NIH Project No: 5R01HD086487
Principal Investigator: Audrey R Tyrka
ABSTRACT: Childhood maltreatment is a major public health problem that is linked to high rates of mood and anxiety disorders, and a growing literature documents risk for conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. These conditions are often chronic and severe, and they exact tremendous costs in terms of suffering, disability, treatment, and loss of productivity. Existing social services programs for maltreated children suffer from a lack of available data regarding which children are at risk for which psychiatric outcomes and from a lack of focus on risk for other adverse health conditions. In order to develop more targeted and specific interventions and treatments, we need to better understand the trajectory and mechanisms of risk and protective factors. There is evidence that the pathophysiological effects of adversity begin early in life, and that clinical or subclinical effects of major adversity can be seen in childhood. Maltreated children, particularly those living in poverty, are at especially high risk for early-onset disorders, but childhood maltreatment is usually clandestine and therefore very difficult to study.
The study seeks to identify risk and protective profiles for the development of psychiatric and medical conditions in a high-risk sample of children. This involves a follow-up of a study of maltreated and non-maltreated preschool-age children 5 years later at age 8-10. Results of this study will provide insight into the neurobiological markers and mechanisms of illness in children at-risk for depressive and anxiety disorders and other poor health outcomes, and contribute to future treatment and prevention efforts for stress-related disorders.
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed study seeks to identify risk and protective profiles for the development of psychiatric and medical conditions in a high-risk sample of children. This involves a follow-up of a study of maltreated and non- maltreated preschool-age children 5 years later at age 8-10. Results of this study will provide insight into the neurobiological markers and mechanisms of illness in children at-risk for depressive and anxiety disorders and other poor health outcomes, and contribute to future treatment and prevention efforts for stress-related disorders.