Scholarlink

<p>Childhood behavioral difficulties are recognized as early indicators of future psychiatric disorders, yet their long-term predictive validity in non-Western settings remains underexplored. This study investigated the predictive value of childhood behavioral assessments in determining adult psychiatric outcomes among 300 individuals in Ghana followed longitudinally from childhood to early adulthood. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity) and internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, withdrawal) were assessed between 2005 and 2015, while adult mental health outcomes including mood, anxiety, substance use, and psychotic disorders were measured with standardized diagnostic instruments such as the MINI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Logistic regression analyses revealed that both internalizing (B = 0.87, OR = 2.39, <i>p</i> &lt; .001) and externalizing (B = 1.23, OR = 3.42, <i>p</i> &lt; .001) behaviors significantly predicted adult psychiatric outcomes, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Exposure to trauma (OR = 4.67, <i>p</i> &lt; .001) and low parental education (OR = 1.80, <i>p</i> &lt; .01) increased risk, while early intervention (OR = 0.54, <i>p</i> &lt; .01) served as a protective factor. The overall model demonstrated good fit and strong discriminative power (Nagelkerke R² = 0.29; AUC = 0.83). Cross-cultural validity analyses showed that childhood behavioral scores predicted adult psychiatric disorders effectively, with the strongest accuracy for mood disorders (AUC = 0.82) and overall psychiatric risk (AUC = 0.85). Moderate predictive power was found for psychotic (AUC = 0.73) and neurodevelopmental disorders (AUC = 0.75), and weaker for substance use (AUC = 0.68). Moderation analyses indicated that gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, exposure to trauma, parental involvement, and residence significantly influenced these relationships, with trauma being the strongest risk enhancer. The study highlights the predictive utility of culturally adapted behavioral assessments and underscores the need for early screening and family-centered interventions within Ghana’s education and health systems to mitigate long-term mental health risks.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

From Playground to Psychiatry: Examining the Predictive Validity of Childhood Behavioral Assessments for Adult Mental Health Outcomes

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月4日

查看全文
  • Simon Ntumi,
  • Daniel Miezah

摘要

Childhood behavioral difficulties are recognized as early indicators of future psychiatric disorders, yet their long-term predictive validity in non-Western settings remains underexplored. This study investigated the predictive value of childhood behavioral assessments in determining adult psychiatric outcomes among 300 individuals in Ghana followed longitudinally from childhood to early adulthood. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity) and internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, withdrawal) were assessed between 2005 and 2015, while adult mental health outcomes including mood, anxiety, substance use, and psychotic disorders were measured with standardized diagnostic instruments such as the MINI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Logistic regression analyses revealed that both internalizing (B = 0.87, OR = 2.39, p < .001) and externalizing (B = 1.23, OR = 3.42, p < .001) behaviors significantly predicted adult psychiatric outcomes, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Exposure to trauma (OR = 4.67, p < .001) and low parental education (OR = 1.80, p < .01) increased risk, while early intervention (OR = 0.54, p < .01) served as a protective factor. The overall model demonstrated good fit and strong discriminative power (Nagelkerke R² = 0.29; AUC = 0.83). Cross-cultural validity analyses showed that childhood behavioral scores predicted adult psychiatric disorders effectively, with the strongest accuracy for mood disorders (AUC = 0.82) and overall psychiatric risk (AUC = 0.85). Moderate predictive power was found for psychotic (AUC = 0.73) and neurodevelopmental disorders (AUC = 0.75), and weaker for substance use (AUC = 0.68). Moderation analyses indicated that gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, exposure to trauma, parental involvement, and residence significantly influenced these relationships, with trauma being the strongest risk enhancer. The study highlights the predictive utility of culturally adapted behavioral assessments and underscores the need for early screening and family-centered interventions within Ghana’s education and health systems to mitigate long-term mental health risks.