ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9684-5782
Current Organisation
Edith Cowan University
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Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-09-2013
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 09-09-2015
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 13-11-2017
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 05-11-2013
DOI: 10.1371/ANNOTATION/A730446C-0150-4079-98EA-95B12E1E3C28
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 18-03-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-03-2017
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 13-02-2019
Abstract: Literacy is ch ioned as a pathway out of poverty, yet it is vulnerable to the risk circumstances it seeks to mitigate. This study explored the developmental circumstances that gave rise to stark inequalities in reading achievement in Australian children across 6 years of school. We used data from Growing up in Australia : the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children linked to Australia’s National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy across school years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Latent class analysis and growth curve modelling (n=4983) were used to identify risk profiles for reading achievement for children (ages 8.2–15.2). Four distinct profiles were identified: developmentally enabled profile (62% of children) sociodemographic risk profile (25% of children) child development risk profile (11% of children) and sociodemographic and child development (double disadvantage) risk profile (2% of children). Children with a developmentally enabled profile achieved the expected rate of growth of 1.0 year per year of school across years 3, 5, 7 and 9. By comparison, children with sociodemographic and/or child development risk profiles started behind their developmentally enabled peers, and lost ground over time. Across 6 years of school, multiple risk-exposed children lagged behind low risk-exposed children in the order of years of lost gains in reading achievement. The results point to the complex contexts of educational disadvantage and the need for cross-cutting social, health and education policies and coordinated multiagency intervention efforts to break the cycle of educational disadvantage.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-04-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-10-2020
DOI: 10.1002/AJS4.138
Abstract: In this paper, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the multidimensional nature of school readiness. In a s le of over 4,000 Australian children in their first year of school, we used latent class analysis to examine patterns of school readiness based on child, family, school and community characteristics, and examine the relationship between these patterns of school readiness and subsequent outcomes (reading comprehension, school absence and emotional and behavioural difficulties). We identified four distinct groups: a Developmentally Enabled group (70 per cent of children), a Parenting Risk group (16 per cent of children), an Emotionally Immature Risk group (7 per cent of children) and a Language and Developmental Risks group (7 per cent of children). The four profiles showed differential patterns of association with low reading comprehension and emotional and behavioural difficulties at age 8, but no association with school absence. The study highlights the importance of family, school and community factors when considering school readiness.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-09-2016
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 10-2015
DOI: 10.1037/FAM0000109
Abstract: Fathers' parenting behavior is a likely key mechanism underlying the consistent associations between paternal mental health difficulties and poor emotional-behavioral outcomes for children. This study investigates the association between fathers' mental health trajectories and key parenting behaviors (warmth, hostility, consistency) spanning the first 8-9 years postpartum. Secondary analyses of 5 waves of data from 2,662 fathers participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were conducted. Latent growth class analysis was used to identify distinct trajectories of fathers' distress (Kessler-6 Kessler et al., 2003), and latent growth models estimated parenting warmth, hostility, and consistency. Multiple group analyses were conducted to describe and compare the course of parenting behaviors for fathers assigned to the distress trajectories identified. Two distinct classes of fathers were identified based on the trajectories of distress: minimal distress (92%) and persistent and increasing distress (8%). The latter group reported significantly lower parenting warmth when their children were 8-9 years and lower consistency and higher hostility across all study intervals. The postnatal and early parenting period is a critical time for the development of parenting behaviors that are important for children's development. Engagement and support for fathers around well-being and parenting is vital for promoting optimal family and child developmental outcomes.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-02-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S00127-014-0834-Z
Abstract: Little is known about the course of fathers' psychological distress and associated risk factors beyond the postnatal period. Therefore, the current study aimed to: (a) assess the course of distress over 7 years postnatally (b) identify classes of fathers defined by their symptom trajectories and (c) identify early postnatal factors associated with persistent symptoms. Data from 2,470 fathers in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were analysed using latent growth modelling. Fathers' psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler-6 (Kessler et al. in Arch Psychiatry 60:184-189, 2003) when their children were aged 0-1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6-7 years. Overall, distress was highest in the first postnatal year and then decreased over time. Two distinct trajectories were identified. The majority of fathers (92%) were identified as having minimal distress in the first postnatal year which decreased over time, whilst 8% had moderate distress which increased over time. Low parental self-efficacy, poor relationship and job quality were associated with 'persistent and increasing distress'. Early postnatal factors associated with fathers' persistent distress were identified, providing opportunities for early identification and targeted early intervention.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1037/PAS0000565
Abstract: The ability to read irregularly spelled words is commonly used to estimate premorbid intelligence, as this ability has been thought to be resistant to early effects of neurodegenerative disorders. However, studies evaluating decline of this skill in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have produced conflicting results. Irregular word reading was assessed three times over 36 months in a large (N = 995) s le, including healthy control, AD, and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) groups. At baseline, MCI and AD groups read correctly an average of 3.01 and 7.39 fewer words, respectively, than healthy controls. The MCI group's performance remained stable during the study, but the AD group declined. Importantly, the observed decline was likely an underestimate, as significant numbers of the AD participants (42.6%) could not complete the task at follow-up. Use of alternate (e.g., demographics-based) methods is advised to augment or replace word pronunciation in estimating premorbid intelligence in in iduals with even mild AD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00787-020-01700-7
Abstract: Interparental conflict (IPC) has the potential to adversely affect children's social, emotional, and behavioural functioning. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between both the severity and chronicity of IPC across early and middle childhood and children's emotional-behavioural functioning at 10-11 years. Specifically, we aimed to: (1) identify distinct trajectories of IPC spanning 10-11 years since birth of the study child as reported by mothers, and (2) examine the emotional-behavioural functioning of children exposed to the identified IPC trajectories. Drawing from a nationally representative longitudinal study of Australian families (N = 4875), four distinct trajectories of IPC were identified: (1) consistently low exposure to IPC over time, (2) persistently elevated exposure to IPC, (3) increasing IPC exposure over time, and (4) decreasing IPC exposure over time. Children exposed to trajectories with high IPC at any point during the study period were reported by their mothers to be experiencing more emotional-behavioural difficulties than children exposed to low IPC over time. Based on teacher report, there were no differences in emotional-behavioural functioning of children exposed to the different patterns of IPC. Our findings reinforce that high parental conflict at any point in a child's life is a form of adversity that can have adverse consequences for their mental health, and that early interventions for parents and caregivers experiencing high IPC are critical.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 23-01-2017
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 10-2020
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-038846
Abstract: To investigate the prevalence of, and associations between, prenatal and perinatal risk factors and developmental vulnerability in twins at age 5. Retrospective cohort study using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. Western Australia (WA), 2002–2015. 828 twin pairs born in WA with an Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) record from 2009, 2012 or 2015. The AEDC is a national measure of child development across five domains. Children with scores th percentile were classified as developmentally vulnerable on, one or more domains (DV1), or two or more domains (DV2). In this population, 26.0% twins were classified as DV1 and 13.5% as DV2. In the multivariable model, risk factors for DV1 were maternal age years (adjusted OR (aOR): 7.06, 95% CI: 2.29 to 21.76), child speaking a language other than English at home (aOR: 6.45, 95% CI: 2.17 to 19.17), male child (aOR: 5.08, 95% CI: 2.89 to 8.92), age younger than the reference category for the study s le (≥5 years 1 month to years 10 months) at time of AEDC completion (aOR: 3.34, 95% CI: 1.55 to 7.22) and having a proportion of optimal birth weight (POBW) th percentile of the study s le (aOR: 2.06, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.98). Risk factors for DV2 were male child (aOR: 7.87, 95% CI: 3.45 to 17.97), maternal age (aOR: 5.60, 95% CI: 1.30 to 24.10), age younger than the reference category (aOR: 5.36, 95% CI: 1.94 to 14.82), child speaking a language other than English at home (aOR: 4.65, 95% CI: 1.14 to 19.03), mother’s marital status as not married at the time of twins’ birth (aOR: 4.59, 95% CI: 1.13 to 18.55), maternal occupation status in the lowest quintile (aOR: 3.30, 95% CI: 1.11 to 9.81) and a POBW th percentile (aOR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.26 to 7.64). Both biological and sociodemographic risk factors are associated with developmental vulnerability in twins at 5 years of age.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-02-2018
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 02-10-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S1041610218001072
Abstract: This study investigated the characteristics of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and their association with current and future cognitive functions. A cohort of 209 community-dwelling in iduals without dementia aged 47–90 years old was recruited for this 3-year study. Participants underwent neuropsychological and clinical assessments annually. Participants were ided into SMCs and non-memory complainers (NMCs) using a single question at baseline and a memory complaints questionnaire following baseline, to evaluate differential patterns of complaints. In addition, comprehensive assessment of memory complaints was undertaken to evaluate whether severity and consistency of complaints differentially predicted cognitive function. SMC and NMC in iduals were significantly different on various features of SMCs. Greater overall severity (but not consistency) of complaints was significantly associated with current and future cognitive functioning. SMC in iduals present distinctive features of memory complaints as compared to NMCs. Further, the severity of complaints was a significant predictor of future cognition. However, SMC did not significantly predict change over time in this s le. These findings warrant further research into the specific features of SMCs that may portend subsequent neuropathological and cognitive changes when screening in iduals at increased future risk of dementia.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-04-2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 02-07-2022
DOI: 10.1177/0192513X211030042
Abstract: Current evidence about the prevalence of interparental conflict (IPC) during early parenthood is primarily based on mothers’ reports. Drawing upon Australian longitudinal data from 4136 fathers, the aims of the study were to: (a) report on the extent to which fathers report IPC across six biennial time intervals when their children were aged 6–12 months to 10–11 years, (b) identify trajectories of IPC over time and (c) identify postnatal factors (at the initial time point) associated with high risk trajectories of IPC. One in 10 fathers reported high IPC at each time interval. A high and increasing pattern of IPC was observed for 6% of fathers. Factors associated with this trajectory were fathers being from a non-English speaking background and high postnatal psychological distress reported by mothers and fathers. These findings underscore the importance of early intervention for some families experiencing IPC in the early years of their children’s lives.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-02-2019
Abstract: This paper analyzes the effects of “shocks” to community-level unemployment expectations, induced by the onset of the Great Recession, on children’s mental well-being. The Australian experience of the Great Recession represents a unique case study as despite little change in actual unemployment rates, levels of economic uncertainty grew. This affords us the ability to examine the effects of shocks to economic expectations independent of any actual changes to economic conditions. We draw on and link data from multiple sources, including several waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (2004–2010), a consumer sentiment survey, and data on local economic conditions. Using our purpose-built data set, we estimate difference-in-differences models to identify plausibly causal effects. We find, for boys, there is no detectable effect of community-level unemployment expectations shocks on mental health. For girls, however, there are modest increases in mental health problems and externalizing behaviors, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We additionally find no discernible change in mother’s psychological distress as a result of expectations shocks. These results are stable after controlling for actual labor market conditions.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-09-2021
DOI: 10.1002/AJS4.186
Abstract: This study investigated patterns of universal health and education service use from birth through Kindergarten (age 4 years) and estimated associations between cumulative risk and service use patterns, and between service use patterns and children's developmental vulnerability in the Preparatory Year (age 5 years). The study used population‐wide linkage of health and education administrative data records for 5168 children who had a 2018 AEDC instrument collected in Tasmania and were born in Tasmania (2011–2013). Latent class analysis (LCA) identified three service use patterns: Regular (72.2 per cent of children reference group), Low (15.6 per cent of children) and High service use (12.2 per cent of children). The patterns of Regular, Low and High service use were consistent across health and education services used at different ages and stages of child development. Membership of the Low and High service use groups was associated with higher cumulative risk and increased odds of developmental vulnerability, relative to the Regular service use group. This population‐wide view of universal service use can be used by the health and education sectors to explore ways in which their specialist expertise, resources and referral processes can be further integrated within and across services to meet the developmental needs of children and families.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-2020
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2019-033795
Abstract: Early childhood is a critical time to address risk factors associated with developmental vulnerability. This study investigated the associations between clusters of early life risk factors and developmental vulnerability in children’s first year of full-time school at age 5. A retrospective cohort study. Population-wide linkage of administrative data records for children born in Tasmania, Australia in 2008–2010. The cohort comprised 5440 children born in Tasmania in 2008–2010, with a Tasmanian 2015 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) record and a Tasmanian Perinatal Collection record. The AEDC is a national measure of child development across five domains: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills (school-based), and communication skills and general knowledge. Children who scored below the 10th percentile on one or more AEDC domains were classified as developmentally vulnerable. Children with special needs are not included in the AEDC results. Latent class analysis identified five clusters of risk factors: low risks (65% of children), sociodemographic and health behaviour risks (24%), teenage mother and sociodemographic risks (6%), birth risks (3%), and birth, sociodemographic and health behaviour risks (2%). In this s le population, 20% of children were classified as developmentally vulnerable, but the proportion varied substantially by latent class. Logistic regression showed increased odds of developmental vulnerability associated with sociodemographic and health behaviour risks (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.91 to 2.68, p .001), teenage mother and sociodemographic risks (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.69, p .001), and birth, sociodemographic and health behaviour risks (OR 3.29, 95% CI 2.10 to 5.16. p .001), but not birth risks (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.88 to 2.03, p=0.1649), relative to the reference group. The patterning of risks across the five groups invites consideration of multisectoral policies and services to address complex clusters of risk factors associated with developmental vulnerability.
Publisher: Swansea University
Date: 19-01-2021
Abstract: BackgroundIn Australia, the health and education sectors provide universal early childhood services for the same population of children. Therefore, there is a strong imperative to view service use and outcomes through a cross-sectoral lens to better understand and address the service needs of young children and their families. ObjectivesTo investigate patterns of health and education service use from birth through Kindergarten (age four years), the associations with cumulative risks, and developmental vulnerability in the first year of full-time school (age five years). MethodsA retrospective cohort study that used population-wide linkage of health and education administrative data records for 5,440 children with a Tasmanian 2015 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) record who were born in Tasmania (2008-2010). ResultsFour service use patterns were identified: Regular (46% of children), Declining (24%) Low (18%) and Selective service use (12%). Regular service use (aOR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7 to 0.9), adjusted for cumulative risks, was associated with decreased odds of developmental vulnerability, compared to the other service use groups. Low (OR 6.1, 95% CI 4.5 to 8.2) and Declining service use (OR 2.5 95% CI 1.9 to 3.4) were more likely for children with the highest levels of cumulative risks. Low and Declining service use, adjusted for cumulative risks were associated with increased odds of developmental vulnerability, compared to the Regular service use group. ConclusionThis study provides a whole population view of the differential use of universal services and the complex risk circumstances that influence service use. The association between patterns of multiple risk and service use points to barriers to service use, and the varying level of developmental vulnerability within each service use group draws attention to children who may benefit from higher sustained participation in core health and education services across the whole of early childhood.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-03-2022
DOI: 10.1002/AJS4.206
Abstract: There is a large volume of research on the persistence of advantage and disadvantage across generations. Intergenerational studies typically address family resources as independent factors, which ignores how risks cluster together and accumulate over time. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, we conducted two latent class analyses to separately identify latent classes based on grandparent and parent characteristics for study children. We then examined the association between our identified latent classes and grandchild educational outcomes in Years 3 to 9. Five distinct latent classes of grandparent characteristics and four latent classes of parent characteristics were identified. There was association between parent and grandparent latent classes indicating intergenerational multiple disadvantage. Grandchildren in at‐risk parent latent classes tended to have significantly lower literacy and numeracy scores from Years 3 to 9. The effects of grandparent latent classes were inconsistent. The developmental circumstances of children can be defined using the characteristics of both parents and grandparents, and the role of grandparents on children's development extends beyond the influence they have on parent outcomes. This study highlights that addressing intergenerational transfers of disadvantage requires multiple, integrated and coordinated policy approaches that go beyond in idual indicators of disadvantage.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-04-2012
DOI: 10.1007/S00127-012-0510-0
Abstract: The primary objective of this study was to report on the occurrence of mental health difficulties for a large national s le of Australian fathers of children aged 0-5 years (n = 3,471). Secondary objectives were to compare fathers' mental health against normative data for the general male adult population, and to examine the course of mental health problems for fathers across the early childhood period. Secondary analysis of data from the infant cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children at three waves when children were 0-12 months, 2-3 and 4-5 years. Comparative data on the prevalence of psychological distress in the Australian adult male population sourced from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Approximately nine per cent of fathers reported symptomatic or clinical psychological distress at each wave, as measured by the Kessler-6. Approximately 30 % reporting distress at wave 1 continued to report distress at a similar or worse level across waves 2 and 3. Fathers not living with their children also had high rates of distress (14 % at wave 1 and 10 % at wave 2). Finally, fathers in the present study had 1.38 increased odds (95 % CI 1.12-1.69) for psychological distress compared with the Australian adult male population. Fathers are at risk of experiencing postnatal mental health difficulties, which may persist across the early childhood period for some fathers. The results suggest routine assessment of fathers' wellbeing should be undertaken in the postnatal period with mental health interventions and support provided across the early childhood period.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 04-05-2015
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-07-2012
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-10-2015
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 02-07-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2014
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 20-10-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291711002182
Abstract: We examined the relationship between the onset and pattern of childhood mental health disorders and subsequent current smoking status at age 17 years. Data were from a prospective cohort study of 2868 births of which 1064 supplied information about their current smoking at 17 years of age. The association between the onset and pattern of clinically significant mental health disorders in the child and subsequent smoking at age 17 years was estimated via multivariable logistic regression. Relative to 17 year olds who never had an externalizing disorder, 17-year-olds who had an externalizing disorder at age 5, 8 or 14 years were, respectively, 2.0 times [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24–3.25], 1.9 (95% CI 1.00–3.65) or 3.9 times (95% CI 1.73–8.72) more likely to be a current smoker. Children with an ongoing pattern of externalizing disorder were 3.0 times (95% CI 1.89–4.84) more likely to be smokers at the age of 17 years and those whose mothers reported daily consumption of 6–10 cigarettes at 18 weeks' gestation were 2.5 times (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.26–4.83) more likely to report smoking at 17 years of age. Associations with early anxiety and depression in the child were not found. Current smoking in 17-year-olds may be underpinned by early emergent, and then, ongoing, externalizing disorder that commenced as young as age 5 years as well as exposure to early prenatal maternal smoking. The associations documented in adults and adolescents that link tobacco smoking and mental health are likely to be in play at these early points in development.
No related grants have been discovered for Daniel Christensen.