Associations between air pollution and surrounding greenness with internalizing and externalizing behaviors among schoolchildren

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• dc.contributor.author Zubizarreta Arruti, Uxue
• dc.contributor.author Raimbault, Bruno
• dc.contributor.author Valentín, Antònia
• dc.contributor.author Sunyer Deu, Jordi
• dc.contributor.author Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-
• dc.contributor.author Alemany, Silvia
• dc.date.accessioned 2025-05-13T06:05:17Z
• dc.date.available 2025-05-13T06:05:17Z
• dc.date.issued 2025
• dc.description Data de publicació electrònica: 21-03-2025
• dc.description.abstract Background: Air pollution and greenness are emerging as modifiable risk and protective factors, respectively, in child psychopathology. However, research shows inconsistencies. Here, we examined associations between air pollution and surrounding greenness with internalizing and externalizing behaviors. In addition, the potential modifying role of the genetic susceptibility for these traits and socioeconomic status (SES) was explored. Methods: This population-based study included 4485 schoolchildren aged 5-18 years from Spain. Internalizing and externalizing behaviors were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Average air pollution (NO2, PM2.5, PM10, PMcoarse, and PM2.5 absorbance) and surrounding greenness (NDVI within 100-m, 300-m, and 500-m buffers) school exposure were estimated for 12 months before outcome assessment. Genetic liability was assessed by computing polygenic risk scores (PRS) and SES was calculated using the Hollingshead Four-Factor Index. Associations were analyzed using negative binomial mixed-effects models. Results: Although no associations survived multiple testing, we found that increases of 5.48 μg/m3 in PM10 and 2.93 μg/m3 in PMcoarse were associated with a 6% (Mean Ratio (MR) = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01-1.12) and a 4% (MR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00-1.09) increase in internalizing behavior scores. A 0.1 increase in NDVI within a 100-m buffer was associated with a 6% decrease in externalizing behavior (MR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89-0.99). Neither differences by sex or age, or moderation effects by PRS or SES, were observed. Conclusions: We found preliminary evidence of detrimental effects of air pollution on internalizing behavior and protective effects of greenness on externalizing behavior, which were not modified by sex, age, SES, or genetic liability. If confirmed, these results reinforce the need for improving air quality, especially around schools, as part of preventive strategies focused on childhood psychopathology.
• dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
• dc.identifier.citation Zubizarreta-Arruti U, Bosch R, Soler Artigas M, Cabana-Domínguez J, Llonga N, Carabí-Gassol P, et al. Associations between air pollution and surrounding greenness with internalizing and externalizing behaviors among schoolchildren. Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2025 Mar 21. DOI: 10.1111/camh.12772
• dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/camh.12772
• dc.identifier.issn 1475-357X
• dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/70358
• dc.language.iso eng
• dc.publisher Wiley
• dc.relation.ispartof Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2025 Mar 21
• dc.rights © 2025 The Author(s). Child and Adolescent Mental Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
• dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
• dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• dc.subject.keyword Air pollutants
• dc.subject.keyword Aggressive
• dc.subject.keyword Anxiety
• dc.subject.keyword Child mental health
• dc.subject.keyword Green spaces
• dc.subject.keyword Polygenic risk scores
• dc.title Associations between air pollution and surrounding greenness with internalizing and externalizing behaviors among schoolchildren
• dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
• dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion