Gendered risks to children and adolescents assessed by Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): Perspectives from network analysis

BACKGROUND: Early exposure to risk and adversity is a potent predictor of mental health difficulties. Though risks vary by gender, little attention was paid towards the associations both within risks and of risks across genders. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify networks of a wider range of risks (experiences and behaviors that might threaten the person's wellbeing and safety before the age of 18 years). And we aimed to have a better understanding of the specific risk configurations across genders and to develop potential clinical interventions. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This study explores network structures of early risks among 45,210 children and adolescents (aged 5 to 18) from longitudinal data in the UK. METHODS: Network analysis was applied to investigate the associations among risks and to identify the central risks across genders. RESULTS: Stable connections across genders in different assessments of risks (e.g., risks of self-harm and suicide). Risks related to violence could be core risks in all networks. Some gender differences in the context of early risks are also identified. For example, substance misuse and exhibiting violent or offending behavior are more closely associated among the male children that took the Brief Risk Assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Gendered associations between risks could be of value for both intervention and prevention. More attention should be paid to risks related to violence in clinical practice and policy making. Future study could record risks more precisely, utilize data from multiple time points and take more social-demographic factors into consideration to obtain integrated and comprehensive results.