Early Life Adversities and Mental Health Outcomes in Offspring
A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 2153
Special Issue Editors
Interests: life course and perinatal epidemiology; developmental origins of health and disease; social determinants of health; maternal, child and adolescent mental health
Interests: maternal perinatal mental health (both common and severe disorders) and outcomes such as birth, child health, development, and education; the developmental origin of mental health and intergenerational aspect of mental health; social outcomes; economic impacts of maternal mental health
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Childhood is an important period for developing socioemotional and cognitive skills. Children’s brains are highly plastic, facilitating their learning and adaptation to the environment. Adverse experiences during periods of heightened plasticity may alter developmental trajectories via complex neurobiological and stress-mediated mechanisms that, in turn, increase the risk of socioemotional and behavioral difficulties in childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. While early detection and intervention of mental illness in childhood has immediate and long-term benefits, preventative approaches targeting this age group have been traditionally overlooked. This is concerning, since unidentified and untreated mental health disorders can have a debilitating impact on children, families, and communities. The association between Early Life Adversities (ELAs) and mental health problems is especially concerning, given that more than half of all children and youth will experience at least one ELA by adulthood, and ELAs account for the onset of roughly half of all mental health problems in childhood. This Special Issue, therefore, aims to advance the literature on this topic. High-quality research articles on this topic and the mechanisms behind the associations are welcome.
Dr. Berihun Dachew
Dr. Abel Dadi
Dr. Getinet Ayano
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- adversities
- early life
- mental health
- child health
- maternal mental health
- intergenerational transmission
- social outcomes
- developmental outcomes
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