eprintid: 10196587
rev_number: 6
eprint_status: archive
userid: 699
dir: disk0/10/19/65/87
datestamp: 2024-09-04 12:39:38
lastmod: 2024-09-04 12:39:38
status_changed: 2024-09-04 12:39:38
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 699
creators_name: Black, Candace J
creators_name: McEwen, Fiona S
creators_name: Smeeth, Demelza
creators_name: Popham, Cassandra M
creators_name: Karam, Elie
creators_name: Pluess, Michael
title: Effects of War Exposure on Pubertal Development in Refugee Children
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B02
divisions: D14
divisions: GA3
divisions: G17
keywords: puberty, conflict, refugees, stress, nutrition
note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
abstract: Increasing research shows pubertal development accelerates following threats while it decelerates following deprivation. Yet, these environmental stressors are unlikely to occur in isolation. We investigated how war exposure and energetic stress impact pubertal development using data from the longitudinal Biological Pathways of Risk and Resilience in Syrian Refugee Children study. Our sample included 1,600 male and female Syrian refugee children and their caregivers who lived in temporary settlements in Lebanon. We hypothesized that (a) energetic stress suppresses pubertal development; (b) war exposure accelerates pubertal timing in boys and increases risk of menarche in girls, but only when energetic stress is low; and (c) when energetic stress is elevated, effects of war exposure on pubertal development will be attenuated. Among boys, we did not find support for Hypothesis 1, but Hypotheses 2 and 3 were supported. Exposure to morbidity/mortality threats accelerated pubertal timing; this effect was attenuated under conditions of elevated energetic stress. Among girls, we found support for Hypothesis 1, but not for Hypotheses 2 and 3. Elevated energetic stress decreased the risk of menarche in girls. Neither war exposure, nor any interactions with energetic stress, predicted risk of menarche. Sensitivity analyses revealed a significant interaction between bombing exposure and the amount of time since leaving Syria. Bombing decreased the risk of menarche, but only for girls who had left Syria four or more years prior to data collection. We discuss implications for translational efforts advocating for puberty screening in medical and mental health settings to identify trauma-exposed youth.
date: 2023-09
date_type: published
publisher: AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0001569
oa_status: green
full_text_type: other
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 2309403
doi: 10.1037/dev0001569
medium: Print-Electronic
pii: 2023-87302-001
lyricists_name: Smeeth, Demelza
lyricists_id: DMSME76
actors_name: Smeeth, Demelza
actors_id: DMSME76
actors_role: owner
funding_acknowledgements: R01HD083387 [Eunice Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development]; 896988 [European Union]; 896988 [Marie Curie Actions (MSCA)]
full_text_status: public
publication: Developmental Psychology
volume: 59
number: 9
pagerange: 1559-1572
pages: 14
event_location: United States
citation:        Black, Candace J;    McEwen, Fiona S;    Smeeth, Demelza;    Popham, Cassandra M;    Karam, Elie;    Pluess, Michael;      (2023)    Effects of War Exposure on Pubertal Development in Refugee Children.                   Developmental Psychology , 59  (9)   pp. 1559-1572.    10.1037/dev0001569 <https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001569>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10196587/1/Effects%20of%20war%20exposure%20on%20pubertal%20development%20in%20refugee%20children.pdf