Adverse childhood experiences in firstborns associated with poor mental health of siblings

Children are nearly three-quarters (71%) more likely to develop mental health problems between the ages of 5 and 18, if the firstborn child in their family experienced adversity during their first 1,000 days, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

The first-of-its-kind study, published in The Lancet Public Health, found that mothers whose firstborns had experienced adverse childhood experiences had a 71% increased risk of having children (aged 5–18) with mental health problems, compared to mothers whose firstborn did not experience adversity.

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