Cohort Profile Update: The China Jintan Child Cohort Study

2018

Child Abuse & Neglect

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Although there is a substantial amount of literature documenting the relationship between child abuse and behavioral problems in China, there is, on the other hand, a limited number of studies on the joint and unique associations of maternal and paternal physical abuse with child behaviors within the Chinese context. The present study, using the family systems theory as the theoretical framework, aims to examine these joint and the unique associations of maternal and paternal physical abuse with externalizing and internalizing behaviors among a community sample of Chinese children. A total of 296 children (54.7% boys, mean age 12.31±0.56years) from two-parent families participated in the study, and they reported their physical abuse experience by their mother and father in the previous year using the Chinese version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. Participants, using the Youth Self Report, reported personal externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and, similarly, their mothers, using the Child Behavior Checklist, assessed children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Linear mixed effect models with random intercept and slope were used to examine the joint and unique associations of maternal and paternal physical abuse with child externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Results revealed that physically abused children were more likely to be simultaneously abused by both mothers and fathers. Furthermore, when compared with their non-abused counterparts, children with physical abuse that was carried out solely by mothers (externalizing behaviors: β=6.71, 95% CI=2.45-10.98, p<0.01; internalizing behaviors: β=4.52, 95% CI=0.37-8.66, p<0.05) or by both mothers and fathers (externalizing behaviors: β=4.52, 95% CI=1.80-7.24, p<0.001; internalizing behaviors: β=2.98, 95% CI=0.34-5.61, p<0.05) reported more externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Externalizing and internalizing behaviors of children who were physically abused solely by fathers did not significantly differ from those of their non-abused counterparts, which may result from the small sample size. The present findings suggest that maternal physical abuse may have a dominant and unique association with child behaviors, regardless of whether paternal physical abuse occurs within the family. Implications for future research and practice within the Chinese context regarding the subject of child behaviors and parental abuse are discussed.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All children were invited to participate in a child abuse survey in 2013. Details about the cohort study were described elsewhere (Liu et al, 2015, 2011, 2010). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and paternal physical abuse: Unique and joint associations with child behavioral problems

Cui

Deatrick

2018

Child Abuse & Neglect

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“…The present study is part of the China Jintan Child Cohort Study, which aims to study the impact of early health factors on children/adolescents’ long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes (Liu et al, 2010, 2015). This longitudinal study used a multiple-stage sampling method and enrolled 1,656 Chinese children (55.5% boys, 44.5% girls), aged 3–5 years, in Jintan City in 2004 (Jintan City became the Jintan District of Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province on June 1, 2015).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other covariates included age, sex, and the years of formal education that the participant’s mother and father had received since elementary school. We reported the detailed data collection procedures for covariates in Liu et al (2015).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurocognitive Function Is Associated With Serum Iron Status in Early Adolescents

Cui

Biological Research For Nursing

2017

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Objective The association between iron and neurocognition remains underexplored in adolescents, and the neurocognitive effects of low and high iron levels have yet to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships of low and high iron levels with neurocognitive domains in early adolescents. Method The sample comprised 428 adolescents (12.0 ± 0.4 years) from Jintan, China. Serum iron concentrations were analyzed from venous blood samples and classified into low, normal, and high levels according to the clinical reference range 75–175 μg/dl. Neurocognition was measured by the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery and Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Generalized linear regression was used to analyze relationships. Results Prevalence rates of iron deficiency, normal iron, and high iron were 13.8%, 76.4%, and 9.8%, respectively. Compared with normal levels, iron deficiency was associated with slower performance in tasks that measured abstraction and mental flexibility (β = 107.5, p = .03) and spatial processing ability (β = 917.2, p = .04). High serum iron was associated with less accuracy in the spatial processing ability task (β = −2.2, p = .03) and a longer reaction time in the task assessing abstraction and mental flexibility (β = 702.8, p = .046) compared to normal levels. Conclusion Both iron deficiency and high iron levels contribute to reduced neurocognitive performance in a domain-specific manner in early adolescents. The dual burden of iron under- and overnutrition should be incorporated into future interventions for improving brain development and cognitive function in adolescents, especially in a Chinese context.

“…This study draws on data from the China Jintan Preschool Cohort Study 42,43 , a prospective longitudinal study that aims to understand the impact of early health factors on children's and adolescents' long-term physical and mental health outcomes. The children were initially recruited in 2005 when they were in preschool in Jintan City, located in the southeastern coastal region of China.…”

Section: Study Design and Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Midday napping in children: associations between nap frequency and duration across cognitive, positive psychological well-being, behavioral, and metabolic health outcomes

Feng

et al. 2019

Sleep

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Study Objectives Poor sleep and daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents have short- and long-term consequences on various aspects of health. Midday napping may be a useful strategy to reduce such negative impacts. The effect of habitual napping on a wide spectrum of cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and metabolic outcomes has not been systematically investigated. Methods This study characterized midday napping habits in 3819 elementary school children from the China Jintan Cohort Study. In 2011, weekly nap frequency and average duration were collected once from students at grades 4–6. Prior to their completion of elementary school at grade 6 (in 2011–2013 respective to each grade), the following outcomes were collected once: behavioral and academic achievement evaluated by teachers, and self-reported positive psychology measures including grit, self-control, and happiness. IQ tests were conducted on a subgroup. Metabolic indices, including body mass index and fasting glucose concentration, were measured through physical exams. For the whole sample, we assessed associations between napping and each outcome, adjusted for sex, grade, school location, parental education, and time in bed at night. We also conducted stratified analyses on grade 6 (cross-sectional), grade 4 (2-year gap), and grade 5 (1-year gap) data. Results Overall, napping was significantly associated with higher happiness, grit, and self-control, reduced internalizing behavior problem, higher verbal IQs, and better academic achievement, although specific patterns varied across frequency and duration for different outcomes. More limited significant associations were found for decreased externalizing behavior problems, compared to non-nappers, while no significant associations were found for performance IQ and metabolic outcomes. Conclusions Results indicate benefits of regular napping across a wide range of adolescent outcomes, including better cognition, better psychological wellness, and reduced emotional/behavioral problems. The current study underscores the need for further large-scale intervention studies to establish causal effects.