Gestational PBDE concentrations, persistent externalizing, and emerging internalizing behaviors in adolescents: The...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Developmental Psychology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants found in consumer products.
• Prenatal PBDE exposure is linked to behavioral problems in children.
• The persistence of these associations into adolescence is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between gestational PBDE serum concentrations and behaviors in early adolescents at age 12.
• To determine if childhood behavioral associations with PBDEs persist into adolescence.

Main Methods:

• Maternal serum PBDE concentrations were measured during pregnancy.
• Adolescent behaviors were assessed at age 12 using self- and caregiver-reports (BASC-3).
• Multivariable linear regression and bootstrapping were used to analyze associations, with sex-stratified analyses for effect modification.

Main Results:

• Gestational PBDEs were associated with adolescent-reported inattention, hyperactivity, internalizing problems, functional impairment, and emotional symptoms.
• PBDEs were linked to caregiver-reported externalizing problems and behavioral symptoms.
• Stronger associations between gestational PBDEs and externalizing behaviors, particularly executive functioning, were observed in males.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal PBDE exposure is associated with both self-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors in early adolescence.
• Externalizing behaviors identified in childhood persist into adolescence, linked to gestational PBDEs.
• Caregivers were less likely to recognize internalizing behaviors in adolescents exposed to PBDEs prenatally.