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This study leveraged data from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (N = 243) to investigate the predictive significance of maternal sensitivity during the first 3 years of life for social and academic competence through age 32 years. Structural model comparisons replicated previous findings that early maternal sensitivity predicts social skills and academic achievement through midadolescence in a manner consistent with an enduring effects model of development and extended these findings using heterotypic indicators of social competence (effectiveness of romantic engagement) and academic competence (educational attainment) during adulthood. Although early socioeconomic factors and child gender accounted for the predictive significance of maternal sensitivity for social competence, covariates did not fully account for associations between early sensitivity and academic outcomes.

In recent decades, K-12 school discipline policies and practices have garnered increasing attention among researchers, policymakers, and educators. Disproportionalities in school discipline raise serious questions about educational equity. This study provides a comprehensive review of the extant literature on the contributors to racial, gender, and income disparities in disciplinary outcomes, and the effectiveness of emerging alternatives to exclusionary disciplinary approaches. Our findings indicate that the causes of the disparities are numerous and multifaceted. Although low-income and minority students experience suspensions and expulsions at higher rates than their peers, these differences cannot be solely attributed to socioeconomic status or increased misbehavior. Instead, school and classroom occurrences that result from the policies, practices, and perspectives of teachers and principals appear to play an important role in explaining the disparities. There are conceptual and open empirical questions on whether and how some of the various alternatives are working to counter the discipline disparities.

About 30% of adults with autism are minimally verbal. Past research suggested that after age five, few gain verbal fluency, but studies have rarely investigated whether family environmental factors contribute to the acquisition of verbal fluency. The present study utilized data from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised to compare changes in verbal fluency for 404 individuals with autism from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. Socioeconomic factors were examined across fluency groups (i.e., those who did/did not achieve verbal fluency). Findings indicated that fully 60% of those who were minimally verbal in early childhood acquired verbal fluency in adolescence and adulthood. Parent socioeconomic status differed across fluency groups, suggesting the importance of environmental factors for individual development.

Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, this study examines the association between high school socioeconomic segregation and student attainment outcomes and the mechanisms that mediate those relationships. The results show that socioeconomic segregation has a strong association with high school graduation and college enrollment. Controlling for an array of student and school factors, students who attend high socioeconomic composition (SEC) schools are 68% more likely to enroll at a 4-year college than students who attend low SEC schools. Two mediating mechanisms were examined, including socioeconomic-based peer influences and school effects. The results indicate the association between SEC and attainment is due more to peer influences, which tend to be negative in the low SEC setting. However, school practices that emphasize academics also play a major role, particularly in mediating the relationship between SEC and 4-year college enrollment. These findings suggest that integrating schools is likely necessary to fully addressing the negative consequences of attending a low SEC school.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has brought significant changes to college students, but there is a lack of empirical studies regarding how the pandemic has affected student mental health among college students in the U.S. To fill the gap in the literature, this study describes stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms for students in a public research university in Kentucky during an early phase of COVID-19 and their usage of mental health services. Results show that about 88% of students experienced moderate to severe stress, with 44% of students showing moderate to severe anxiety and 36% of students having moderate to severe depression. In particular, female, rural, low-income, and academically underperforming students were more vulnerable to these mental health issues. However, a majority of students with moderate or severe mental health symptoms never used mental health services. Our results call for proactively reaching out to students, identifying students at risk of mental health issues, and providing accessible care.

ObjectivesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the commonest neurobehavioural disorder affecting children and young people (CYP) worldwide, with an average prevalence of 5% to 12%. It often persists into adulthood with multi-domain impairment affecting education, employment, criminal system and family relationships. Previous research have shown evidence of significant effect of socioeconomic stress and deprivation as aetiologic factors in the distribution and prevalence of chronic childhood disabling conditions including emotional and behavioural disorders such as ADHD. Deprivation leads to unequal access to education, employment, healthcare and good housing, and often leads to significant health inequalities.We investigated the relationship between the distribution of ADHD among CYP in a large South East England district and the index of deprivation scores of their residential areas, used as a surrogate measure of their socioeconomic status.MethodWe retrospectively reviewed the records of CYP with ADHD, within a period of January and December 2019. CYP were diagnosed with ADHD using standard clinical procedures based on DSM-5 criteria by the community paediatric services. We identified the socioeconomic status of each patient using the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores 2019 based on their respective postcodes and corresponding small areas known as Lower Super Output area (LSOA). We calculated the deciles and quintiles by dividing the England’s 32,844 LSOAs into 10 and 5 equal groups respectively.ResultsA total of 343 CYP aged between 6 and 18 years (average 12 years) were identified, 81% males (277/343). Figure 1 shows the proportion of patients living in the most deprived deciles being 14%, three times greater than those living in the least deprived centile (4%). ADHD prevalence in the most deprived decile (15/1000) was more than 3 times that of the most affluent area (4.5/1000).Using Mid 2019 estimated, average ADHD prevalence per 1000 children’s population between 6 and 18 years was 12.1, highest for 4th Decile (16.2) and lowest for 10th decile (least deprived) (4.5).Abstract 816 Figure 1ConclusionThis small study confirmed a significant relationship between the socioeconomic deprivation of the local residents and the prevalence of ADHD among CYP. A larger prospective study is required to confirm possible direct causal relationship.This study points to the public health importance of funding a wide range of preventive measures including prenatal, early years and school health, education and social welfare projects, as cost-effective strategies in reducing the overall burden and life-long impacts of ADHD among the general population.ReferenceMichael O. Ogundele. The Influence of Socio-Economic Status on the Prevalence of School-Age Childhood Behavioral Disorders in a Local District Clinic of North West England. Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care December 2016;2(Issue 4):98–107. doi: 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160204.22

ObjectivesSleep disorder is one of the commonest comorbidities among children and young people (CYP) with Neurodevelopmental, emotional, behavioural and Intellectual disorders (NDEBID) (Ogundele & Yemula 2022). A sizeable proportion of these CYP fail to respond to the first line recommendation of behavioural and psychological interventions. Melatonin is the commonest pharmacological agent prescribed for managing sleep problems in this group of CYP.Socioeconomic deprivation is one of the environmental factors known to predispose to various chronic conditions including NDEBID (Rakesh et al 2023). Aims and Objectives:We aimed to examine the relationship between the socioeconomic status (SES) of CYP with comorbid sleep problems and their requirement for prescribed melatonin.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all prescriptions for melatonin among community child health clinics (CCH) in Halton between June and October 2022 as part of local Clinical Governance audit process. The SES of each patient was estimated using the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores 2019 based on their respective postcodes and corresponding Lower Super Output area (LSOA). We calculated the deciles and quintiles by dividing the England’s 32,844 LSOAs into 10 and 5 equal groups respectively. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the statistical significance of the distribution of patients among different socioeconomic areas.No patient identifiable data was collected and no ethical approval was required.ResultsIn 2021, 0–15 childhood population of Halton was 24,530, corresponding to 19% of the total of the total population of 128,500 (ONS).39 patients (M/F= 29/10) aged 3 to 18 years (average of 10 years) had a total of 3760 prescription days made during the study period, at an average dose of 3mg (table 1). The average prescribed doses increased significantly with age (Rho 1, p <0.001).The proportion of the childhood population offered prescriptions was 1.4 per 1000 child’s population. The majority of the patients lived in the most deprived areas of the LA (82% lived in the most deprived 4 deciles of the IMD), and they were on relatively higher doses (figure 1).Abstract 6899 Table 1Showing age and gender distribution of patientsConclusionThe burden of NDEBID conditions is highest among CYP within the lowest SES. They also account for the largest cost of melatonin prescriptions. The cost-effectiveness of preventative measures such as prenatal, early years and school health, education and social welfare projects, as well as parenting training require further research.Abstract 6899 Figure 1Showing the distribution of patients per Decile of Socio-economic Deprivation.ReferencesOgundele MO, Yemula C. Management of sleep disorders among children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A practical guide for clinicians. World J Clin Pediatr. 2022 Mar 15;11(3):239–252. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v11.i3.239. PMID: 35663001; PMCID: PMC9134149.ONS Population changes: (https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E06000006/).Rakesh D, Whittle S, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA. Childhood socioeconomic status and the pace of structural neurodevelopment: accelerated, delayed, or simply different? Trends Cogn Sci. 2023 Sep;27(9):833–851. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.03.011. Epub 2023 May 11.

Rural students enroll in college at lower rates than nonrural students. This has been partially attributed to lower average socioeconomic status (SES) in rural areas. However, this assertion tends to ignore heterogeneity that may mask how SES shapes rural students’ college-going experiences. Utilizing a geography of opportunity framework, this study investigated how rural-nonrural differences in college-going vary based on SES. Analyses reveal that (a) rural and nonrural students in the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS) had very similar mean SES; (b) rural status still predicted lower college enrollment rates overall, as well as four-year enrollment specifically; (c) the overall rural-nonrural enrollment gap was primarily a gap for low- and middle-SES students; and (d) there was greater socioeconomic inequality in college access in rural geographies than in nonrural geographies. These findings reinforce the fact rural students are not a monolithic group and emphasize the continued importance of SES between and within geographies. Given these findings, recommendations are provided with the intent of making college enrollment more equitable by the joint consideration of rurality and SES.

Despite growing interest in placental epigenetics, the combined impact of prenatal stress and socioeconomic status on placental methylation is still largely understudied. We conducted a study to examine the associations of prenatal stress and socioeconomic factors (household income, Hollingshead socioeconomic index) with placental methylation. Pregnant people ( n = 143; Mage = 25.66) in their second or third trimester ( Mgestational age = 23.11 weeks) completed self-report questionnaires including demographic and socioeconomic information and ratings of perceived stress in the past month. Placenta tissue samples were collected after birth, from which placental genomic DNA was extracted to assess methylation levels at the NR3C1 promoter region. Multiple regression analyses were conducted, with prenatal stress, household income, and Hollingshead index predicting methylation at the different CpG glucocorticoid receptor sites, controlling for maternal age, smoking status, gestational age at delivery, and infant sex. Prenatal stress predicted NR3C1 methylation at the CpG8 and CpG9 glucocorticoid receptor sites. Household income was a significant predictor of methylation at the CpG9 site. Hollingshead index was not associated with methylation at any site. The independent effects of prenatal stress and socioeconomic status demonstrate the need for health care providers to recognize the psychological and socioeconomic influences on maternal-fetal health.

Data were analyzed from a population-based, longitudinal sample of 8,650 U.S. children to (a) identify factors associated with or predictive of oral vocabulary size at 24 months of age and (b) evaluate whether oral vocabulary size is uniquely predictive of academic and behavioral functioning at kindergarten entry. Children from higher socioeconomic status households, females, and those experiencing higher quality parenting had larger oral vocabularies. Children born with very low birth weight or from households where the mother had health problems had smaller oral vocabularies. Even after extensive covariate adjustment, 24-month-old children with larger oral vocabularies displayed greater reading and mathematics achievement, increased behavioral self-regulation, and fewer externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors at kindergarten entry.