Sex moderates the impact of birth weight on child externalizing psychopathology

Allison M Momany; Jaclyn M Kamradt; Josie M Ullsperger; Alexis L Elmore; Joel T Nigg; Molly A Nikolas

doi:10.1037/abn0000238

Back

Sex moderates the impact of birth weight on child externalizing psychopathology

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Sex moderates the impact of birth weight on child externalizing psychopathology

Allison M Momany, Jaclyn M Kamradt, Josie M Ullsperger, Alexis L Elmore, Joel T Nigg and Molly A Nikolas

Journal of abnormal psychology (1965), Vol.126(2), pp.244-256

02/2017

DOI: 10.1037/abn0000238

PMCID: PMC5305621

PMID: 27868421

View Online

Abstract

Low birth weight (LBW) has consistently been associated with childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a similar association has been found for childhood externalizing disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD), albeit to a lesser degree. Although the association between LBW and these disorders has been robustly replicated, few studies have adequately controlled for confounding variables, such as parental age at birth and prenatal tobacco use, examined the specificity of the risk of LBW for ADHD symptoms, or investigated potential nonlinear (i.e., quadratic) effects of birth weight (BW). Additionally, the extent to which LBW confers risk for these disorders depending on childhood sex has rarely been examined. The current study examined associations between BW and ADHD, ODD, and CD symptom dimensions as well as the extent to which such associations are moderated by child sex, while also controlling for confounding variables. Significant interactions between sex and BW emerged across all analyses predicting ADHD and externalizing psychopathology, such that associations were stronger in males relative to females. Results remained when controlling for a number of confounds, including parental age, prenatal tobacco use, comorbid psychopathology, as well as other indicators of maternal and child health during the pre- and perinatal period. Both linear and quadratic associations emerged between BW and both hyperactivity and CD symptoms, whereas BW predicted inattention and ODD symptoms in a linear fashion. Future research should continue to investigate the impact of BW on ADHD and externalizing psychopathology, in particular, the biological mechanisms underlying this association. (PsycINFO Database Record

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - epidemiology

Humans

Male

Gestational Age

Infant, Low Birth Weight - psychology

Young Adult

Conduct Disorder - epidemiology

Adolescent

Sex Factors

Adult

Female

Child

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Sex moderates the impact of birth weight on child externalizing psychopathology
Creators: Allison M Momany - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
Jaclyn M Kamradt - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
Josie M Ullsperger - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
Alexis L Elmore - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
Joel T Nigg - Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Sciences University
Molly A Nikolas - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of abnormal psychology (1965), Vol.126(2), pp.244-256
DOI: 10.1037/abn0000238
PMID: 27868421
PMCID: PMC5305621
NLM abbreviation: J Abnorm Psychol
ISSN: 0021-843X
eISSN: 1939-1846
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 MH063146 / NIMH NIH HHS R37 MH059105 / NIMH NIH HHS T32 GM108540 / NIGMS NIH HHS R01 MH070004 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/2017
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Injury Prevention Research Center; Neonatology
Record Identifier: 9984002310802771

Metrics

17 Record Views

15 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details