Jessie R. Baldwin

Importance Adverse childhood experiences are associated with later severe mental health conditions, but the extent to which these associations reflect a causal effect of adversity rather than confounding remains unclear. Objective To test whether within-twin-pair differences in reported adverse childhood experiences predict differences in severe mental health conditions in early adulthood, and to decompose covariation between adverse childhood experiences and severe mental health conditions into genetic and environmental components.Design Setting and Participants This study used data from the Twins Early Development Study, a population-based cohort of twins born in England and Wales (1994-1996), with assessments at ages 12, 14, 16, 21, and 26. Within-twin-pair regression and bivariate biometric twin models were used to distinguish potential causal effects from familial confounding.Exposures Childhood maltreatment (abuse and neglect, retrospective, ages 21 and 26) and peer victimization (bullying, prospective, ages 12, 14, 16).Main Outcomes and Measures Seventeen measures of severe mental health conditions spanning psychosis-spectrum symptoms, (hypo)manic symptoms, self-harm and suicidal behaviour, and reported diagnoses.Results Outcomes were assessed at ages 21 (13,794 individuals) and 26 (11,436 individuals). After false discovery rate correction, childhood maltreatment was associated with all 17 outcomes at the population level and peer victimization with 16. Monozygotic within-pair models were estimable for 14 outcomes. All 14 maltreatment associations remained significant, with pooled symptom estimates attenuating by 21% (0.30 to 0.24) and pooled odds ratios of 1.85 vs 1.95 at the population level. Only 2 peer victimization associations remained (paranoia and hallucinations at age 21), with attenuation of 53% (0.20 to 0.09) and pooled odds ratios of 1.18 vs 1.59. Bivariate biometric twin models supported the within-pair findings while also demonstrating that all covariances were partially attributable to shared genetic liability.Conclusions and Relevance Associations between adverse childhood experiences and severe mental health conditions in young adulthood reflected both shared genetic liability and potential causal effects. Childhood maltreatment showed more persistent within-pair associations than peer victimization, consistent with a greater contribution of non-shared environmental effects. Findings highlight childhood maltreatment as a potentially modifiable pathway to severe psychopathology, supporting the importance of trauma-informed care.

Aim: This mixed methods study investigates international researchers’ awareness and use of open research practices and explores variations across regions, disciplines, methodologies, and career stages. Methods: A total of 3,017 researchers across 45 countries and 24 disciplines completed the Brief Open Research Survey, reporting their awareness and use of eleven common open research practices and factors that would support their adoption. Results: Across the sample, respondents reported high awareness of Open Access Publications, Preprints, and Open Data and awareness only fell below 50% for Research Co-production and Registered Reports. Use was high for Open Access Publications, but fell below 50% for Preprints, Open Data, Open Research, Open Materials, Open Peer Review, Open Code, Preregistration, Research Co-production, Replication, and Registered Reports. Awareness and use varied across the sampled regions (e.g., Europe vs. Asia), disciplines (e.g., Psychology vs. Physical Sciences), methodologies (e.g., quantitative vs. qualitative), and career stages (e.g., PhD students vs. Professors). Respondents reported that the top five supportive strategies were incentives from funders, institutions and regulators; dedicated funding; recognition in promotion and recruitment criteria; more training; and more information. Qualitative responses provide insight into challenges and opportunities. Conclusions: Estimates of awareness can guide training initiatives, while estimates of use can inform policy development and longitudinal evaluations of behaviour change. Variations between regions, disciplines, methodologies, and career stages should be acknowledged.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), but the relationship between specific adversities and the persistence of PLEs in young people remains unclear. We examined associations between distinct ACEs and the persistence of PLEs until 24 years old. Methods: Using longitudinal data from participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort with at least one PLE datapoint, we used group-based trajectory modeling to estimate longitudinal trajectories of PLEs from age 12–24. We examined their associations with bullying victimization, maltreatment, parental mental health problems, parental substance abuse, parental separation, and parental intimate partner violence prior to first PLE experiences. Results: Among 4,448 participants, a three-group trajectory model provided the best fit, revealing low, increasing and persistent PLE groups from ages 12–24. In fully adjusted multinomial logistic regression models, those exposed to bullying were more likely to belong to either the increasing (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 1.83, 95%CIs: 1.26–2.66) or high (RRR: 1.78, 95%CIs: 1.07–2.93) PLEs group than the low PLE group; those exposed to maltreatment were more likely to be in the increasing PLE group (RRR: 1.47, 95%CIs: 1.03–2.10). No other ACEs were associated with PLE trajectories. Conclusions: Bullying was associated with persistent PLEs up to 24 years old, independent of other forms of childhood adversity, with timing-specific effects of maltreatment on increasing symptoms emerging later in adolescence. Findings provide further evidence for the importance of prioritizing bullying and maltreatment reduction as public health targets.

Autistic youth are more likely to be involved in bullying, have poorer mental health, and experience friendships and social support differently compared to neurotypical youth. What remains unclear is whether the relationship between bullying and mental health is different for autistic and neurotypical youth and whether friendships and social support moderate this relationship. In this United Kingdom‐based population‐based study, we investigated the relationship between bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetration, from early childhood (age 5 years) through to mid‐adolescence (age 14 years) with mental health outcomes in later adolescence (age 17 years) for autistic ( n = 576) and neurotypical youth ( n = 14,963). We used parent‐, teacher‐, and self‐reports of bullying at ages 5, 7, 11, and 14 years to identify five bullying trajectory groups (uninvolved, adolescent victim, early childhood victim, early childhood bully, and bully‐victims). Autistic youth were more likely than their neurotypical peers to be in one of the bullying trajectory groups compared to being in the uninvolved group. Specifically, 74% of autistic youth experienced bullying either as victims, bullies, or bully‐victims between early childhood and adolescence compared to 38% of neurotypical youth. Both autistic and neurotypical youth who were involved in bullying, whether as a perpetrator or victim, experienced poorer subsequent mental health later in adolescence. Higher perceived social support buffered the effects of bullying involvement for neurotypical and, to a lesser extent, autistic youth. These findings highlight the need for further research focusing on possible targets for intervention to mitigate the possible impacts of bullying on subsequent mental health for autistic youth.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), but the relationship between specific adversities and the persistence of PLEs in young people remains unclear. This study examined associations between distinct ACE types and the persistence of PLEs until 24 years old.Methods: Using longitudinal data from participants in the ALSPAC cohort with at least one PLE datapoint, we used group-based trajectory modelling to estimate longitudinal trajectories of PLEs from age 12-24. We examined their associations with bullying victimisation, maltreatment, parental mental health problems, parental substance abuse, parental separation, and parental intimate partner violence in infancy and childhood prior to first PLE experiences. Results: Amongst 4,448 participants, a three-group trajectory model provided the best fit, revealing low, increasing and persistent PLEs groups from ages 12-24. In fully adjusted multinomial logistic regression models, those exposed to bullying were more likely to belong to either the increasing (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 1.83, 95%CIs: 1.26 – 2.66) or high (RRR: 1.78, 95%CIs: 1.07 – 2.93) PLEs group than the low PLE group; those exposed to maltreatment were more likely to be in the increasing PLE group (RRR: 1.47, 95%CIs: 1.03 – 2.10). No other ACEs were associated with PLE trajectories.Conclusions: Bullying was associated with persistent PLEs up to 24 years old, independent of other forms of childhood adversity, with timing-specific effects of maltreatment on increasing symptoms emerging later in adolescence. Findings provide further evidence for the importance of prioritising bullying and maltreatment reduction as salient public health targets.

Background: Prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment often identify different individuals and are differentially associated with psychopathology. This study examines psycho‐social factors that may explain discrepancies between these measures. Methods: Data were drawn from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative birth cohort of 2,232 children born in 1994–1995 across England and Wales and followed to age 18 (93% retention). Childhood maltreatment was assessed through: (a) prospective assessments from caregivers, researchers, and clinicians at ages 5–12, and (b) retrospective self‐reports at age 18 using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (for maltreatment occurring up to age 12). For the analyses, we focused on participants identified as maltreated from either measure ( n = 290) and an a‐priori selected array of potential explanatory variables assessed between ages 5–18. We conducted two sets of analyses: comparing individuals with only prospectively identified maltreatment to those identified by both prospective and retrospective measures to understand why some participants did not retrospectively report or recall maltreatment; and comparing individuals with only retrospective self‐reports to those identified by both prospective and retrospective measures to understand why maltreatment had not been detected prospectively. Results: Participants in the prospective‐only group reported greater social support over the life course and lower psychopathology at age 18 compared to those identified through both prospective and retrospective measures. Individuals in the retrospective‐only group had higher socioeconomic status, higher self‐reported adult involvement at age 12, and less exposure to domestic violence compared to those identified through both prospective and retrospective measures. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that perceptions of social support and better mental health may buffer retrospective recall of childhood maltreatment in those with prospective measures. Furthermore, more positive family functioning and socioeconomic factors may hamper prospective detection of childhood maltreatment in those who retrospectively report it.

Childhood emotional and behavioural difficulties tend to co-occur and often precede diagnosed neuropsychiatric conditions. Identifying shared and specific risk factors for early-life mental health difficulties is therefore essential for prevention strategies. Here, we examine how parental risk factors shape their offspring’s emotional and behavioural symptoms (e.g. feelings of anxiety, and restlessness) using data from 14,959 genotyped family trios from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). We model maternal reports of emotional and behavioural symptoms, organizing them into general and specific domains. We then investigate the direct (genetically transmitted) and indirect (environmentally mediated) contributions of parental polygenic risk for neuropsychiatric-related traits and whether these are shared across symptoms. We observe evidence consistent with an environmental route to general symptomatology beyond genetic transmission, while also demonstrating domain-specific direct and indirect genetic contributions. These findings improve our understanding of early risk pathways that can be targeted in preventive interventions aiming to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of risk transmission.

Autistic youth are more likely to be involved in bullying, have poorer mental health, and experience friendships and social support differently compared to neurotypical youth. What remains unclear is whether relationship between bullying and mental health is different for autistic and neurotypical youth and whether friendships and social support moderate this relationship. In this United Kingdom based population-based study, we investigated the relationship between bullying involvement, victimisation and perpetration, from early childhood (age 5 years) through to mid-adolescence (age 14 years) with mental health outcomes in later adolescence (age 17 years) for autistic (n= 576) and neurotypical youth (n=14,963). We used parent-, teacher-, and self-reports of bullying at ages 5, 7, 11, and 14 years, to identify five bullying trajectory groups (uninvolved, adolescence victim, early childhood victim, early childhood bully, and bully-victims). Autistic youth were more likely than their neurotypical peers to be in one of the bullying trajectory groups compared to being in the uninvolved group. Specifically, 74% of autistic youth experienced bullying either as victims, bullies, or bully-victims between early childhood and adolescence compared to 38% of neurotypical youth. Both autistic and neurotypical youth who were involved in bullying, whether as a perpetrator or victim, experienced poorer subsequent mental health later in adolescence. Higher perceived social support buffered the effects of bullying involvement for neurotypical but not autistic youth. These findings highlight the need for further research focussing on possible targets for intervention to mitigate the possible impacts of bullying on subsequent mental health for autistic youth.

Background: There is not yet a consensus on the best way to conceptualise adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We used data‐driven methods across two populations to examine (a) if there were meaningful dimensions underlying ACEs and (b) whether dimensions were differentially associated with increased risk of adolescent psychopathology. Methods: Participants were 18,539 British children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and 11,876 American children from the US Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD). A wide range of ACEs (e.g., abuse, neglect, parental psychopathology, peer victimisation) were measured prospectively from infancy to mid‐adolescence using interviews and questionnaires. Internalising and externalising symptoms were assessed with child and/or parent reports during adolescence. Results: Our preregistered exploratory factor analysis revealed four latent dimensions in the MCS (parental threat, deprivation, victimisation, and parental discipline) and ABCD (parental threat, deprivation, victimisation, and traumatic events). All dimensions except deprivation were associated with increased risk for internalising and externalising symptoms. Over and above the other dimensions, victimisation was more strongly associated with internalising (MCS β = .34, 95% CI 0.33–0.36; ABCD β = .11, 95% CI 0.10–0.13) and externalising (MCS β = .31, 95% CI 0.30–0.33; ABCD β = .13, 95% CI 0.11–0.15) symptoms. Conclusions: Across two distinct populations, we found that ACEs can be captured by common underlying dimensions of parental threat, deprivation, and victimisation, as well as additional sample‐specific dimensions. Our findings expand dimensional theories of childhood adversity by suggesting that in addition to threat and deprivation, victimisation is a distinct dimension of adversity that has the strongest associations with adolescent psychopathology.

Childhood victimization is a key risk factor for poor mental and physical health. In order to prevent childhood victimization, it is important to better understand its underlying etiological factors. Childhood victimization is not randomly distributed in the population but occurs more often in the context of certain characteristics of the child, the family, and the broader environment. These characteristics may be both genetically and environmentally influenced, making genetically informative designs valuable to disentangle the etiological factors. Here we performed meta-analyses of the genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization based on twin studies. We also tested whether genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization vary depending on key features of victimization experiences including the reporter of victimization experiences, the type of victimization, and the age at exposure. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search for relevant literature was conducted using MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and Embase databases until September 2023. A meta-analysis based on 21 studies with 62,794 participants showed that genetic influences accounted for 40% of the variance in childhood victimization, shared environmental influences for 20%, and non-shared environmental influences for 40%. In addition, we found that genetic and environmental influences on victimization varied based on the reporter and the type of victimization, and the age at victimization. The quantitative summary of genetic and environmental influences provided by this study advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying risk for childhood victimization and points to prevention targets for victimization and its health effects.