Childhood psychopathology in children of women with eating disorders

M. Barona, A. M. Nybo Andersen, N. Micali

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effect of maternal eating disorders (ED) on childhood psychopathology, early delays in cognitive, motor and language development, mother and child relationship, and child temperament in a community-based cohort: the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). 

Method: Data were obtained prospectively on 48 403 children at 18 months and 46 156 children at 7 years. Data on cognitive, motor and language development, temperament and attachment were obtained at 18 months; data on child psychopathology were obtained at 7 years of age, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Children of mothers with lifetime diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN, n = 931), lifetime diagnosis of bulimia nervosa (BN, n = 906) and both (AN & BN = 360) were compared to children of mothers without an ED (n = 46 206). 

Results: Girls of women with lifetime AN had higher odds of having emotional problems, and girls of women with lifetime BN of having conduct problems compared with children of healthy women. Boys of women with lifetime AN had higher odds of total, emotional and conduct problems; boys of women with lifetime BN had higher odds of total, conduct, hyperactivity and peer difficulties compared to children of women without an ED. Boys of women with lifetime AN and BN had higher odds of total, emotional and peer problems compared to children of healthy women. 

Conclusion: Maternal ED is associated with childhood psychopathology in both boys and girls. Boys seemed at higher risk for psychopathology in this sample. Associations between emotional disorders across genders in children of mothers with lifetime AN, and hyperactivity and peer difficulties in boys of mothers with lifetime BN confirm and extend previous findings and point to possible shared risk between ED and other psychopathology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)295-304
Number of pages10
JournalActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume134
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Funding

We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study and the whole DNBC team. The Danish National Research Foundation established the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre that initiated and created the Danish National Birth Cohort. The cohort is a result of a major grant from this Foundation. Additional support for the Danish National Birth Cohort is obtained from the Pharmacy Foundation, the Egmont Foundation, the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation and the Health Foundation. This publication is the work of the authors, and they will serve as guarantors for the contents of this article. This study was funded by an International Exchange Grant to Doctor Micali and Prof Nybo-Andersen from the Royal Society, UK.

FundersFunder number
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
March of Dimes Foundation
Royal Society
Health Foundation
Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
Augustinus Fonden
Egmont Fonden

    Keywords

    • children
    • Danish National Birth Cohort
    • eating disorders
    • psychopathology
    • Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
    • temperament

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Psychiatry and Mental health

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