The Christchurch Child Development Study: a review of epidemiological findings

Fergusson, David M.; Horwood, L. John; Shannon, F. T.; Lawton, J. M.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-3016.1989.tb00382.x

Cited by 279 publications

(201 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…These children have been studied at birth, at 4 months, at 1 year, at annual intervals to age 16 years, and again at age 18, using information gathered from a combination of sources including parental interview, teacher report, standardized testing and interviews with the children, and medical records. 19 …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

1998

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ABSTRACT.Objective. This study examines the associations between duration of breastfeeding and childhood cognitive ability and academic achievement over the period from 8 to 18 years using data collected during the course of an 18-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of >1000 New Zealand children.Method. During the period from birth to age 1 year, information was collected on maternal breastfeeding practices. Over the period from 8 to 18 years, sample members were assessed on a range of measures of cognitive and academic outcomes including measures of child intelligence quotient; teacher ratings of school performance; standardized tests of reading comprehension, mathematics, and scholastic ability; pass rates in school leaving examinations; and leaving school without qualifications.Results. Increasing duration of breastfeeding was associated with consistent and statistically significant increases in 1) intelligence quotient assessed at ages 8 and 9 years; 2) reading comprehension, mathematical ability, and scholastic ability assessed during the period from 10 to 13 years; 3) teacher ratings of reading and mathematics assessed at 8 and 12 years; and 4) higher levels of attainment in school leaving examinations. Children who were breastfed for >8 months had mean test scores that were between 0.35 and 0.59 SD units higher than children who were bottle-fed.Mothers who elected to breastfeed tended to be older; better educated; from upper socioeconomic status families; were in a two-parent family; did not smoke during pregnancy; and experienced above average income and living standards. Additionally, rates of breastfeeding increased with increasing birth weight, and first-born children were more likely to be breastfed.Regression adjustment for maternal and other factors associated with breastfeeding reduced the associations between breastfeeding and cognitive or educational outcomes. Nonetheless, in 10 of the 12 models, fitted duration of breastfeeding remained a significant predictor of later cognitive or educational outcomes. After adjustment for confounding factors, children who were breastfed for >8 months had mean test scores that were between 0.11 and 0.30 SD units higher than those not breastfed.Conclusions. It is concluded that breastfeeding is associated with small but detectable increases in child cognitive ability and educational achievement. These effects are 1) pervasive, being reflected in a range of measures including standardized tests, teacher ratings, and academic outcomes in high school; and 2) relatively longlived, extending throughout childhood into young adulthood. Pediatrics 1998;101(1). URL: http://www.pediatrics. org/cgi/content/full/101/1/e9; breastfeeding, cognitive ability, academic achievement, longitudinal study.ABBREVIATIONS. DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; WISC-R, Revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; IQ, intelligence quotient.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

1998

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“…Assessments have included : parental interviews, teacher reports, child interviews, standardised psychometric tests, in addition to information obtained from official records and other sources. An overview of the study design has been given previously (Fergusson, Horwood, Shannon, & Lawton, 1989). The data analysed in this report were measured in the following ways.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Age and Educational and Psychosocial Outcomes in Early Adulthood

Fergusson

Woodward

1999

Child Psychology Psychiatry

206

131

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The relationships between maternal age (at birth) and educational and psychosocial outcomes at age 18 were examined in a birth cohort of 1025 New Zealand children. This analysis indicated the presence of consistent tendencies for increasing maternal age to be associated with declining risks of educational underachievement, juvenile crime, substance misuse, and mental health problems. Children with teenage mothers had risks of later adverse outcomes that were 1n5 to 8n9 times higher than the risks for offspring of mothers aged over 30. Subsequent analyses revealed that the associations between maternal age and later educational and psychosocial outcomes were largely, but not wholly, explained by associations between maternal age and the child-rearing practices and home environments experienced by children. In general, increasing maternal age tended to be associated with more nurturant, supportive, and stable home environments. In turn, these linkages between maternal and childhood environment explained most of the association between maternal age and later outcomes. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are considered.

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“…Information was obtained from a variety of sources including parental interviews, teacher reports, selfreports, psychometric assessments, medical and other recorded data. An overview of the study design and methodology can be found in Fergusson et al (1989) and Fergusson and Horwood (2001).…”

Section: The Christchurch Health and Development Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cannabis Use and Suicidal Ideation

Ours

Williams

Fergusson³

et al. 2012

SSRN Journal

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Globally, suicide has emerged as the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10-24 years old. In order to better understand the causes of this phenomenon, we investigate the relationship between suicidal ideation and cannabis use. Our empirical analysis is based on a 30 year longitudinal study of a birth cohort. We find that intensive cannabis use -at least several times per week -leads to a higher transition rate into suicidal ideation for males.We find no evidence that suicidal ideation leads to cannabis use for either males or females.

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The Christchurch Child Development Study: a review of epidemiological findings

Cited by 279 publications

References 75 publications

Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

Maternal Age and Educational and Psychosocial Outcomes in Early Adulthood

Cannabis Use and Suicidal Ideation

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