The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China

Bingling Wang; Qian Zhang; Guochang Feng; Zhongqing Sun; Lijuan Wang; Xiao Jia; Shutao Pang; Ruqin Gao

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China

Bingling Wang, Qian Zhang, Guochang Feng, Zhongqing Sun, Lijuan Wang, Xiao Jia, Shutao Pang, Ruqin Gao

Received: 2 December 2016 Accepted: Published: 5 December 2016

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Abstract

Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors can alter children’s sexually dimorphic behavior. To date, no study has examined the possible influence of postnatal-environmental factors on the gender-specific play behavior of childhood. We hypothesized that the postnatal environment in early childhood might also influence the sexual dimorphism of the brain. Parents or guardians of pre-school children completed questionnaires about their postnatal living environment. The Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) was used to measure sexually dimorphic play behavior. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that the generosity (β = 0.085, p < 0.05) and education (β = 0.142, p < 0.01) of fathers predicted higher feminine scores in girls and lower feminine (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) or higher masculine scores (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) in boys. Indices of chemical exposure (i.e., indoor decoration, biomass pollution, hand cleanliness, and passive smoking) had an association with PSAI scores in both girls and boys. Patterns of sensory processing, including tactile and proprioceptive senses scores and sensory underresponsivity scores, also were associated with PSAI scores. An association of PSAI scores with taking drugs during pregnancy and gestational nutrition was evident only in boys. Our results indicate that a social environment of parental guidance and an indoor environment of exposure to chemical are associated with behavioral sexual dimorphism. Children’s patterns of sensory processing also contributed to behavioral sexual dimorphism. Information about the gestational environment also should be considered when studying the development of sexual dimorphism in boys.

DOI	10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
Published in	Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 4, Issue 6, November 2016)
Page(s)	500-505
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Postnatal Exposure, Play Behavior, Pre-school Activities Inventory, Sexual Dimorphism, Neurodevelopment, Preschool

References

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APA Style

Bingling Wang, Qian Zhang, Guochang Feng, Zhongqing Sun, Lijuan Wang, et al. (2016). The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Science Journal of Public Health, 4(6), 500-505. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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ACS Style

Bingling Wang; Qian Zhang; Guochang Feng; Zhongqing Sun; Lijuan Wang, et al. The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Sci. J. Public Health 2016, 4(6), 500-505. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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AMA Style

Bingling Wang, Qian Zhang, Guochang Feng, Zhongqing Sun, Lijuan Wang, et al. The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Sci J Public Health. 2016;4(6):500-505. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24,
  author = {Bingling Wang and Qian Zhang and Guochang Feng and Zhongqing Sun and Lijuan Wang and Xiao Jia and Shutao Pang and Ruqin Gao},
  title = {The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {4},
  number = {6},
  pages = {500-505},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20160406.24},
  abstract = {Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors can alter children’s sexually dimorphic behavior. To date, no study has examined the possible influence of postnatal-environmental factors on the gender-specific play behavior of childhood. We hypothesized that the postnatal environment in early childhood might also influence the sexual dimorphism of the brain. Parents or guardians of pre-school children completed questionnaires about their postnatal living environment. The Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) was used to measure sexually dimorphic play behavior. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that the generosity (β = 0.085, p < 0.05) and education (β = 0.142, p < 0.01) of fathers predicted higher feminine scores in girls and lower feminine (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) or higher masculine scores (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) in boys. Indices of chemical exposure (i.e., indoor decoration, biomass pollution, hand cleanliness, and passive smoking) had an association with PSAI scores in both girls and boys. Patterns of sensory processing, including tactile and proprioceptive senses scores and sensory underresponsivity scores, also were associated with PSAI scores. An association of PSAI scores with taking drugs during pregnancy and gestational nutrition was evident only in boys. Our results indicate that a social environment of parental guidance and an indoor environment of exposure to chemical are associated with behavioral sexual dimorphism. Children’s patterns of sensory processing also contributed to behavioral sexual dimorphism. Information about the gestational environment also should be considered when studying the development of sexual dimorphism in boys.},
 year = {2016}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China
AU  - Bingling Wang
AU  - Qian Zhang
AU  - Guochang Feng
AU  - Zhongqing Sun
AU  - Lijuan Wang
AU  - Xiao Jia
AU  - Shutao Pang
AU  - Ruqin Gao
Y1  - 2016/12/05
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 500
EP  - 505
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
AB  - Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors can alter children’s sexually dimorphic behavior. To date, no study has examined the possible influence of postnatal-environmental factors on the gender-specific play behavior of childhood. We hypothesized that the postnatal environment in early childhood might also influence the sexual dimorphism of the brain. Parents or guardians of pre-school children completed questionnaires about their postnatal living environment. The Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) was used to measure sexually dimorphic play behavior. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that the generosity (β = 0.085, p < 0.05) and education (β = 0.142, p < 0.01) of fathers predicted higher feminine scores in girls and lower feminine (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) or higher masculine scores (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) in boys. Indices of chemical exposure (i.e., indoor decoration, biomass pollution, hand cleanliness, and passive smoking) had an association with PSAI scores in both girls and boys. Patterns of sensory processing, including tactile and proprioceptive senses scores and sensory underresponsivity scores, also were associated with PSAI scores. An association of PSAI scores with taking drugs during pregnancy and gestational nutrition was evident only in boys. Our results indicate that a social environment of parental guidance and an indoor environment of exposure to chemical are associated with behavioral sexual dimorphism. Children’s patterns of sensory processing also contributed to behavioral sexual dimorphism. Information about the gestational environment also should be considered when studying the development of sexual dimorphism in boys.
VL  - 4
IS  - 6
ER  -

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Author Information

Bingling Wang

Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China
Qian Zhang

Department of Child Health Care, Maternity and Child Care Center of Huangdao District of Qingdao, Qingdao, China
Guochang Feng

Business Management Office of Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China
Zhongqing Sun

Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene of Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China
Lijuan Wang

Microorganism and Parasite Detection Laboratory of Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China
Xiao Jia

Department of Child Health Care, Maternity and Child Care Center of Huangdao District of Qingdao, Qingdao, China
Shutao Pang

Qingdao Blood Center, Qingdao, China
Ruqin Gao

Qingdao Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, China

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APA Style

Bingling Wang, Qian Zhang, Guochang Feng, Zhongqing Sun, Lijuan Wang, et al. (2016). The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Science Journal of Public Health, 4(6), 500-505. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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ACS Style

Bingling Wang; Qian Zhang; Guochang Feng; Zhongqing Sun; Lijuan Wang, et al. The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Sci. J. Public Health 2016, 4(6), 500-505. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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AMA Style

Bingling Wang, Qian Zhang, Guochang Feng, Zhongqing Sun, Lijuan Wang, et al. The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China. Sci J Public Health. 2016;4(6):500-505. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24

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@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24,
  author = {Bingling Wang and Qian Zhang and Guochang Feng and Zhongqing Sun and Lijuan Wang and Xiao Jia and Shutao Pang and Ruqin Gao},
  title = {The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {4},
  number = {6},
  pages = {500-505},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20160406.24},
  abstract = {Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors can alter children’s sexually dimorphic behavior. To date, no study has examined the possible influence of postnatal-environmental factors on the gender-specific play behavior of childhood. We hypothesized that the postnatal environment in early childhood might also influence the sexual dimorphism of the brain. Parents or guardians of pre-school children completed questionnaires about their postnatal living environment. The Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) was used to measure sexually dimorphic play behavior. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that the generosity (β = 0.085, p < 0.05) and education (β = 0.142, p < 0.01) of fathers predicted higher feminine scores in girls and lower feminine (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) or higher masculine scores (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) in boys. Indices of chemical exposure (i.e., indoor decoration, biomass pollution, hand cleanliness, and passive smoking) had an association with PSAI scores in both girls and boys. Patterns of sensory processing, including tactile and proprioceptive senses scores and sensory underresponsivity scores, also were associated with PSAI scores. An association of PSAI scores with taking drugs during pregnancy and gestational nutrition was evident only in boys. Our results indicate that a social environment of parental guidance and an indoor environment of exposure to chemical are associated with behavioral sexual dimorphism. Children’s patterns of sensory processing also contributed to behavioral sexual dimorphism. Information about the gestational environment also should be considered when studying the development of sexual dimorphism in boys.},
 year = {2016}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Association Between the Postnatal Environment and Behavioral Sexual Dimorphism in Pre-school Children in Single-Child Families in Qingdao, China
AU  - Bingling Wang
AU  - Qian Zhang
AU  - Guochang Feng
AU  - Zhongqing Sun
AU  - Lijuan Wang
AU  - Xiao Jia
AU  - Shutao Pang
AU  - Ruqin Gao
Y1  - 2016/12/05
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 500
EP  - 505
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20160406.24
AB  - Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors can alter children’s sexually dimorphic behavior. To date, no study has examined the possible influence of postnatal-environmental factors on the gender-specific play behavior of childhood. We hypothesized that the postnatal environment in early childhood might also influence the sexual dimorphism of the brain. Parents or guardians of pre-school children completed questionnaires about their postnatal living environment. The Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) was used to measure sexually dimorphic play behavior. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that the generosity (β = 0.085, p < 0.05) and education (β = 0.142, p < 0.01) of fathers predicted higher feminine scores in girls and lower feminine (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) or higher masculine scores (β = 0.129, p < 0.01) in boys. Indices of chemical exposure (i.e., indoor decoration, biomass pollution, hand cleanliness, and passive smoking) had an association with PSAI scores in both girls and boys. Patterns of sensory processing, including tactile and proprioceptive senses scores and sensory underresponsivity scores, also were associated with PSAI scores. An association of PSAI scores with taking drugs during pregnancy and gestational nutrition was evident only in boys. Our results indicate that a social environment of parental guidance and an indoor environment of exposure to chemical are associated with behavioral sexual dimorphism. Children’s patterns of sensory processing also contributed to behavioral sexual dimorphism. Information about the gestational environment also should be considered when studying the development of sexual dimorphism in boys.
VL  - 4
IS  - 6
ER  -

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