Academic performance in adolescent offspring of mothers with prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations: A register-based, data linkage, cohort study. (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ayano, Getinet; Betts, Kim; Dachew, Berihun Assefa; Alati, Rosa
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 319(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: Psychiatric hospitalization -- Academic performance -- Maternal -- Offspring -- Adolescent; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114946
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: There is a paucity of data on the impact of maternal prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations on the academic performance of adolescent offspring. Maternal prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations are linked with an increased risk of lower academic achievements in adolescent offspring. Maternal prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations affect the academic performance of male and female offspring differently, with stronger effects in boys. Early intervention strategies that aim to enhance educational performance in the exposed offspring are needed. Abstract: Background: This is the first study to investigate the longitudinal association between prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations and academic achievements in adolescent offspring. Methods: We conducted an administrative health data-based cohort study of 168, 528 mother-offspring pairs using linked data obtained from health and educational registries in New South Wales, Australia. Prenatal and perinatal maternal psychiatric diagnosis was measured by using ICD-10. The National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was used to assess the educational performance of the offspring. Logistic regression model was used to explore the association. Multivariate models were adjusted for maternal sociodemographic characteristics such as age at birth, marital status, educational status, and occupational status, maternal diabetes and chronic hypertension, maternal smoking during pregnancy, birth weight, and language spoken at home. Results: The findings show that after adjusting for important covariates adolescent offspring of mothers with prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations were more likely to perform below the national minimum standard in all domains of academic performance at age 14 years, when compared with the offspring of mothers without such hospitalizations, with the highest odds for numeracy (OR = 2.88; 95% CI: 2.50-3.31) followed by reading (OR = 2.08; 95% CI: 1.81-2.38), spelling (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.51-2.01), and writing (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.34-1.80). There was significant gender interaction such that males were more likely to experience lower rates of academic performance than females in all academic domains. Lower academic achievements were observed among offspring of mothers with all major groupings of psychiatric disorders, with a higher risk for severe psychiatric disorders followed by mental disorders due to substance use or medical conditions. Conclusion: In sum, maternal prenatal and perinatal psychiatric hospitalizations are associated with lower academic achievements in adolescent offspring, with a stronger effect on the academic performance of male offspring. Early intervention strategies that aim to enhance educational performance in the exposed offspring are needed.