Family-based care buffers the stress sensitizing effect of early deprivation on executive functioning difficulties in adolescence

We examined whether family care following early-life deprivation buffered the association between stressful life events (SLEs) and executive functioning (EF) in adolescence. In early childhood, 136 institutionally reared children were randomly assigned to foster care or care-as-usual; 72 never-institutionalized children served as a comparison group. At age 16 years, adolescents (n = 143; 54% female; 67.1% Romanian) self-reported recent SLEs, completed a battery of memory and EF tasks, and completed a go/nogo task in which mediofrontal theta power (MFTP) was measured using electroencephalogram. More independent SLEs predicted lower EF and more dependent SLEs predicted lower MFTP, but only among adolescents with prolonged early deprivation. Findings provide preliminary evidence that family care following early deprivation may facilitate resilience against stress during adolescence on EF.

Automated summary

This study investigated whether family care following early-life deprivation could buffer the association between stressful life events and executive functioning in adolescence. The research findings showed that more independent stressful life events predicted lower executive functioning, while more dependent stressful life events predicted lower mediofrontal theta power. These effects were only observed in adolescents who experienced prolonged early-life deprivation. The study provides preliminary evidence that family care after early-life deprivation may enhance resilience against stress in executive functioning during adolescence.