Associations of parental and perinatal factors with subsequent risk of stress-related disorders: a nationwide cohort study with sibling comparison

Little is known about the contribution of pregnancy-related parental and perinatal factors to the development of stress-related disorders. We aimed to investigate whether parental/perinatal adversities entail higher risks of stress-related disorders in the offspring, later in life, by accounting for genetic and early environmental factors. Based on the nationwide Swedish registers, we conducted a population-based cohort study of 3,435,747 singleton births (of which 2,554,235 were full siblings), born 1973–2008 and survived through the age of 5 years. Using both population- and sibling designs, we employed Cox regression to assess the association between parental and perinatal factors with subsequent risk of stress-related disorders. We identified 55,511 individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders in the population analysis and 37,433 in the sibling analysis. In the population-based analysis we observed increased risks of stress-related disorders among offspring of maternal/paternal age <25, single mothers, parity ≥4, mothers with BMI ≥ 25 or maternal smoking in early pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and offspring born moderately preterm (GA 32–36 weeks), or small-for-gestational-age. These associations were significantly attenuated toward null in the sibling analysis. Cesarean-section was weakly associated with offspring stress-related disorders in population [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.12] and sibling analyses (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.20). Our findings suggest that most of the observed associations between parental and perinatal factors and risk of stress-related disorders in the population analysis are driven by shared familial environment or genetics, and underscore the importance of family designs in epidemiological studies on the etiology of psychiatric disorders.

Tools and Teaching Strategies for Vocabulary Assessment and Instruction: A Review

Vocabulary is a complex intermediate component between oral and written language, which the influence on associated skills and general language abilities (e.g., decoding processing, comprehension) has been largely studied in children, suggesting its important role in literacy. The main aim of this article is to review some questions on vocabulary assessment and stimulation in children and identify the advantage of new technologies for evaluating and training vocabulary. It seems necessary to give the importance of vocabulary in language and literacy development, and the heterogeneity of vocabulary acquisition, depending on preschool word exposure (e.g., familial environment). After a state-of-the-art of conceptualization of vocabulary's notion, we revisit assumptions on vocabulary assessment and instruction indicating the main existing tools. This review lies in the attempt to enhance perspectives for new valid and effective tools using digital technologies.

Association of Maternal Hypothyroidism With Cardiovascular Diseases in the Offspring

BackgroundNo previous study has examined the effect of maternal hypothyroidism on a broad spectrum of cardiovascular disease (CVD) endpoints in the offspring.MethodsA nationwide population-based cohort study based on the linkage of several Danish nationwide registries was conducted to explore whether maternal hypothyroidism is associated with offspring’s CVD. Altogether 1,041,448 singletons born between the 1st of January 1978 and the 31st of December 1998 were investigated from the age of 8 years to the 31st of December 2016. Exposure was maternal diagnosis of hypothyroidism across lifespan and the outcome of interest was a CVD diagnosis in the offspring. Cox regression models were performed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of CVD.ResultsOffspring born to mothers with hypothyroidism had an increased risk of CVD (hazard ratios (HR)=1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.35), and of several subcategories of CVD including hypertension, arrhythmia, and acute myocardial infarction in offspring. The magnitude of association was the most pronounced in an exposure occur during pregnancy (HR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.10-2.67), which is consistent across all the subgroup analysis, including sibling analysis.ConclusionsMaternal hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk of CVD in offspring. Thyroid hormone insufficiency during pregnancy may predominantly contribute to the observed associations; however, the effects of a shared genetic background and a time-stable familial environment/lifestyle factors cannot be excluded.

The Brighter Side of Home Schooling for Children with Special Needs: Learning from COVID-19 Lockdown

COVID-19 has resulted in widespread social isolation, quarantines, and suspended academic activity. Children with special needs are socially, financially, and educationally impacted by dramatic changes to laws and restrictions put in place to curtail this devastating global pandemic. This study addresses the beneficial improvements that occurred in the lives of children with special needs during the quarantine period. It led to improved skills, better family dynamics, and an enhancement in technological expertise. Here, we use the case study approach. Twelve parents of children with special needs were selected from the Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Convenient sampling methods were used for the selection of respondents. The data obtained from the twelve participants were scrutinized. The verbatims were coded with the QDA-Miner Software. Our findings indicate that the lockdown has reinforced family bonds; opened up spaces for homeschooling and digital learning; strengthened relationships with parents, communities, and teachers; and paved the way for technological adaptation. During lockdown, children with special needs continued to learn and build skills in a nurturing familial environment.

Decomposition of the Role of Family in Reentry: Family Support, Tension, Gender, and Reentry Outcomes

A vast body of reentry research has investigated the role of family in facilitating reentry success. However, it is largely unknown whether family can both be a source of support and conflict and if so, whether these impacts are gender-specific. This study explores the heterogeneous elements that family brings to the reintegration process. Findings suggest that released prisoners’ families can bring either crime-inhibitory or criminogenic influences depending on the familial environment. Support from family members protects respondents from criminal recidivism, while strained family relationships are a significant predictor for drug use. Moreover, the detrimental effect of family tension is gender-sensitive: Females released from prison suffer an amplified risk of reentry failure under family tension. Implications for correctional programming are discussed.

Estimation of Parental Effects Using Polygenic Scores

Offspring resemble their parents for both genetic and environmental reasons. Understanding the relative magnitude of these alternatives has long been a core interest in behavioral genetics research, but traditional designs, which compare phenotypic covariances to make inferences about unmeasured genetic and environmental factors, have struggled to disentangle them. Recently, Kong et al. (2018) showed that by correlating offspring phenotypic values with the measured polygenic score of parents’ nontransmitted alleles, one can estimate the effect of “genetic nurture”—a type of passive gene–environment covariation that arises when heritable parental traits directly influence offspring traits. Here, we instantiate this basic idea in a set of causal models that provide novel insights into the estimation of parental influences on offspring. Most importantly, we show how jointly modeling the parental polygenic scores and the offspring phenotypes can provide an unbiased estimate of the variation attributable to the environmental influence of parents on offspring, even when the polygenic score accounts for a small fraction of trait heritability. This model can be further extended to (a) account for the influence of different types of assortative mating, (b) estimate the total variation due to additive genetic effects and their covariance with the familial environment (i.e., the full genetic nurture effect), and (c) model situations where a parental trait influences a different offspring trait. By utilizing structural equation modeling techniques developed for extended twin family designs, our approach provides a general framework for modeling polygenic scores in family studies and allows for various model extensions that can be used to answer old questions about familial influences in new ways.

Pendidikan Nilai Agama Dan Moral Anak Melalui Kegiatan Bermain Sains

This research used qualitative research type has descriptive analitical characteristic. This location of research used was Kindergarten School ABA Margokaton 2 Seyegan, Sleman, Yogyakarta. The data collection was conducted by conducting involved observation, in-depth interview and documentation. Data analysis was conducted by giving meaning towards data of which has been succesfully collected and from the data was drawn conclusion. The result of research was education of religion and moral value through science playing activity in Kindergarten School ABA Margokaton 2 Seyegan by using 5 important components, i.e.: Religionity, Sociality, Trusthworthily, Reponsibility, and Environmental Awareness. Meanwhile the methods used were 8, i.e.: Experiment Method, Demonstration Method, Story-Telling Method, Questioning-Answering Method, Job Tour Method, Singing Method, Project Method, and Task Providing Method. The factor influecing education of religion value and moral value in Kindergarten School ABA Margokaton 2 are: (a) Supporting Factor is influenced by: school environment, teacher, and friend, (b) Impeding Factor is influenced by: lack of coordination between teacher and parent, familial environment, social environment, and advancement of technology.