Predictors of Emotional and Behavioral Problems in 1‐year‐old Children: A Longitudinal Perspective

Abstract

Emotional and behavioral problems at an early age can reasonably be considered a high-risk factor for later mental health disorders. The aim of the article is to reveal predictive factors of 1½-year-old children's emotional and behavioral problems. The study was a part of a prospective birth-cohort study. The study sample consisted of 172 full-term infants (born during Gestational Weeks 37-42) and their mothers. Emotional and behavioral problems at the age of 1½ years were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½-5 (T. Achenbach & L. Rescorla, 2000), which was completed by mothers. Emotional and behavioral problems at age of 1½ years were more prevalent in infants born via cesarean section, as compared to infants born vaginally without administration of medication. Newborns' suboptimal functioning after birth, complicated emotional acceptance of pregnancy, a couple's nonsatisfactory relationship during pregnancy, maternal distress during pregnancy and in the first months after childbirth, and inflexible and parent-oriented attitudes toward infant-rearing also predicted children's emotional and behavioral problems independent of sociodemographic factors. Results suggest that biomedical and psychosocial factors which manifest themselves in the prenatal and perinatal periods can have associations with later infant and child mental health.

Queixas iniciais no processo de psicoterapia pais-bebê

“…Visto que as crianças são diretamente vulneráveis ao impacto do humor deprimido de suas mães, a depressão materna também produz repercussões na relação mãe-bebê no período do puerpério e nos anos subsequentes dessa relação, mostrando a importância do cuidado da saúde mental da mãe e do bebê no período pós-parto (Milgrom e Gemmill, 2014 (Golse, 2002). Atualmente, é consenso na literatura científica a importância dos três primeiros anos de vida do bebê para um desenvolvimento saudável (Correa e Correa Filho, 2002;Sirvinskiene et al, 2016;Van den Bergh, 2011).…”

Risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems in moderately-late preterms

“…Poorer longitudinal postnatal growth was not found to be associated with emotional and behavioral problems at seven years of age [13], and a British study from 2001 [7] found several factors increasing the risk of school problems in MLPs, such as male sex and postnatal discharge from the special baby care unit beyond 36 weeks postmenstrual age. In contrast, studies among both early preterm born children (EPs, GA <32 weeks) and FTs report several factors to be associated with increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems [14–19]. The factors as identified regard several domains: parental-emotional (e.g.…”

“…The factors as identified regard several domains: parental-emotional (e.g. emotional maternal and couple problems [14], maternal smoking, and poor maternal physical and mental well-being [15,20]), delivery-related (e.g. blood loss during pregnancy [16], and caesarian section [14]), and neonatal (e.g.…”

“…emotional maternal and couple problems [14], maternal smoking, and poor maternal physical and mental well-being [15,20]), delivery-related (e.g. blood loss during pregnancy [16], and caesarian section [14]), and neonatal (e.g. male gender [14,17,21], and (prolonged) NICU admission [14,16,18]).…”

“…blood loss during pregnancy [16], and caesarian section [14]), and neonatal (e.g. male gender [14,17,21], and (prolonged) NICU admission [14,16,18]). Next risk factors and their effects may definitely be different for the group of MLPs.…”