The aim of this study is to learn more about how early life experience influences the brain, behaviour, and the immune system later in life. This will help improve understanding of why certain early life experiences (e.g., adoption, stress and parental separation) can cause difficulties for some people when they are adults. The long-term goal of this research is to develop tools that could identify young people who are vulnerable to developing future problems, this will ensure people get the help that they need at the right time for them.
This study will use psychological assessment, online games, brain imaging and blood sampling to help improve our understanding of how and why early life experience can influence mental health, cognition, brain development and the immune system later in life.
Age 18-24
Reside in Greater Manchester
You are not enrolled on a university degree course and do not hold a university degree qualification
Lived with one or both birth parents throughout childhood.
You were looked after by the local authority (e.g., foster, kinship care or residential children's home) or adopted during childhood.
Any experience of childhood trauma (including neglect, physical/verbal abuse, sexual abuse or exposure to domestic violence).
Your family required input from social services due to child protection concerns.
You are experiencing symptoms of and have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD).
Control Group (Non-Adopted)
Cohort
Cross-sectional
Not listed
Mental health prevalence
Will be assessed on an individual subject level using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V (SCID-5). (Outcome Measure: Summary counts of participants in each group showing the occurrence of different mental health disorders)
Neurodevelopmental condition prevalence
Autism will be assessed using the online screening tool, Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). (Outcome Measure: Summary counts of participants in each group showing the occurrence of different neurodevelopmental disorders)
Neural Processing Differences related to childhood trauma and mental health: whole brain anlaysis
fMRI analyses will first be analysed using a typical univariate approach using Statistical Parametric Mapping. Exploratory whole brain analyses will be conducted. Statistical comparisons will be made between the adopted and control groups. Outcome measure: BOLD signal change in brain regions identified during whole brain comparisons which are associated with specific conditions of interest/task contrasts, and how these differ between the groups.
Employment
This data will be collected using self-report online questionnaires. (Outcome Measure: Summary counts of participants in each group showing the occurrence of different levels of employment)
Education level
This data will be collected using self-report online questionnaires. (Outcome Measure: Summary counts of participants in each group showing the occurrence of different levels of education)
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