Stable Prediction of Mood and Anxiety Disorders Based on Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Childhood: A 14-Year Follow-Up During Childhood, Adolescence, and Young Adulthood

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to predict the onset of mood and anxiety disorders from parent-reported emotional and behavioral problems in childhood across a 14-year period from childhood into young adulthood. Method:In 1983, parent reports of behavioral and emotional problems were obtained with the Child Behavior Checklist for children and adolescents 4-16 years of age from the Dutch general population. At follow-up 14 years later, lifetime mood and anxiety diagnoses were obtained by a standardized DSM-IV interview for 1,580 subjects. Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict the incidence of mood and anxiety disorders from childhood problems and demographic covariates.Results: Mood disorders were significantly predicted by high scores on the anxious/depressed scale and on the internalizing composite (withdrawn, somatic complaints, and anxious/depressed). Anxiety disorders were significantly predicted by the social problems scale and the externalizing composite (delinquent behavior and aggressive behavior). Anxiety disorders predominantly started in childhood and early adolescence, whereas the incidence of mood disorders increased sharply in adolescence and young adulthood. Conclusions:These results suggest different developmental pathways for mood and anxiety disorders. The predictions based on problem behavior remained stable during the 14-year period across adolescence and young adulthood. The results therefore underline the importance of early intervention and prevention of behavioral and emotional problems in childhood.

Exploring the complexity of the childhood trait–psychopathology association: Continuity, pathoplasty, and complication effects

“…Recent longitudinal studies, however, have demonstrated a natural plasticity of personality symptoms both in adulthood (Cohen, Crawford, Johnson, & Kasen, 2005;Lenzenweger, 1999;Livesley, 2005;Skodol et al, 2005;Zanarini, Frankenburg, Hennen, Reich, & Silk, 2005) and at younger ages (De Clercq, Van Leeuwen, Van den Noortgate, De Bolle, & De Fruyt, 2009). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that clinical symptoms and Axis I disorders display a higher stability over time than initially assumed (Briggs-Gowan et al, 2003;Costello, Mustillo, Erkanli, Keeler, & Angold, 2003;Roza, Hofstra, van der Ende, & Verhulst, 2003). In addition, a mass of literature reports on the substantial overlap between personality and psychopathology in adults (Widiger, 2003) and children (Tackett, 2006), including shared genetic etiological factors (Bienvenu, Hettema, Neale, Prescott, & Kendler, 2007;Krueger, Markon, Patrick, & Iacono, 2005).…”

“…More specifically, there has been a historical belief that personality disorders, in contrast to clinical disorders, reflect enduring patterns that are relatively stable over time. Recent longitudinal studies, however, have demonstrated a natural plasticity of personality symptoms both in adulthood (Cohen, Crawford, Johnson, & Kasen, 2005;Lenzenweger, 1999;Livesley, 2005;Skodol et al, 2005;Zanarini, Frankenburg, Hennen, Reich, & Silk, 2005) & Verhulst, 2003). In addition, a mass of literature reports on the substantial overlap between personality and psychopathology in adults (Widiger, 2003) and children (Tackett, 2006), including shared genetic etiological factors (Bienvenu, Hettema, Neale, Prescott, & Kendler, 2007;Krueger, Markon, Patrick, & Iacono, 2005).…”

“Caring involvement”: a core concept in youth counselling in school health services

“…Several studies show that both girls and boys report psychosocial problems that severely affect their daily life (Roza, van der Hofstra & Verhulst, 2003;Costello, Egger & Angold, 2005;Costello, Foley & Angold, 2006). Simultaneously, other studies reveal that youth in need professional support often forego mental health care (Hales et al, 2003;Elliott & Larson, 2004;Samargia, Saewyc & Elliott, 2006;Stephan, Weist, Kataoka, Adelsheim & Mills, 2007).…”

To what extent can we predict the future?

“…As in the study of Möricke et al (this issue), the Childhood Behavior Checklist is a frequently used instrument used for predicting the development of psychiatric disorders. A classical example is that mood disorders in adulthood are predicted by parent-reported internalizing behavior during childhood, whereas parent-reported social problems and externalizing behavior predict the development of anxiety disorders [17].…”