目的:有新的证据表明,有移民背景的母亲的孩子自闭症患病率增加。迄今为止,这种关系的潜在机制知之甚少。我们调查了产前压力暴露是否介导了母亲迁移和儿童自闭症特征之间的关联,评估荷兰的第一代和第二代移民母亲及其子女。
方法:该研究纳入了基于前瞻性人群的R代队列。在4,727名参与者中,1,773名母亲(38%)有移民背景。使用与应激性生活事件相关的问卷评估产前应激,家庭功能,自尊,长期的困难,精神病理学的症状,社会支持和感知到的歧视。自闭症特征在6岁时仅使用父母报告的社会反应量表进行测量。进行了纵向多重中介分析。由于迁移特征的差异,分析按迁移起源(欧洲和欧洲以外)进行了分层。
结果:母亲迁徙背景与更多经历的压力和更高的儿童自闭症特征评分相关(欧洲:M=0.42,SD=0.25。欧洲以外:M=0.50,SD=0.24),与无迁移背景(荷兰:M=0.38,SD=0.23,均p<0.01)相比。产前压力,特别是感知到的歧视和母亲的精神病理学,占孕产妇迁徙总影响的一半,在调整社会人口统计学因素后仍然存在(Bindirect=0.035,95CI[0.027,0.043],Btotal=0.074)。
结论:妊娠期间的压力介导了母亲迁移状态与儿童自闭症特征之间的关联。未来的研究应集中在早期干预措施上,以评估减少具有移民背景的女性的产前压力暴露是否会导致后代自闭症特征降低。
OBJECTIVE: There is emerging evidence for an increased prevalence of autism in children of mothers with a migration background. To date, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood. We investigated whether prenatal stress exposure mediates the association between maternal migration and child autistic traits, assessing first- and second-generation migrant mothers in the Netherlands and their children.
METHODS: The
study was embedded in the prospective population-based Generation R cohort. Of the 4,727 participants, 1,773 mothers (38%) had a migration background. Prenatal stress was assessed using questionnaires related to stressful life events, family functioning, self-esteem, long-lasting difficulties, symptoms of psychopathology, social support, and perceived discrimination. Autistic traits were measured at age 6 years with the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale exclusively. Longitudinal multiple mediation analyses were performed. Analyses were stratified by migration origin (Europe and outside Europe) because of differences in migration characteristics.
RESULTS: Maternal migration background was associated with more experienced stress and with higher child autistic trait scores (Europe: mean = 0.42, SD = 0.25; outside Europe: mean = 0.50, SD = 0.24) compared to no migration background (Netherlands: mean = 0.38, SD = 0.23; both p < .01). Prenatal stress, especially perceived discrimination and maternal psychopathology, accounted for up to half of the total effect of maternal migration, which remained after adjusting for sociodemographic factors (Bindirect = 0.035, 95% CI = 0.027, 0.043, Btotal = 0.074).
CONCLUSIONS: Stress during pregnancy mediated the association between maternal migration status and child autistic traits. Future research should focus on early interventions to assess whether reducing prenatal stress exposure among women with a migration background can result in lower offspring autistic traits.
UNASSIGNED: We worked to ensure that the
study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.