Individuals who are breastfed for the first four months of their lives may develop fewer behavioral problems as they grow up, according to new findings.

In a recent study, which appears in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, researchers from Oxford University found that prolonged breastfeeding was associated with fewer behavioral problems in children who were 5 years old.

The researchers and their colleagues from the Universities of Essex, College London and York used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which included information on 9,500 mothers and their babies.

Next, they combined this data with the results of a standard questionnaire that is used to identify behavioral problems in children. The researchers found that of the babies who had been breastfed for at least four months, 6.5 percent had abnormal scores at the age of 5. Meanwhile, 16.1 percent of the babies that were fed formula had abnormal results.

Based on their findings, the researchers believe that there are a few possible explanations for the improved behaviors in children that are breastfed for a longer period of time. For instance, the close interaction between a mother and their child during breastfeeding may lead to better communication.

Young adults who show signs of behavioral problems may be able to get help from boarding schools.