Neurodevelopment

neurodevelopment

ECHO researchers use data from more than 64,000 diverse children and their families across the U.S. to examine how much factors such as chemical exposures, environmental hazards, social stressors, maternal health during pregnancy, and other considerations may influence neurodevelopment.

ECHO Discovery Webinar Insights

Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Autism: New Insight from ECHO Cohorts

Perinatal Sleep Health and Offspring Neurodevelopment

Neurodevelopment Resources

CDC: Children's Mental Health
Shares articles on child mental health, including information on emotional development and child mental health disorders.

MedlinePlus: School-Age Children Development
Provides information on the development of school-age children, including physical development, behavior, language development, and parenting tips.

How ECHO Advances Research on Children's Brain Development

The prenatal period and childhood are critical times for brain development or neurodevelopment, but this important process continues during adolescence until early adulthood. Understanding the associations between environmental factors and neurodevelopmental outcomes can inform prevention efforts, interventions, and other strategies to enhance child health.

Healthy brain development is key for cognitive, physical, and social functioning. ECHO research can help explain the factors that impact neurodevelopment in children and how neurodevelopment might have additional effects on other health outcomes. This research can help inform programs, policies, and practices that address health differences from the beginning, promoting a lifetime of good health that continues for generations.

What We're Learning

The ECHO Program has published more than 1,500 articles about the results of its research, including many that looked at neurodevelopment outcomes.

Here are recent examples of that research:

Exposure to Certain Phthalates During Pregnancy May Affect Brain Development in Infant Girls
November 2022
Certain phthalates measured in the infant’s first stool seemed associated with lower scores in girls under age 5 years on a common test that measures motor, visual, and language skills.

ECHO Study Suggests Prenatal Exposure to Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) May Be Linked to Autism-Related Traits in Children
January 2023
Prenatal exposure to one specific PFAS chemical, perfluorononanoic acid, seemed associated with an increase in autism-related traits in children.

No Association Between Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy, Child's Risk for Autism-Related Traits
November 2022
Prenatal use of antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), did not increase a child’s risk for autism spectrum disorder or related traits.

Gestational Diabetes and Postpartum Depression May Be Linked With Early Childhood Behavior Problems
May 2023
Gestational diabetes, prenatal maternal depressive symptoms, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms each seemed associated with increased child behavior problems.

Questions

For more information, please email the NIH at NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.
For media inquiries or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager at rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.

Questions

For more information, please email the NIH at NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.
For media inquiries or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager at rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.

Read Additional ECHO Research Related to Neurodevelopment

Harsh Parenting and High Socioeconomic Stress May Be Associated with Higher Internalizing Problems Like Anxiety in Children, ECHO Study Finds Read more

ECHO Study Suggests Living Near Green Space Is Associated with Lower Anxiety and Depression in Preschool-Age Kids Read more

ECHO Researchers Study the Relationship Between Maternal Education and Children’s Neurocognitive Development Over Time Read more

ECHO Research Suggests Airborne Lead Exposure Affects Children’s Cognitive Development, Impacting Males More Than Females Read more

New ECHO Research Highlights Gaps in Literature Studying Role of Fathers in Child Development Read more

ECHO Researchers Characterize Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles Read more

ECHO Researchers Measure Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Families Read more

“Accelerated” Biological Age at Birth Not Linked to Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Early Childhood Read more

New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Adolescents with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic Read more

ECHO Study Suggests Maternal Sleep During Second Trimester of Pregnancy May be Associated with ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Early Childhood Read more

ECHO Researchers Characterize Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles

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ECHO Researchers Characterize Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles

Authors: Marie Camerota, et al.

Who sponsored this study?

The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health supported this research.

Why was the study needed?

Birth outcomes for infants born very preterm have steadily improved over the past several decades. More children born at earlier gestational ages are surviving into childhood, however, it is unclear how being born very preterm may influence neurodevelopmental or behavioral problems.

Outcomes of children born at a gestational age of less than 33 weeks (“very pre-term”) vary significantly, with some children showing few neurodevelopmental concerns and others showing significant impairment. Most prior research has looked at single outcomes—for example, whether a child born preterm had a lower neurodevelopmental score or higher levels of behavior problems. Understanding how these different outcomes may group together can help researchers and healthcare providers provide more comprehensive treatment plans for children born very preterm.

What were the study results?

Researchers found evidence for four different neurobehavioral profiles based on different combinations of cognitive, motor, and behavioral outcomes of children at the age of two. These profiles range from few or no developmental concerns to severe impairment in one or more domains. The study placed most children (about 85%) into one of two groups with no/mild developmental delay and a low prevalence of behavioral problems. The remaining 15% fell into one of two profiles with more serious neurodevelopmental problems with (5%) or without (10%) co-occurring behavior problems.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should not make changes to your health without first consulting your healthcare professional.

What was the study's impact?

This study helps researchers better understand outcomes for children following a very pre-term birth. The different groups of children this study described might require different types of follow-up services or interventions.

Who was involved?

This study included more than 2,000 babies who were born at less than 33 weeks gestational age and were evaluated at the age of two years. Pre-term children from three ECHO research sites in the U.S. were included in this analysis.

What happened during the study?

Researchers recruited children born less than 33 weeks gestational age into the ECHO Program shortly after they were born. When these children reached age two years, researchers conducted a neurodevelopmental assessment and a motor exam; parents completed questionnaires about their children’s behavior. ECHO researchers looked for patterns in these data to understand whether there were groups of children with similar strengths and weaknesses.

What happens next?

More research is needed to understand why some preterm children develop neurodevelopmental and/or behavioral problems and others do not. To do this, future studies may study risk factors in pregnancy, the perinatal period, and in early infancy.

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes of very preterm infants: latent profile analysis in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program,” in Pediatric Research.

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published September 12, 2023

Access the associated article.

Download this summary

ECHO Researchers Characterize Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles

New ECHO Research Characterizes Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles Based on a Combination of Health Outcomes

Posted on November 10, 2023November 10, 2023 by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Marie Camerota, PhD of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University studies the health outcomes of children born preterm and characterizes them into four neurobehavioral profiles. This research, titled “Neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes of very preterm infants: latent profile analysis in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program,” is published in Pediatric Research.

Birth outcomes for infants born very preterm have steadily improved over the past several decades. More children born at earlier gestational ages are surviving into childhood, however, it is unclear how being born very preterm may influence neurodevelopmental or behavioral problems.

Outcomes of children born at a gestational age of less than 33 weeks (“very pre-term”) vary significantly, with some children showing few neurodevelopmental concerns and others showing significant impairment. Most prior research has looked at single outcomes—for example, whether a child born preterm had a lower neurodevelopmental score or higher levels of behavior problems. Understanding how these different outcomes may group together can help researchers and healthcare providers provide more comprehensive treatment plans for children born very preterm.

This study included more than 2,000 babies who were born at less than 33 weeks gestational age from three ECHO Cohort Study Sites. When these children reached the age of two years, researchers conducted a neurodevelopmental assessment and a motor exam on the children while parents completed questionnaires about their children’s behavior. ECHO researchers looked for patterns in these data to understand whether there were groups of children with similar strengths and weaknesses.

Researchers found evidence for four different neurobehavioral profiles based on different combinations of cognitive, motor, and behavioral outcomes of children at the age of two. These profiles range from few or no developmental concerns to severe impairment in one or more domains. The study placed about 85% of children into one of two groups with no/mild developmental delay and a low prevalence of behavioral problems. The remaining 15% fell into one of two profiles with more serious neurodevelopmental problems with (5%) or without (10%) co-occurring behavior problems.

“This study helps us better understand outcomes for children following a very pre-term birth and shows that it is important to measure both neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes for children born preterm,” Dr. Camerota said. “The different groups of children we described might require different types of follow-up services or interventions. Therefore, the results of this study could potentially be used to develop personalized interventions for children following a very pre-term birth.”

More research is needed to understand why some preterm children develop neurodevelopmental and/or behavioral problems and others do not. To do this, future studies may study risk factors in pregnancy, the perinatal period, and in early infancy.

Read the research summary.

NIH Study Validates New Scale for Measuring Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Children and Adults

Posted on November 6, 2023November 6, 2023 by Jodi Snare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale (PTSS) can be used to effectively measure stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and identify children and adults with higher levels of stress who may need additional mental health support, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program (ECHO) at the National Institutes of Health.

The study included 17,830 children and adults from 47 ECHO Cohort study sites representing all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Researchers split the sample into four groups including 1,656 pregnant or postpartum individuals; 11,483 adult caregivers; 1,795 adolescents aged 13 to 21; and 2,896 children aged 3 to 12. Between April 2020 and August 2021, participants or their caregivers completed surveys about their pandemic-related traumatic stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, general stress, and life satisfaction. On average, caregivers had the highest PTSS scores, followed by adolescents, pregnant or postpartum individuals, and children.

Within these groups, the researchers found additional differences related to age and gender. Adolescents, females, and caregivers of children under 5 had higher PTSS scores on average than younger children, males, and caregivers of children 5 and older, respectively. Higher levels of pandemic-related traumatic stress were associated with greater symptoms of distress and lower life satisfaction.

“The PTSS can be used beyond the immediate COVID-19 pandemic context,” said Courtney Blackwell, PhD, an ECHO Cohort Investigator at Northwestern University. “Unlike previous measures that capture traumatic stress reactions to a single event, the PTSS was developed to evaluate potential traumatic stress reactions to ongoing large-scale threats. In the future, the PTSS could be adapted to evaluate reactions to other acute onset stressors with lengthy durations.”

Dr. Blackwell led this collaborative research published in Psychological Assessment.

Blackwell, C. et al. Development and Psychometric Validation of the Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale for Children and Adults. Psychological Assessment. DOI: 10.1037/pas0001211.

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About ECHO: Launched in 2016, the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program is a research program in the Office of the Director at the NIH with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

About the NIH: NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information, visit www.nih.gov.

Media Contacts

For information or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager, rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.

If you are not a member of the media, but have a general inquiry, please contact NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.

Connect With Us

Check out the recent issues of our bi-monthly newsletter, the ECHO Connector, for program news and the latest research findings.

To receive the ECHO Connector through email, subscribe here.

Follow @ECHOChildHealth for the latest ECHO Program updates on Twitter.

ECHO Researchers Measure Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Families

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ECHO Researchers Measure Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Families

Authors: Courtney K. Blackwell, et al.

Who sponsored this study?

This research was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health with co-funding from the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.

Why was this study needed?

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing strategies may have ongoing negative effects on mental health. To measure this, ECHO researchers developed the Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale (PTSS) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) Acute Stress Disorder criteria. This study describes the development and validation of this new measurement tool and reports differences in pandemic-related traumatic stress in a large sample of children and adults.

What were the study results?

On average, caregivers had the highest levels of pandemic-related traumatic stress, followed by adolescents, pregnant/postpartum individuals, and children. Within these groups, the researchers found additional differences related to age and gender. Adolescents, females, and caregivers of children under 5 had higher PTSS scores on average than younger children, males, and caregivers of children 5 and older, respectively.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should not make changes to your health without first consulting your healthcare professional.

What was the study's impact?

The researchers found that PTSS is a reliable way to measure pandemic-related traumatic stress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher levels of pandemic-related traumatic stress were associated with greater symptoms of distress and lower life satisfaction. Unlike previous measures that capture traumatic stress reactions to a single event, the PTSS was developed to evaluate potential traumatic stress reactions to ongoing large-scale threats without defined time limits. Researchers and doctors can use this scale to distinguish general stress, depression, and anxiety from traumatic stress, helping them to identify people with higher levels of traumatic stress who may need mental health support.

Who was involved?

This study included 17,830 children and adults from 47 ECHO Cohort study sites representing all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Researchers split the sample into four groups including 1,656 pregnant or postpartum individuals; 11,483 adult caregivers; 1,795 adolescents aged 13 to 21; and caregivers who reported on 2,896 children aged 3 to 12.

What happened during the study?

Between April 2020 and August 2021, caregivers reported on behaviors observed in children aged 3 to 12, and adolescents and adults completed self-reported surveys on pandemic-related traumatic stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, general stress, and life satisfaction.

What happens next?

The PTSS can be used beyond the immediate COVID-19 pandemic context. The PTSS could be adapted to evaluate reactions to other severe stressors that last a long time.

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Development and Psychometric Validation of the Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale for Children and Adults,” in Psychological Assessment.

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Read the associated article.

Published November 3, 2023

Download this summary

ECHO Researchers Measure Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Families

ECHO Researchers Evaluate New Scale for Measuring Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress in Children and Adults

Posted on November 3, 2023November 3, 2023 by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Courtney K. Blackwell, PhD of Northwestern University evaluated COVID-19 pandemic-related traumatic stress in a large sample of children and adults. In March 2020, ECHO researchers developed the Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale (PTSS) to measure stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PTSS can be used to identify children and adults with higher levels of traumatic stress and who may need additional mental health support. This research, titled “Development and Psychometric Validation of the Pandemic-related Traumatic Stress Scale for Children and Adults,” is published in Psychological Assessment.

The study included 17,830 children and adults from 47 ECHO Cohort study sites representing all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Researchers split the sample into four groups including 1,656 pregnant or postpartum individuals; 11,483 adult caregivers; 1,795 adolescents aged 13 to 21; and 2,896 children aged 3 to 12.

Between April 2020 and August 2021, adolescents and adult caregivers (including pregnant or postpartum individuals) completed surveys about their pandemic-related traumatic stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, general stress, and life satisfaction. Caregivers of children aged 3-12 reported on the behaviors observed in their child.

On average, caregivers had the highest levels of pandemic-related traumatic stress, followed by adolescents, pregnant or postpartum individuals, and children. Within these groups, the researchers found additional differences related to age and gender. Adolescents, females, and caregivers of children under 5 had higher PTSS scores on average than younger children, males, and caregivers of children 5 and older, respectively. Higher levels of pandemic-related traumatic stress were associated with greater symptoms of distress and lower life satisfaction.

The researchers found that the PTSS is a reliable way to measure pandemic-related traumatic stress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers and doctors can use this scale to distinguish general stress, depression, and anxiety from traumatic stress, helping them to identify people who may need more support to improve their mental health.

“The PTSS can be used beyond the immediate COVID-19 pandemic context,” said Dr. Blackwell. “Unlike previous measures that capture traumatic stress reactions to a single event, the PTSS was developed to evaluate potential traumatic stress reactions to ongoing large-scale threats. In the future, the PTSS could be adapted to evaluate reactions to other acute onset stressors with lengthy durations.”

Read the Research Summary.

“Accelerated” Biological Age at Birth Not Linked to Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Early Childhood

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“Accelerated” Biological Age at Birth Not Linked to Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Early Childhood

Authors: Christine Ladd-Acosta, Heather Volk, et al.

Who sponsored this study?

The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health supported this research.

Why was the study needed?

Previous studies have shown that early identification and intervention in the development of emotional and behavioral health challenges in children seems connected to better long-term health outcomes. Recently, researchers have begun looking at how epigenetic factors affect children’s biological age and health outcomes.

A molecular process known as DNA methylation, or DNAm, adds a tag to DNA to control gene expression. Researchers measure DNAm to estimate a person’s biological age and compare it with their chronological age to better understand the factors that may influence their long-term health outcomes. In this study, ECHO researchers looked at the link between biological age at birth, the time between conception and birth (chronological gestational age), and emotional and behavioral health outcomes in children.

What were the study results?

Differences between biological age at birth and chronological gestational age did not appear linked to emotional and behavioral problems in childhood. This study did not find any difference between boys and girls in terms of the effect of “accelerated” biological age on behavioral and emotional outcomes.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.

What was the study's impact?

These results highlight that because biological age at birth does not seem to predict emotional or behavioral health challenges in early childhood, research should investigate how other biological factors at birth may influence neurodevelopmental health outcomes in early childhood.

Who was involved?

The study included four ECHO research sites in the United States and a total of 592 children.

What happened during the study?

Researchers calculated each child’s “biological age” by analyzing DNA samples collected at birth, and they compared this age to the child’s chronological gestational age. They then tested whether newborns who showed increased biological age relative to their chronological age (“accelerated aging”) were more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood.

What happens next?

Future research in a larger sample might confirm these findings. The relatively small sample size of this study may have made it difficult to observe differences in behavioral or emotional outcomes based on child sex. Future research with larger samples could help investigate potential differences in the results between boys and girls.

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Accelerated epigenetic age at birth and child emotional and behavioral development in early childhood: a meta-analysis of four prospective cohort studies in ECHO,” in Epigenetics.

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published September 10, 2023

Access the associated article.

Download this summary

“Accelerated” Biological Age at Birth Not Linked to Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Early Childhood

New ECHO Research Finds No Link Between “Accelerated” Biological Age and Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Children

Posted on October 31, 2023October 31, 2023 by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Christine Ladd-Acosta, PhD and Heather Volk, PhD, MPH, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, investigates the association between accelerated biological age at birth and children’s health outcomes. This research, titled “Accelerated epigenetic age at birth and child emotional and behavioral development in early childhood: A meta-analysis of four prospective cohort studies in ECHO,” is published in Epigenetics.

Previous studies have shown a potential link between early identification and intervention in the development of emotional and behavioral health challenges in children and better long-term health outcomes. Recently, researchers have begun looking at how epigenetic factors affect children’s biological age and health outcomes.

A molecular process known as DNA methylation, or DNAm, adds a tag to DNA to control gene expression. Researchers measure DNAm to estimate a person’s biological age and compare it with their chronological age to better understand the factors that may influence their long-term health outcomes. In this study, ECHO researchers looked at the link between biological age at birth, the time between conception and birth (chronological gestational age), and emotional and behavioral health outcomes in children.

The study included 592 children at four ECHO research sites in the United States. Researchers calculated each child’s biological age by analyzing DNA samples collected at birth, and they compared this age to the child’s chronological gestational age. They then tested whether newborns who showed increased biological age relative to their chronological age (“accelerated aging”) were more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood.

The study indicates that differences between biological age at birth and chronological gestational age are not linked to emotional and behavioral problems in childhood. This study also did not find any difference between boys and girls in terms of the effect of “accelerated” biological age on behavioral and emotional outcomes.

“This study suggests that biological age has no impact on child emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood,” Dr. Ladd-Acosta said. “These results highlight that future research is needed to look into how other biological factors at birth may influence neurodevelopmental health outcomes in early childhood.”

Future studies may use larger sample sizes to replicate this study and further confirm the findings. The relatively small sample size of this study may have made it difficult to observe differences in behavioral or emotional outcomes based on child sex. Future research with larger samples could help investigate potential differences in the results between boys and girls.

Read the research summary.

New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Adolescents with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic

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New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Adolescents with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Phillip Sherlock, Maxwell Mansolf, Courtney Blackwell, et al.

Who sponsored this study?

The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health supported this research.

Why was this study needed?

Although researchers have looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of children of all ages, few studies have examined the pandemic’s impact on children and teens with pre-existing mental, emotional, behavioral, and developmental (MEBD) disabilities like depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Health policies that were put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 caused disruption of normal activities for children and families. Schools paused in-person learning, extracurricular activities were cancelled, and stay-at-home orders meant children spent more time quarantined with family members instead of engaging with friends and peers.

This study was needed to understand how the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted life satisfaction for adolescents with disabilities, as adolescence is a critical period of social development. Researchers aimed to learn which groups of adolescents were most affected by the pandemic, so that mental health practitioners, pediatricians, and family physicians might be better informed of potential intervention and prevention practices that could be implemented to help particularly vulnerable adolescents through difficult times in the future.

What were the study results?

When exposed to certain stresses during the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents with a history of depression, anxiety, ASD, or ADHD had lower life satisfaction compared to their peers. These stresses included decreased social connectedness, decreased family engagement, stress related to medical care access, pandemic-related traumatic stress, and living in a single-caregiver household.

This study also found that 80% of adolescents, regardless of pre-existing conditions, reported decreases in social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the detrimental effect of decreased social connectedness was amplified among individuals with certain pre-existing MEBD conditions, this risk factor was widespread among the majority of adolescents.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should not make changes to your health without first consulting your healthcare professional.

What was the study's impact?

This study found that adolescents with decreased social connectedness typically had lower life satisfaction across several groups with different life circumstances. However, decreased social connectedness was more harmful for individuals with disabilities. This study allowed researchers to identify the groups of adolescents with disabilities who are most vulnerable and may need additional support during future emergencies. Findings from this study also highlight the importance of interventions aimed specifically at increasing social connectedness, family engagement, and access to medical support for all adolescents, and especially for those with disabilities.

Who was involved?

This study included COVID-19 survey data collected from April 2020 to August 2021 from a sample of 1,084 adolescents ages 11–21 years old, and their caregivers. The sample included individuals with and without disabilities from seven ECHO observational research sites in the U.S.

What happened during the study?

In addition to using pre-existing ECHO Cohort data about adolescents and their families, researchers administered a COVID-19-specfic survey to better understand the physical, mental, and social impact of the pandemic on young people and their families. Data were analyzed using a machine-learning process.

What happens next?

Findings from this study showed evidence of potential differences between adolescents with disabilities and their peers in terms of life satisfaction. Future research is needed to design studies that focus on the vulnerable subgroups identified in this study. Additionally, future studies may look into the long-term effects of decreased social connections and other risks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic during developmentally critical time periods.

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Life Satisfaction for Adolescents with Developmental and Behavioral Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” in Pediatric Research.

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Read the associated article.

Published October 24, 2023

Download this summary

New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Adolescents with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic

New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Some Teens with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic

Posted on October 30, 2023October 30, 2023 by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO Cohort research led by Phillip Sherlock, PhD; Maxwell Mansolf, PhD; and Courtney Blackwell, PhD of Northwestern University investigates the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on adolescents’ mental health. The findings suggest that some teens with a history of depression, anxiety, autism and ADHD experienced more severe impacts than those without. This research, titled “Life Satisfaction for Adolescents with Developmental and Behavioral Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” is published in Pediatric Research.

Although researchers have looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of children of all ages, few studies have examined the pandemic’s impact on children and teens with pre-existing mental, emotional, behavioral, and developmental (MEBD) disabilities such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.

Health policies implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 disrupted normal activities for children and families. Schools paused in-person learning, extracurricular activities were canceled, and stay-at-home orders meant children spent more time quarantined with family members instead of engaging with friends and peers.

Adolescence is a critical period for social development. Researchers aimed to identify the groups of adolescents most affected by the pandemic to provide mental health practitioners, pediatricians, and family physicians with better information on potential intervention and prevention practices particularly vulnerable adolescents in the future.

This study included data collected from 1,084 adolescents ages 11–21 years old and their caregivers and included individuals with and without disabilities from seven ECHO observational research sites in the U.S. In addition to using existing ECHO Cohort data about adolescents and their families, researchers administered a COVID-19-specific survey to better understand the physical, mental, and social impact of the pandemic on young people and their families.

This study found that when exposed to certain stresses during the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents with a history of depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, or ADHD had lower life satisfaction compared to their peers. These stressors included social isolation, stress related to medical care access and fears about the pandemic, and living in a single-caregiver household. Additionally, 80% of adolescents, regardless of pre-existing conditions, reported decreases in social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the negative effects of decreased social connectedness were amplified among adolescents with MEBD disabilities, this risk factor was widespread among the majority of adolescents.

“This study allowed us to identify the groups of adolescents with disabilities who are most vulnerable and may need additional support during future emergencies,” Dr. Sherlock said. “This study also highlights the importance of interventions aimed specifically at increasing social connectedness, family engagement, and access to medical support for all adolescents, and especially for those with disabilities.”

This study revealed potential differences between adolescents with disabilities and their peers in terms of life satisfaction. Future research might include studies that focus on the vulnerable subgroups identified in this study. Future studies may also investigate the long-term effects of decreased social connectedness and other risks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic during developmentally critical time periods.

Read the research summary.

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Neurodevelopment Resources

How ECHO Advances Research on Children's Brain Development

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Read Additional ECHO Research Related to Neurodevelopment

ECHO Researchers Characterize Children Born Preterm into Four Neurobehavioral Profiles

Who sponsored this study?

Why was the study needed?

What were the study results?

What was the study's impact?

Who was involved?

What happened during the study?

What happens next?

Where can I learn more?

Download this summary

Read More Research Summaries

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Connect With Us

ECHO Researchers Measure Pandemic-Related Traumatic Stress in Families

Who sponsored this study?

Why was this study needed?

What were the study results?

What was the study's impact?

Who was involved?

What happened during the study?

What happens next?

Where can I learn more?

Download this summary

Read More Research Summaries about COVID

“Accelerated” Biological Age at Birth Not Linked to Behavioral and Emotional Health Outcomes in Early Childhood

Who sponsored this study?

Why was the study needed?

What were the study results?

What was the study's impact?

Who was involved?

What happened during the study?

What happens next?

Where can I learn more?

Download this summary

Read More Research Summaries

New ECHO Cohort Research Finds Adolescents with Disabilities May Have Been More Vulnerable to Social Disruptions During COVID-19 Pandemic

Who sponsored this study?

Why was this study needed?

What were the study results?

What was the study's impact?

Who was involved?

What happened during the study?

What happens next?

Where can I learn more?

Download this summary

Read More Research Summaries about COVID