Acad Pediatr. 2024 Jul 12:S1876-2859(24)00275-4. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.07.006. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between four types of perceived discrimination (based on race/ethnicity, nationality/country of origin, gender identity, weight/body size), individually and cumulatively; positive childhood experiences (PCEs); and behavioral symptoms among pre-adolescent youth.
METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a US-based cohort study of pre-adolescent youth in the United States (N=10915). Our outcome was emotional/behavioral symptoms measured by the Child Behavior Checklist. Primary exposures were four types of discrimination, a count of 0-5 PCEs, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between perceived discrimination and clinical-range behavioral symptoms, including the role of PCEs and ACEs.
RESULTS: Weight discrimination was the most frequent exposure (n=643, 5.9%). Race and weight perceived discrimination were associated with clinical-range externalizing and internalizing symptoms, respectively, but these associations were nonsignificant once other ACEs were added to models. Cumulative discrimination was associated with clinical-range CBCL scores, even when accounting for other ACEs (aOR=1.47, 95% CI=1.2-1.8). PCEs slightly reduced the strength of this relationship and were independently associated with reduced symptoms (aOR=0.82, 95% CI= 0.72-0.93).
CONCLUSIONS: Results of this national study suggest cumulative discrimination can exert emotional/behavioral health harm among youth. PCEs were independently associated with reduced behavioral symptoms. There is a need for further research on how to prevent discrimination and bolster PCEs by targeting upstream social inequities in communities.
PMID:39004299 | DOI:10.1016/j.acap.2024.07.006
