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Do risk factors for adolescent internalising difficulties differ depending on childhood internalising experiences?

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the continuity of internalising difficulties from childhood to adolescence, and determine if the influence of established risk factors on adolescent mental health differed depending on childhood internalising experiences.

Methods

Data were used from the Kindergarten cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC, N = 4983, est. 2004). Internalising difficulties were measured via parent report on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at each wave from 4–5 to 14–15 years of age, and defined as symptoms in the borderline or abnormal range (≥ 4). Logistic generalised estimating equations were used to characterise associations between childhood internalising problems (4–9 years) and previously identified risk factors with adolescent internalising difficulties at three time points (10–11, 12–13 and 14–15 years).

Results

The risk of internalising problems was elevated at each adolescent age for those who previously experienced internalising symptoms in childhood compared to those who did not (10–11 years: OR 3.67, 95% CI 3.01–4.47, 12–13 years: OR 2.84, 95% CI 2.32–3.46, and 14–15 years: OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.90–2.87). Other known risk factors were found to be associated with adolescent internalising problems as expected. We found no statistical evidence that these associations differed for adolescents who previously experienced internalising symptoms in childhood.

Conclusion

Findings of this study confirm the continuity of childhood mental health problems and the role of individual and family characteristics in the aetiology of adolescent internalising difficulties. The same risk factors appear relevant to target for adolescents who first experienced internalising symptoms in childhood.

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Abbreviations

LSAC:

Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program. This paper uses unit record data from Growing Up in Australia, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. The study is conducted in partnership between the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The findings and views reported in this paper are those of the authors and should not be attributed to DSS, AIFS or the ABS.

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Author notes

  1. Meredith O’Connor and Helena Romaniuk contributed equally to this manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Meredith O’Connor

  2. Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia

    Helena Romaniuk

  3. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Meredith O’Connor & Sarah Gray

  4. Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne, Australia

    Galina Daraganova

Authors
  1. Meredith O’Connor
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Correspondence to Meredith O’Connor.

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O’Connor, M., Romaniuk, H., Gray, S. et al. Do risk factors for adolescent internalising difficulties differ depending on childhood internalising experiences?. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 56, 183–192 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01931-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01931-8

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