Time Dimension of Childhood Adversities and Externalizing Behavior Among Children of Teen Mothers: Sensitive Period Hypothesis vs. Accumulation Hypothesis

Abstract

Childhood adversities are associated with compromised behavioral health later in life. However, less attention has been paid to how time contributes to the damaging effects of adversity exposure. In addition, the differential impact of childhood maltreatment and household dysfunction has been understudied. The current study tested (a) the sensitive period hypothesis regarding timing of childhood adversity on externalizing behavior, (b) the accumulation hypothesis regarding the associations between the duration of childhood adversity and externalizing behavior, and (c) the domain-specific impact of childhood adversity on externalizing behavior. Data came from the Young Women and Child Development Study ( N = 240). Childhood adversity was measured at seven periods (age range: 5.5–16), which were used to test the sensitive period hypothesis. Childhood adversity at each time period was summed across seven time periods to test the accumulation measure representing the duration of childhood adversity. Least angle and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results supported the sensitive period hypothesis—the effect of childhood adversity was the most prominent at age 11.5, whereas the accumulation of childhood adversity time periods was not a significant predictor of later externalizing behavior. Probing childhood adversity by subdomains revealed maltreatment primarily accounted for externalizing behavior ( p < .05). Findings suggest intervention efforts for children of teen mothers during early adolescence to prevent externalizing behavior in later adolescence. Unpacking childhood adversity may illuminate key areas of vulnerability to externalizing behavior.