Edmund Sonuga?Barke
Longitudinal analyses of risk?disorder pathways: the key to early identification and targeted intervention
journal child psychology psychiatry aims combine publication original significant scientific studies strong commitment informing clinical practice papers current issue provide wonderful example great science clinically informative way papers august issue achieve balance would like focus detail illustrate power longitudinal data characterise developmental risk processes point us towards markers risk aide early detection provide clues potential targets intervention papers snowling et al drabick et al focus importance specificity riskoutcome pathways snowling colleagues start generally accepted position children global language impairment increased risk mental health problems go explore differential impact specific impairment receptive expressive language different domains morbidity expected severe persistent global impairment heightened risk psychiatric morbidity however also specific relationships different types psychosocial outcomes different types language impairment attention problems associated expressive language problems social difficulties linked receptive expressive problems social attention problems global deficits severe iq problems interestingly language impaired children worst outcomes poor literacy skills findings highlight need target resources children severe persistent impairment especially combined emergence learning problems linked literacy drabick colleagues shift focus different risk domain explore sort issue examined specific factors within childs psychosocial environment predisposed children diagnosis adhd develop depression andor conduct disorder rather specific links conduct disorder associated hostile inconsistent detached parenting depression linked social problems family problems high conflict low marital satisfaction strongly associated depression children followed 5 years later main effect earlier parenting family problems increase risk conduct disorder study shows value assessing addressing contextual risk factors well child impairment targeting clinical resources treatment jenkins colleagues explore web risk factors associated teenage motherhood giving special emphasis link mothers anger pregnancy later child aggression conduct problems partner conflict rather maternal anger best predictor emergence conduct problems suggests preventative interventions domain might best focused educating teenage mothers understand impact consequences inappropriate partner choice individual risk factors often conceptualised static entities impinge child particular point time papers barker et al campbell et al adopt different approach sees risk dynamic process property developmental system exploiting recent development powerful statistical approaches allow heterogeneity developmental patterns childhood characteristics partitioned examined power different developmental trajectories childhood predict important outcomes adolescence barker colleagues tested assumption proactive instrumental reactive emotional aggression different trajectories trajectory membership predicts children likely get involved serious delinquent behaviour adolescence expectation found difference number types trajectories two forms aggression found combination high persisting proactive high reactive aggression best predictor delinquent gang membership adolescence building five trajectory model derived nichd study early child care youth development campbell colleagues found expected high stable levels aggression worst prognosis unexpectedly however even moderate mild levels aggression difficulties social domain two studies provide excellent examples need focus persistence change risk well severity addressing developmental risk per se van zeijl colleagues explored fascinating question externalising behaviours physical aggression first appear start impinge child around identified significant levels behaviour marked individual differences already 12 months however levels lower two three years significant motherfather agreement stability 12 months followup effects somewhat lower one would expect basis findings later childhood despite data support need consideration early stages externalising trajectories fascinating highly original study morgan kegl highlight risk deaf people exposed sign language early development found normal development theory mind abilities indexed performance standard laboratory measures impaired late access group although group demonstrated mentalising capability paper hatcher colleagues takes issue early intervention directly authors report randomised controlled trial new 10week small group intervention young children difficulty learning read approach combined phoneme awareness training word text reading phonological linkage exercises intervention significantly improved reading compared training control however around quarter severe disadvantaged children benefit children may require intensive prolonged intervention simonoff et al cabiya et al explore potential barriers intervention papers report factors lead identification provision services children difficulties simonoff colleagues focus mild mental retardation defined iq 70 sample small proportion children met criteria actually identified special needs social communication problems best predictor identification different context cabiya colleagues examined gender disparities provision services mental health needs puerto rican children found boys nearly three times likely girls receive services subdiagnostic levels problems although full diagnoses boys girls equally likely receive help due increased attention scientific literature afforded recognizing potential conflict interest jcpp editors reviewed policies concerning issue january 2006 meeting papers accepted 26 january contain statement declaring potential conflicts reported papers authors statement noting conflicts declared authors current issue contains six papers include statement