Jane Ledingham - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Jane Ledingham
British Journal of Criminology, Aug 6, 2019
Children from poor neighbourhoods showing early aggressive behaviour are at risk for criminal off... more Children from poor neighbourhoods showing early aggressive behaviour are at risk for criminal offending. The role of education as a mediator, neighbourhood disadvantage and aggression as moderators for criminal offending were examined in a lower-income, community sample (n = 3,521; 48% males), across a 40-year period from childhood to mid-adulthood. Educational attainment accounted for 15–59% of the effect from childhood risk factors. Aggression was found to be a moderator such that aggressive children with low education had the highest odds of criminal offending. A protective effect was found where aggressive children who managed to obtain more education had reduced odds of offending. Research conceptualizing education as a ‘control’ variable does not address its role in the processes leading to criminal offending.
Abstract 1. In the present chapter, we focus on a Canadian study of long-term trajectories and se... more Abstract 1. In the present chapter, we focus on a Canadian study of long-term trajectories and sequelae of girlhood aggression in the context of a broad range of negative psychosocial and health outcomes, including maternal and child health, difficulties in ...
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, Jun 17, 2015
Factors that promote healthy relationships have been understudied. The objective of this study is... more Factors that promote healthy relationships have been understudied. The objective of this study is to examine mother–child verbal and nonverbal communication (separately), relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours in an at-risk sample framed within the developmental psychopathology approach. Mothers are part of a 35-year longitudinal prospective study who, as children, were rated by peers on measures of aggression and social withdrawal. These mothers, with their own 9- to 13-year-old children, participated in conflict and game-playing tasks. Verbal and nonverbal communication were coded separately using systematic observational measures. Maternal childhood histories of aggression and withdrawal predicted poorer dyad verbal communication, relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours. Frequently displayed positive verbal and nonverbal communication were associated with better relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours. The results highlight the unique contributions of verbal and nonverbal communication to adaptive development and to promoting healthy relationships in at-risk families during middle-childhood.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Nov 29, 2021
Governments around the world are pressed to invest in postsecondary education. However, little re... more Governments around the world are pressed to invest in postsecondary education. However, little research exists to document whether large-scale educational reforms aimed at increasing rates of postsecondary attendance benefit youth's developmental outcomes. This study tested whether an educational reform occurring in Québec, Canada, in the 1960s increased educational levels, and whether it benefitted some youth more than others. In the 1970's, 4109 low-income youth (50% females) aged 7-13 years old were recruited at Time 1 from first, fourth, and seventh grade classes (Mage = 10.6, SD = 2.5). Socio-behavioral characteristics and academic skills at Time 1 were examined as predictors of educational attainment at Time 2, three decades later, on 3883 of the same participants. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the likelihood of youth obtaining a diploma from the newly created, accessible, and affordable colleges ("cégeps"). Low-educated groups (high school dropouts and high school graduates) presented a higher early risk profile than did college graduates. Interactions revealed that social withdrawal protected youth from disadvantaged neighborhoods, helping them graduate from college. Likeability helped academically weaker girls go beyond college and access university, and helped academically competent boys graduate from college. Aggressive behavior decreased the odds of university attendance for academically competent boys. Policies promoting higher education for disadvantaged youth should be supplemented with early interventions integrating academic and socio-behavioral objectives.
Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, Apr 1, 2021
Evaluation in Progress - Strategies for Environmental Research and Implementation (IAPS 18 Conference Proceedings on CD-Rom), 2004
Journal SOGC, Mar 1, 1999
Abstract Aggressive girls, in contrast to girls with other problems of adjustment, form a group d... more Abstract Aggressive girls, in contrast to girls with other problems of adjustment, form a group disproportionately at risk for a number of undesirable outcomes. They are more likely to come from large families who are rejecting and have fewer resources in both the material and psychological senses. They do more poorly at school and drop out of school early. They are rejected by their peers and form relationships with other deviant individuals. Rates of such other problems as attention deficit, depression, anxiety and substance abuse are higher in this group. Aggressive girls get involved sexually at an earlier age and are more likely to have children during their teenage years. They have more delivery complications and have other children within a short period. Their children are at risk for developmental delay and, perhaps as a result of maternal neglect, are more likely to be seen in emergency rooms. Physicians treating such girls should be aware of their prior social history and concomitant problems so that patients understand clearly what they should do and goals set for them are attainable. A good treatment plan should also include identification of sources of social support and referrals to appropriate agencies for such issues as substance abuse and parenting skills.
Journal SOGC, Nov 1, 1999
Abstract Social involvement plays important roles both in how individuals handle stress and in re... more Abstract Social involvement plays important roles both in how individuals handle stress and in regimens that support healthy lifestyles. Close relationships and involvement in community activities are predictive of how long a person will live and, for women, of the course of their pregnancies. There are important differences between those aspects of social relationships which are most protective for men and women. Global social involvement seems to be more important for the health of women than for men. While men seem to derive greater benefits from marriage, women seem to be able to profit more from many kinds of relationships, including those with friends, relatives and children. Women also seem to be more prone to experiencing negative effects from social involvement. Physicians should be aware of these differences and be prepared both to provide information and emotional support to women in acute medical crises, and to involve existing social supports in treatment and, if necessary, make referrals to appropriate support groups.
Preventive medicine reports, Dec 1, 2017
Infant and Child Development, 2016
The present study was designed to explore how maternal guidance (i.e., involvement and monitoring... more The present study was designed to explore how maternal guidance (i.e., involvement and monitoring) is associated with parent‐level and contextual factors in unstructured and structured tasks. Participants were mothers who had histories of risk and disadvantage (mean age = 30.47) with their preschool‐aged children (aged 2–6 years; n males = 39, n females = 50). Maternal guidance was divided into two categories: directive (i.e., commands and command repetitions) and nondirective (i.e., queries, verbal prompts, and explanations). Results revealed that mothers with more directive guidance had higher levels of parental stress and higher levels of maternal childhood histories of social withdrawal. Furthermore, more nondirective maternal guidance was associated with higher quality of home environments. Taken together, results suggest that parenting practices are best understood in relation to contextual variables. Findings have implications for developing and implementing parenting interve...
Development and Psychopathology, 2019
Research showing that risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and other psychosi... more Research showing that risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and other psychosis-spectrum diagnoses in adulthood is multidetermined has underscored the necessity of studying the additive and interactive factors in childhood that precede and predict future disorders. In this study, risk for the development of psychosis-spectrum disorders was examined in a 2-generation, 30-year prospective longitudinal study of 3,905 urban families against a sociocultural backdrop of changing economic and social conditions. Peer nominations of aggression, withdrawal, and likeability and national census information on neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood, as well as changes in neighborhood socioeconomic conditions over the lifespan, were examined as predictors of diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychosis-spectrum disorders in adulthood relative to developing only nonpsychotic disorders or no psychiatric disorders. Individuals who were both...
Criminologie, 2005
Résumé L’agressivité chez les filles tend à ne pas se manifester de la même façon que chez les ga... more Résumé L’agressivité chez les filles tend à ne pas se manifester de la même façon que chez les garçons ; de plus, elle suit une trajectoire longitudinale particulière. Les filles agressives envers leurs pairs ne se caractérisent pas tant par leurs manifestations de délinquance et de criminalité ; elles s’orientent plutôt vers une trajectoire de troubles sociaux et de santé mentale qui, à terme, compromet leur avenir scolaire, social et professionnel, de même que leur état de santé physique. Les compétences parentales des filles agressives, de même que le fonctionnement de leur famille, peuvent aussi être affectées ; dans ce cas, c’est la socialisation, la santé et le développement de toute une nouvelle génération d’enfants qui sont menacés. La Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project (Enquête longitudinale sur les risques, Université Concordia) suit un échantillon intergénérationnel de 1 770 sujets vivant à Montréal, dont un sous-échantillon de plus de 200 filles dites très agressives, e...
Journal of Research in Childhood Education
ABSTRACT The present study examined mothers’ responses to their at-risk preschool-age children’s ... more ABSTRACT The present study examined mothers’ responses to their at-risk preschool-age children’s (N = 156) successful and unsuccessful attempts during a puzzle task. Associations between mothers’ responses and the children’s ecological context, as well as children’s cognitive and academic abilities at two subsequent time points (ages 6–11, and 9–13 years), were examined. Maternal responses to children’s successful attempts included process praise, person praise, and neutral acknowledgments. Responses to unsuccessful attempts included encouragement or help, discouragement, neutral indications of mistake, or taking over. Results revealed that maternal responses were associated with child characteristics. In addition, encouragement was positively associated with the quality of the home environment, whereas taking over was positively associated with maternal childhood histories of aggression and social withdrawal. Furthermore, decreased taking over, as well as increased encouragement and neutral acknowledgments, were associated with higher child cognitive and academic abilities later on. Implications for early childhood education are discussed.
Childhood aggression in girls may take different forms and follow different longitudinal trajecto... more Childhood aggression in girls may take different forms and follow different longitudinal trajectories from those typical of aggressive boys. Even when overt delinquency and criminality are avoided, girls who are aggressive towards their peers may follow a life course involving continuing social and mental health problems. From a longterm perspective, academic, social, health, and occupational achievement are likely to be negatively affected. Family functioning and parenting abilities may also be compromised, placing the offspring of these girls, a subsequent generation, at risk for social, health, and developmental problems. The Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, which follows an intergenerational sample of 1770 inner-city Montrealers, includes a sub-sample of over 200 highly aggressive girls, with comparison groups of aggressive boys and normative children of both genders. Participants have been followed over a 30-year period, from childhood into adulthood. The present paper desc...
Social Science & …, 2007
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdraw... more The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdrawal on adult health, and to examine the transfer of health-risk to offspring. Previous studies have linked aggression to poor health habits, whereas social withdrawal has been linked to increased symptom reporting. Little research has attempted to examine the effects of parents' childhood behaviour problems on health in the next generation. Seventy-four parents from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Montreal (roughly half of whom were identified in childhood as being highly aggressive and/or withdrawn) and their offspring aged 9-11-years old participated in this prospective, longitudinal study. Health histories of mothers and target children were taken during structured home interviews. Regression analyses tested the relationship between parents' behaviour problems in childhood and subsequent health outcomes in both generations. Mothers who were high on both aggression and withdrawal in childhood showed the earliest signs of health problems. Maternal childhood aggression predicted lower self-rated health and some current health problems, whereas maternal childhood withdrawal predicted more somatizing symptoms such as frequent headaches. Offspring of socially withdrawn mothers or fathers were more likely to be prescribed medication for respiratory problems and Ritalin, despite no matching maternal reports of higher incidence of behavior or respiratory problems. In summary, there were distinct health patterns for families of individuals who are highly aggressive and socially withdrawn in childhood, with implications for transfer of poor health habits to the next generation.
… of Developmental & …, 2006
ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and socia... more ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdrawal on adolescent health risk behaviors and adult health outcomes, and to examine the transfer of health risk to preschool offspring. This was a prospective, ...
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 1999
J Abnormal Child Psychol, 1982
British Journal of Criminology, Aug 6, 2019
Children from poor neighbourhoods showing early aggressive behaviour are at risk for criminal off... more Children from poor neighbourhoods showing early aggressive behaviour are at risk for criminal offending. The role of education as a mediator, neighbourhood disadvantage and aggression as moderators for criminal offending were examined in a lower-income, community sample (n = 3,521; 48% males), across a 40-year period from childhood to mid-adulthood. Educational attainment accounted for 15–59% of the effect from childhood risk factors. Aggression was found to be a moderator such that aggressive children with low education had the highest odds of criminal offending. A protective effect was found where aggressive children who managed to obtain more education had reduced odds of offending. Research conceptualizing education as a ‘control’ variable does not address its role in the processes leading to criminal offending.
Abstract 1. In the present chapter, we focus on a Canadian study of long-term trajectories and se... more Abstract 1. In the present chapter, we focus on a Canadian study of long-term trajectories and sequelae of girlhood aggression in the context of a broad range of negative psychosocial and health outcomes, including maternal and child health, difficulties in ...
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, Jun 17, 2015
Factors that promote healthy relationships have been understudied. The objective of this study is... more Factors that promote healthy relationships have been understudied. The objective of this study is to examine mother–child verbal and nonverbal communication (separately), relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours in an at-risk sample framed within the developmental psychopathology approach. Mothers are part of a 35-year longitudinal prospective study who, as children, were rated by peers on measures of aggression and social withdrawal. These mothers, with their own 9- to 13-year-old children, participated in conflict and game-playing tasks. Verbal and nonverbal communication were coded separately using systematic observational measures. Maternal childhood histories of aggression and withdrawal predicted poorer dyad verbal communication, relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours. Frequently displayed positive verbal and nonverbal communication were associated with better relationship quality and children's positive social behaviours. The results highlight the unique contributions of verbal and nonverbal communication to adaptive development and to promoting healthy relationships in at-risk families during middle-childhood.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Nov 29, 2021
Governments around the world are pressed to invest in postsecondary education. However, little re... more Governments around the world are pressed to invest in postsecondary education. However, little research exists to document whether large-scale educational reforms aimed at increasing rates of postsecondary attendance benefit youth's developmental outcomes. This study tested whether an educational reform occurring in Québec, Canada, in the 1960s increased educational levels, and whether it benefitted some youth more than others. In the 1970's, 4109 low-income youth (50% females) aged 7-13 years old were recruited at Time 1 from first, fourth, and seventh grade classes (Mage = 10.6, SD = 2.5). Socio-behavioral characteristics and academic skills at Time 1 were examined as predictors of educational attainment at Time 2, three decades later, on 3883 of the same participants. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the likelihood of youth obtaining a diploma from the newly created, accessible, and affordable colleges ("cégeps"). Low-educated groups (high school dropouts and high school graduates) presented a higher early risk profile than did college graduates. Interactions revealed that social withdrawal protected youth from disadvantaged neighborhoods, helping them graduate from college. Likeability helped academically weaker girls go beyond college and access university, and helped academically competent boys graduate from college. Aggressive behavior decreased the odds of university attendance for academically competent boys. Policies promoting higher education for disadvantaged youth should be supplemented with early interventions integrating academic and socio-behavioral objectives.
Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, Apr 1, 2021
Evaluation in Progress - Strategies for Environmental Research and Implementation (IAPS 18 Conference Proceedings on CD-Rom), 2004
Journal SOGC, Mar 1, 1999
Abstract Aggressive girls, in contrast to girls with other problems of adjustment, form a group d... more Abstract Aggressive girls, in contrast to girls with other problems of adjustment, form a group disproportionately at risk for a number of undesirable outcomes. They are more likely to come from large families who are rejecting and have fewer resources in both the material and psychological senses. They do more poorly at school and drop out of school early. They are rejected by their peers and form relationships with other deviant individuals. Rates of such other problems as attention deficit, depression, anxiety and substance abuse are higher in this group. Aggressive girls get involved sexually at an earlier age and are more likely to have children during their teenage years. They have more delivery complications and have other children within a short period. Their children are at risk for developmental delay and, perhaps as a result of maternal neglect, are more likely to be seen in emergency rooms. Physicians treating such girls should be aware of their prior social history and concomitant problems so that patients understand clearly what they should do and goals set for them are attainable. A good treatment plan should also include identification of sources of social support and referrals to appropriate agencies for such issues as substance abuse and parenting skills.
Journal SOGC, Nov 1, 1999
Abstract Social involvement plays important roles both in how individuals handle stress and in re... more Abstract Social involvement plays important roles both in how individuals handle stress and in regimens that support healthy lifestyles. Close relationships and involvement in community activities are predictive of how long a person will live and, for women, of the course of their pregnancies. There are important differences between those aspects of social relationships which are most protective for men and women. Global social involvement seems to be more important for the health of women than for men. While men seem to derive greater benefits from marriage, women seem to be able to profit more from many kinds of relationships, including those with friends, relatives and children. Women also seem to be more prone to experiencing negative effects from social involvement. Physicians should be aware of these differences and be prepared both to provide information and emotional support to women in acute medical crises, and to involve existing social supports in treatment and, if necessary, make referrals to appropriate support groups.
Preventive medicine reports, Dec 1, 2017
Infant and Child Development, 2016
The present study was designed to explore how maternal guidance (i.e., involvement and monitoring... more The present study was designed to explore how maternal guidance (i.e., involvement and monitoring) is associated with parent‐level and contextual factors in unstructured and structured tasks. Participants were mothers who had histories of risk and disadvantage (mean age = 30.47) with their preschool‐aged children (aged 2–6 years; n males = 39, n females = 50). Maternal guidance was divided into two categories: directive (i.e., commands and command repetitions) and nondirective (i.e., queries, verbal prompts, and explanations). Results revealed that mothers with more directive guidance had higher levels of parental stress and higher levels of maternal childhood histories of social withdrawal. Furthermore, more nondirective maternal guidance was associated with higher quality of home environments. Taken together, results suggest that parenting practices are best understood in relation to contextual variables. Findings have implications for developing and implementing parenting interve...
Development and Psychopathology, 2019
Research showing that risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and other psychosi... more Research showing that risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychosis, and other psychosis-spectrum diagnoses in adulthood is multidetermined has underscored the necessity of studying the additive and interactive factors in childhood that precede and predict future disorders. In this study, risk for the development of psychosis-spectrum disorders was examined in a 2-generation, 30-year prospective longitudinal study of 3,905 urban families against a sociocultural backdrop of changing economic and social conditions. Peer nominations of aggression, withdrawal, and likeability and national census information on neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood, as well as changes in neighborhood socioeconomic conditions over the lifespan, were examined as predictors of diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychosis-spectrum disorders in adulthood relative to developing only nonpsychotic disorders or no psychiatric disorders. Individuals who were both...
Criminologie, 2005
Résumé L’agressivité chez les filles tend à ne pas se manifester de la même façon que chez les ga... more Résumé L’agressivité chez les filles tend à ne pas se manifester de la même façon que chez les garçons ; de plus, elle suit une trajectoire longitudinale particulière. Les filles agressives envers leurs pairs ne se caractérisent pas tant par leurs manifestations de délinquance et de criminalité ; elles s’orientent plutôt vers une trajectoire de troubles sociaux et de santé mentale qui, à terme, compromet leur avenir scolaire, social et professionnel, de même que leur état de santé physique. Les compétences parentales des filles agressives, de même que le fonctionnement de leur famille, peuvent aussi être affectées ; dans ce cas, c’est la socialisation, la santé et le développement de toute une nouvelle génération d’enfants qui sont menacés. La Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project (Enquête longitudinale sur les risques, Université Concordia) suit un échantillon intergénérationnel de 1 770 sujets vivant à Montréal, dont un sous-échantillon de plus de 200 filles dites très agressives, e...
Journal of Research in Childhood Education
ABSTRACT The present study examined mothers’ responses to their at-risk preschool-age children’s ... more ABSTRACT The present study examined mothers’ responses to their at-risk preschool-age children’s (N = 156) successful and unsuccessful attempts during a puzzle task. Associations between mothers’ responses and the children’s ecological context, as well as children’s cognitive and academic abilities at two subsequent time points (ages 6–11, and 9–13 years), were examined. Maternal responses to children’s successful attempts included process praise, person praise, and neutral acknowledgments. Responses to unsuccessful attempts included encouragement or help, discouragement, neutral indications of mistake, or taking over. Results revealed that maternal responses were associated with child characteristics. In addition, encouragement was positively associated with the quality of the home environment, whereas taking over was positively associated with maternal childhood histories of aggression and social withdrawal. Furthermore, decreased taking over, as well as increased encouragement and neutral acknowledgments, were associated with higher child cognitive and academic abilities later on. Implications for early childhood education are discussed.
Childhood aggression in girls may take different forms and follow different longitudinal trajecto... more Childhood aggression in girls may take different forms and follow different longitudinal trajectories from those typical of aggressive boys. Even when overt delinquency and criminality are avoided, girls who are aggressive towards their peers may follow a life course involving continuing social and mental health problems. From a longterm perspective, academic, social, health, and occupational achievement are likely to be negatively affected. Family functioning and parenting abilities may also be compromised, placing the offspring of these girls, a subsequent generation, at risk for social, health, and developmental problems. The Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, which follows an intergenerational sample of 1770 inner-city Montrealers, includes a sub-sample of over 200 highly aggressive girls, with comparison groups of aggressive boys and normative children of both genders. Participants have been followed over a 30-year period, from childhood into adulthood. The present paper desc...
Social Science & …, 2007
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdraw... more The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdrawal on adult health, and to examine the transfer of health-risk to offspring. Previous studies have linked aggression to poor health habits, whereas social withdrawal has been linked to increased symptom reporting. Little research has attempted to examine the effects of parents' childhood behaviour problems on health in the next generation. Seventy-four parents from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Montreal (roughly half of whom were identified in childhood as being highly aggressive and/or withdrawn) and their offspring aged 9-11-years old participated in this prospective, longitudinal study. Health histories of mothers and target children were taken during structured home interviews. Regression analyses tested the relationship between parents' behaviour problems in childhood and subsequent health outcomes in both generations. Mothers who were high on both aggression and withdrawal in childhood showed the earliest signs of health problems. Maternal childhood aggression predicted lower self-rated health and some current health problems, whereas maternal childhood withdrawal predicted more somatizing symptoms such as frequent headaches. Offspring of socially withdrawn mothers or fathers were more likely to be prescribed medication for respiratory problems and Ritalin, despite no matching maternal reports of higher incidence of behavior or respiratory problems. In summary, there were distinct health patterns for families of individuals who are highly aggressive and socially withdrawn in childhood, with implications for transfer of poor health habits to the next generation.
… of Developmental & …, 2006
ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and socia... more ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of childhood aggression and social withdrawal on adolescent health risk behaviors and adult health outcomes, and to examine the transfer of health risk to preschool offspring. This was a prospective, ...
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 1999
J Abnormal Child Psychol, 1982