TY - JOUR
T1 - Assembling a cohort for in-depth, longitudinal assessments of the biological embedding of child maltreatment
T2 - Methods, complexities, and lessons learned
AU - Schreier, Hannah M.C.
AU - Heim, Christine M.
AU - Rose, Emma J.
AU - Shalev, Idan
AU - Shenk, Chad E.
AU - Noll, Jennie G.
N1 - Funding Information:
Financial Statement. Research reported in this publication is supported by the National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development under Award Number P50HD089922.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - As championed by the work of Ed Zigler, investing in nurturing environments for all children is a chief tenet of primary prevention that will have far-reaching benefits to the health and welfare of all members of society. Children who endure child maltreatment (CM) are among society's most vulnerable. Prospective longitudinal research aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms linking CM to subsequent adverse health consequences is needed to improve outcomes and to strengthen causal inference. This paper outlines the methods of the Child Health Study (CHS), a large, state-wide longitudinal cohort of recently maltreated and nonmaltreated youth aged 8-13 who will be assessed every 2 years. The CHS is designed to include in-depth assessments of multiple environmental, behavioral, neural, physiological, and molecular mechanisms through which CM may impact a broad spectrum of youth development, including behavioral and physical health outcomes. In addition to describing the conceptual framework and methods underlying the CHS, we provide information on valuable lessons learned in the hopes of supporting future research efforts facing similar challenges. The ultimate goal of this research is demonstrating how policies regarding CM impact the well-being, resilience and recovery of survivors and that they are worthy of large public investment.
AB - As championed by the work of Ed Zigler, investing in nurturing environments for all children is a chief tenet of primary prevention that will have far-reaching benefits to the health and welfare of all members of society. Children who endure child maltreatment (CM) are among society's most vulnerable. Prospective longitudinal research aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms linking CM to subsequent adverse health consequences is needed to improve outcomes and to strengthen causal inference. This paper outlines the methods of the Child Health Study (CHS), a large, state-wide longitudinal cohort of recently maltreated and nonmaltreated youth aged 8-13 who will be assessed every 2 years. The CHS is designed to include in-depth assessments of multiple environmental, behavioral, neural, physiological, and molecular mechanisms through which CM may impact a broad spectrum of youth development, including behavioral and physical health outcomes. In addition to describing the conceptual framework and methods underlying the CHS, we provide information on valuable lessons learned in the hopes of supporting future research efforts facing similar challenges. The ultimate goal of this research is demonstrating how policies regarding CM impact the well-being, resilience and recovery of survivors and that they are worthy of large public investment.
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U2 - 10.1017/S0954579420001510
DO - 10.1017/S0954579420001510
M3 - Article
C2 - 33955343
AN - SCOPUS:85105457162
SN - 0954-5794
VL - 33
SP - 394
EP - 408
JO - Development and Psychopathology
JF - Development and Psychopathology
IS - 2
ER -