for injuries and poisoning requiring hospital care in youth with prenatal substance exposure: A longitudinal controlled cohort study

“…PSE is associated with a complex set of highly interrelated adverse experiences ( Koponen et al, 2020a ), including sexual abuse, as the present study revealed. These traumatic experiences further increase the risk of mental and behavioural disorders, especially attention and conduct problems ( Koponen et al, 2022 ). The results suggest that PSE together with environmental adversities forms the major risk for injuries and poisoning.…”

Snow season: The normalisation of cocaine

“…Self-assessments of state authenticity – i.e., the experience of being true to oneself in a particular moment – collected from microdosers in the Netherlands indicate that feeling and behaving authentically play a central role in explaining the positive effects of microdosing on health and wellbeing that are reported by current research (Pop & Dinkelacker, 2024). Koponen and colleagues (2024) investigate cumulative risk factors for injuries and poisoning requiring hospital care in youth with prenatal substance exposure. Ruisniemi and colleagues (2024) discuss relational parenthood in addiction recovery and Balbuena and colleagues (2024) bring forth evidence on parental factors predicting social deviance and psychological outcomes in offspring from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).…”