Fatores perinatais e da infância e a inteligência na adolescência: Estudo longitudinal em uma coorte brasileira

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the pathways of association between SES at birth and in childhood, IUGR and depressive symptoms in childhood and IQ in late adolescence in participants of the cohort of the São Luís RPS consortium. Methods: This is a longitudinal, prospective analytical study of data from the Brazilian birth cohort of the RPS consortium in São Luís - MA (1997/1998), with follow-up of subjects during childhood and late adolescence. In the first article, data from the cohort were used in two moments: 1997/98 (birth) and 2015/16 (adolescence). Using structural equation modeling, a path analysis model was built to test the association between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and socioeconomic variables at birth and IQ in adolescence and to estimate the linear relationships between the variables. According to the proposed theoretical model, the socioeconomic and demographic variables, observed at the participant's birth, occupied the most distal position and determined the gestational weight gain, IUGR, preterm birth and low birth weight, which determined the education of the participant. teenager and his IQ. In the second article, data from the cohort were used in two moments: 2005/06 (childhood) and 2015/16 (adolescence). Also, using structural equation modeling, a hybrid model was built, consisting of confirmatory factor analysis, to build the latent variable cognitive function in childhood, and by path analysis, to test the paths of association between depressive symptoms in childhood and IQ in adolescence and estimate the linear relationships between the variables. According to the proposed theoretical model, the socioeconomic variables of the family, observed during the participant's childhood, occupied the most distal position and determined the presence of depressive symptoms, nutritional status and cognitive function of the child, which determined the adolescent's education and your IQ. Results: The results of article 1 showed that IUGR had no effect on IQ (p-value = 0.178). Among the socioeconomic variables observed at birth, paternal education had a total and direct positive effect of 0.286 SD (p-value < 0.001) on the average IQ in adolescence, which corresponds to an increase of 3.20 points in IQ at each increase the level of parental education. The results of article 2 show that the presence of depressive symptoms in childhood generated a reduction of 0.342 standard deviation (SD), -3.83 points, in the average IQ of adolescents (p-value <0.001). Cognitive function in childhood had a positive total and direct effect (standardized coefficient [PC] = 0.701; p-value <0.001) on IQ, increasing 7.84 points with each increase in the level. A positive indirect effect was identified for the child's nutritional status (PC = 0.194; p-value = 0.045), education of the head of the family (PC = 0.162; p-value = 0.036) and of the child's mother, the latter mediated by cognitive function in childhood (PC = 0.215; p-value = 0.012), on the IQ of adolescents. Conclusion: Higher levels of paternal education at birth and maternal and head of household education during childhood had a long-term positive effect on intelligence, raising IQ scores in late adolescence. In addition, the presence of depressive symptoms in childhood had a negative long-term effect on intelligence, reducing the IQ scores of adolescents. These results contribute to understanding the influence of psychological and environmental characteristics on intellectual development from birth to adulthood.