283 - Tracing How Adversity Type, Gender, and Age Interact to Shape Youth Mental and Behavioral Health

Publication Number: 3272.283

Grace Bak, Lubbock High School, Lubbock, TX, United States

Background: Numerous studies in developmental psychopathology have presented theoretical and empirical findings on the effects of childhood adversities on youth mental and behavioral health. While robust associations exist between adversity and youth health problems, how age, gender, and adversity type interact to influence mental versus behavioral outcomes remains underexplored. This gap highlights the need to examine the interplay among these factors.

Objective: This proposal investigates how age, gender, and adversity type shape the development of children's mental and behavioral health. It assesses how gender differences emerge in anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges across childhood and adolescence, while distinguishing between adversities within the family and those from external sources.

Design/Methods: Using National Survey of Children's Health (2016-2023) data on 4-17-year-olds, we examine how internal and external adversities affect mental and behavioral health. Logistic regression models with three-way interactions (adversity type × gender × age) identify when gender differences arise. Marginal effects pinpoint developmental periods when adversity impacts boys and girls differently.

Results: Childhood adversities significantly increase the risk of mental and behavioral health problems in both boys and girls. The effect on mental health strengthens with age, particularly for girls. Gender differences in response to adversity during early adolescence are seen mainly with internal adversities, such as family-related stress. Internal adversities also heighten behavioral problems in both sexes, especially among boys, though this risk declines with age, more sharply in boys. External adversities do not show marked gender differences or consistent changes in impact across ages.

Conclusion(s): Our findings reveal a complex interplay among adversity type, gender, and age in shaping childhood mental and behavioral health. Considering these interactions is essential for understanding the development of symptoms and designing effective, individualized interventions for children and adolescents.

The Marginal Effect of Internal vs. External Childhood Adversity on the Likelihood of Mental vs. Behavior Problem