Understanding the prospective associations between neuro-developmental problems, bullying victimization, and mental health: Lessons from a longitudinal study of institutional deprivation
Using assessments from ages 6, 11 and 15 and young adulthood, researchers examined neurodevelopmental difficulties, bullying and later mental health in 165 Romanian adoptees and 52 UK adoptees. Severe early deprivation was associated with more bullying and neurodevelopmental symptoms. Statistical models suggested a pathway in which earlier neurodevelopmental difficulties were followed by bullying and then adult depression or anxiety.
Limitations: This concerns a historical cohort exposed to extreme Romanian institutional deprivation, followed after adoption into UK families. It does not represent adoption generally or establish that adoption caused the difficulties. Publications from this cohort use overlapping participants; regional coverage is not separately specified in the abstract. Statistical pathways do not prove causation; bullying and mental health may have other shared influences.
- Research type
- Longitudinal cohort study
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Mixed
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: mixed
Adoption context: Intercountry adoption following institutional care; within-UK adoption comparison
Programme: English and Romanian Adoptees Study
Institutional context: No relationship identified in the material checked
No adoption-sector organisational relationship identified from metadata reviewed. Funding and conflicts were not comprehensively audited; this is not confirmation of institutional independence.
Bibliographic screening. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: ADHD, anxiety, autism, bullying, depression, longitudinal, mental health, peer relationships
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: United Kingdom (regional breakdown not specified)
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_a207d7905329194d