Risky families: family social environments and the mental and physical health of offspring

Adverse childhood experiences and child behavioral health trajectory from early childhood to adolescence: A latent class analysis

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) profoundly influence child development. Different patterns of ACEs among boys and girls may be associated with different developmental trajectories.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify patterns of ACEs at age three and tested the associations of these patterns with child behavioral health problems from age three to age fifteen.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study used data (N = 4898) from the Fragile Families Child Wellbeing Study.

METHODS

First, this study conducted latent class analysis (LCA) across ten indicators of ACEs at age 3. LCA was conducted separately for boys and girls. Second, class membership was tested for associations with child internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors (ages three, five, nine, and fifteen years).

RESULTS

LCA identified five classes of ACEs for girls: low ACEs, parental separation, financial difficulty, chaotic home, and child maltreatment. LCA for boys, however, identified a six-class solution, in which there was a physical abuse-only class, while also a sixth high ACEs class that included both physical and emotional abuse. Classes with the most ACEs often had the highest symptomology (internalizing symptoms ranging from 0.24 to 0.56; externalizing ranging from 0.36 to 1.00; ps < .05). However, differences in behavioral health were detected depending on the patterns of ACES. At ages nine and fifteen, the financial difficulty group also had high symptomatology (internalizing symptoms ranging from 0.23 to 0.43; externalizing from 0.23 to 0.46; ps < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide implications including the need to examine ACEs heterogeneity and address financial difficulty as a substantial ACE.

Assessing parental marital quality and divorce related to youth sexual experiences and adverse reproductive health outcomes among 50,000 Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the associations between parental marital quality, divorce, and sexual and reproductive health outcomes among Chinese young people.

METHODS

The study included 51,124 students from a large-scale cross-sectional study in China from 2019 to 2020. The exposures were parental marital quality and legal marital status reported by students. The dichotomous outcomes included sexual experiences, high-risk sexual behaviors, unintended health outcomes, and sexual abuse. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for socio-demographic factors were used to assess the relationship between parental marital quality, divorce, and sexual and reproductive health outcomes, stratified by sex.

RESULTS

A total of 10.72% of the surveyed students' parents had divorced. Participants from divorced family rated perceived parental marital quality less than half of the ratings on a 10-point scale of those from intact family (3.22 vs. 7.44). Parental divorce was associated with a higher likelihood of sexual abuse, high-risk sexual behaviors, and unintended health outcomes. A higher perceived parental marital quality was associated with a lower probability of adverse sexual and reproductive health experiences and outcomes, such as forced penetrative vaginal or anal intercourse (male: OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.64-0.83; female: OR:0.71, 95% CI: 0.65-0.77), casual sexual intercourse (male: OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.73-0.83; female: OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.72-0.83), and sexually transmitted infections (male: OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.70-0.89; female: OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73-0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

Parental marital quality and status are associated with poorer sexual and reproductive health outcomes among young adults, suggesting that specific intervention programs should be implemented for children from unharmonious families or divorced families to prevent adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

Mediating effect of pubertal stages on the family environment and neurodevelopment: An open-data replication and multiverse analysis of an ABCD Study®

Increasing evidence demonstrates that environmental factors meaningfully impact the development of the brain (Hyde et al., 2020; McEwen and Akil, 2020). Recent work from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study^® suggests that puberty may indirectly account for some association between the family environment and brain structure and function (Thijssen et al., 2020). However, a limited number of large studies have evaluated what, how, and why environmental factors impact neurodevelopment. When these topics are investigated, there is typically inconsistent operationalization of variables between studies which may be measuring different aspects of the environment and thus different associations in the analytic models. Multiverse analyses (Steegen et al., 2016) are an efficacious technique for investigating the effect of different operationalizations of the same construct on underlying interpretations. While one of the assets of Thijssen et al. (2020) was its large sample from the ABCD data, the authors used an early release that contained 38% of the full ABCD sample. Then, the analyses used several 'researcher degrees of freedom' (Gelman and Loken, 2014) to operationalize key independent, mediating and dependent variables, including but not limited to, the use of a latent factor of preadolescents' environment comprised of different subfactors, such as parental monitoring and child-reported family conflict. While latent factors can improve reliability of constructs, the nuances of each subfactor and measure that comprise the environment may be lost, making the latent factors difficult to interpret in the context of individual differences. This study extends the work of Thijssen et al. (2020) by evaluating the extent to which the analytic choices in their study affected their conclusions. In Aim 1, using the same variables and models, we replicate findings from the original study using the full sample in Release 3.0. Then, in Aim 2, using a multiverse analysis we extend findings by considering nine alternative operationalizations of family environment, three of puberty, and five of brain measures (total of 135 models) to evaluate the impact on conclusions from Aim 1. In these results, 90% of the directions of effects and 60% of the p-values (e.g. p > .05 and p < .05) across effects were comparable between the two studies. However, raters agreed that only 60% of the effects had replicated. Across the multiverse analyses, there was a degree of variability in beta estimates across the environmental variables, and lack of consensus between parent reported and child reported pubertal development for the indirect effects. This study demonstrates the challenge in defining which effects replicate, the nuance across environmental variables in the ABCD data, and the lack of consensus across parent and child reported puberty scales in youth.

Parental Psychological Aggression and Phubbing in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the mediated moderation effect underlying the association between parental psychological aggression and phubbing, as well as the mediating role of anxiety and moderating role of sex and grade.

METHODS

Based on a cross-sectional study, a total of 758 Chinese junior high school students had completed measures on socio-demographic characteristics, parental psychological aggression, anxiety and phubbing. Structural equation modeling was adopted to examine the mediating effect of anxiety on the association between parental psychological aggression and phubbing. Multigroup analyses were conducted to explore whether the path coefficients differed by sex and grade.

RESULTS

Mediation analysis indicated that anxiety could mediate the association between parental psychological aggression and phubbing. The indirect effect of parental psychological aggression on phubbing via anxiety was 0.12. Multigroup analyses revealed that the higher mediation effect of anxiety was more likely to be reported by boys and students from grade eight.

CONCLUSION

Findings of the present study may inform prevention and intervention programs for phubbing in adolescents exposed to parental psychological aggression, by decreasing the anxiety and adopting selective strategies for different sex and grade groups.

Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity: Role of Education and Income

Based on the sixth round of the 2018 Chinese Household Income Project family income survey (CHIP) data, this study made use of the OLS estimation and transfer matrix method to measure and test the problem of obesity intergenerational transmission, analyze whether there is obesity intergenerational transmission as well as between urban and rural areas, gender, and the parental education level and income level on the suppression of the obesity intergenerational transmission effect. The empirical results draw the following main conclusions: obesity intergenerational transmission in Chinese families, the degree of parental obesity has a significant positive impact on the degree of offspring obesity; the higher the degree of parental obesity, the more it can promote the degree of obesity in the offspring. Moreover, the degree of obesity intergenerational transmission is heterogeneous in urban and rural areas and gender. At the same time, the degree of rural obesity intergenerational transmission is higher than that of urban areas, and the degree of male obesity intergenerational transmission is higher than that of women.

Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem in Adolescent Cybervictims and Cyberaggressors: Self-Esteem as a Mediator Variable

BACKGROUND

Family relationships and self-esteem are relevant variables into the understanding of cyberbullying. However, little is known about the mediating role of self-esteem in the connections between cyberbullying and parenting. The study had two goals: (1) to analyze the relation between being a cybervictim and/or cyberaggressor and self-esteem, parents' acceptance/coercion, and parenting styles and (2) to explore whether self-esteem is a mediator in the relationship between parents' acceptance/coercion and being a cybervictim/cyberaggressor.

METHOD

The sample comprises 3026 Spanish adolescents (51.5% girls and 48.5% boys) aged 12-18 years (M_age = 14.39; SD = 1.69). The study has a cross-sectional design, retrospective ex-post with multiple measurements.

RESULTS

(1) cybervictims and cyberaggressors have low self-esteem, and their parents have a low level of involvement/acceptance and a high level of coercion/imposition towards their sons/daughters, (2) participants whose parents were authoritarian obtained significantly lower scores in self-esteem and higher scores in cybervictimization/cyberaggression, whereas those whose parents were indulgent obtained significantly higher scores in self-esteem and lower scores in cybervictimization/cyberaggression, and (3) it was found a mediation of self-esteem in the relationship between the involvement/acceptance of both parents and being a cybervictim, as well as between the father's coercion/imposition and being a cyberaggressor.

CONCLUSION

An adequate level of self-esteem, high parental acceptance/involvement, and a reasonably low level of coercion/discipline as the parenting style can have very positive effects on the prevention of cyberbullying.

Examining how and why polygenic dopamine composite levels moderate adolescents' vulnerability to peer victimization

Extensive literature documents that dopaminergic genes play an important role in the link between adverse environments and adolescents' problem behavior. However, little is known about the potential mechanism underlying adolescents' vulnerability to peer victimization. The current study examined the effect of the interplay between a polygenic dopamine composite (i.e., COMT Val158Met and DRD2-141C Ins/Del polymorphisms) and peer victimization on adolescents' externalizing problems as well as the mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the interactive effects in a sample of 393 Chinese adolescents (Mean age = 14.71 years; 50.1% girls). A significant moderation of dopaminergic genetic composite was observed in girls but not in boys. In addition, emotion dysregulation partially explained the moderating effect of dopaminergic genes. Specifically, girls with genic composite indexing low dopamine activity reported a higher level of emotion dysregulation when faced with more peer victimization. More difficulties with emotion regulation, in turn, predicted more pronounced externalizing problems in girls. This study underscores polygenic underpinnings of adolescent vulnerability to negative peer experiences and suggests the importance of considering sex differences when investigating genic influence on the relationship between adverse environments and externalizing problems.

Mindful Parenting Mediated Between Mothers’ Perceived Stress During COVID-19 and Child Adjustment

Objectives

Maternal stress is associated with a myriad of maladjusted outcomes among children. To identify the role of mindful parenting between mothers’ stress and child adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study tested competing hypotheses with mothers’ mindful parenting as a mediator versus a moderator.

Methods

A total of 172 Chinese mothers of preschool-aged children participated in this study. Participants completed a self-report measure of stress during COVID-19 and mindful parenting, as well as a mother-report measure of children’s prosocial behavior, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Structural equation models were conducted to examine the mediation versus moderation effects of mindful parenting between mothers’ stress during COVID-19 and child adjustment, after controlling for family income, children’s age, sex, and adjustment at baseline.

Results

Findings indicated that mindful parenting mediated the link between mothers’ stress during COVID-19 and child adjustment, including internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behavior. A test of competing hypothesis showed that mindful parenting did not moderate between mothers’ stress during COVID-19 and child adjustment.

Conclusions

This study revealed the mediating effects of mindful parenting between mothers’ perceived stress during COVID-19 and child adjustment. The findings inform researchers and practitioners about mindful parenting as a potential mechanism between maternal stress and child adjustment during the pandemic.

Persistence on challenging tasks mediates the relationship between childhood poverty and mental health problems

Childhood disadvantage is associated with psychological distress throughout the lifespan. Poor children are alleged to give up more often than their more privileged peers when facing challenges. Yet little research has examined the role of task persistence in poverty and mental health. We test whether poverty-related deficits in persistence contribute to the well-documented link between childhood disadvantage and mental health. We used growth curve modeling to analyze three waves (age 9, 13, and 17) of data assessing the trajectories of persistence on challenging tasks and mental health. Childhood poverty is the proportion of time participants lived in poverty from birth to age 9. We found that individuals experiencing more poverty in early childhood demonstrate less persistence and deteriorated mental health from ages 9 to 17. As expected, task persistence accounts for a portion of the robust childhood poverty - worsening mental health association. Clinical research on childhood disadvantage is in the early stages of unpacking underlying reasons why childhood poverty is bad for psychological well-being throughout life, revealing potential points of intervention.

Risky Early Family Environment and Genetic Associations with Adult Metabolic Dysregulation

Growing up in a family environment characterized by neglectful parenting, overt conflict, and unsupportive relationships is associated with poor health in adulthood. A risky early family environment may also be associated with obesity in adulthood, likely through the activation of the HPA axis. Likewise, the GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid) T>C single nucleotide polymorphism in the 1519 nucleotide position of the GABAAα6 receptor subunit gene has been associated with a predisposition to a higher body mass index and a larger waist circumference. Participants (n = 213, Mage = 30.13 years, SD = 10.85; 57.7% men) from the Pittsburgh Cold Study 3 completed a demographic questionnaire, the Risky Families Questionnaire (RFQ) and had their height, weight, and waist circumference measured during a physical exam. Participant DNA was recovered from buccal swabs and genotyped for the various allelic types of the SNP according to published protocols. In secondary data analyses, we tested the hypothesis that early family environment and GABRA6 would be positively associated with body mass index and waist circumference. We also examined diurnal cortisol as a mechanism linking both early risky family environment and GABRA6 to metabolic outcomes. The findings provide evidence that a risky early family environment may exert more influence than genetic predisposition when determining the indices of metabolic health in adulthood.

Mediating Effects of Discipline Approaches on the Relationship between Parental Mental Health and Adolescent Antisocial Behaviours: Retrospective Study of a Multisystemic Therapy Intervention

Poor parental mental health is one of the risk factors for child emotional and behavioural problems because it reduces caregiver's ability to provide appropriate care for their child. This study aimed to measure changes in parenting factors and adolescent behaviours after Multisystemic Therapy (MST), and to explore the mediating role of discipline approaches on the relationship between parental mental health and adolescent behavioural problems. This retrospective study extracted data collected from 193 families engaged with the MST research program during 2014-2019. Data was collected at different time points (pre-treatment, post-treatment, 6- and 12-months follow-up). Statistically significant changes were found in adolescent behaviours and parenting factors following the MST intervention and these positive changes were maintained over the following 12 months. Results of the parallel multiple mediator model analysis confirmed mediating effects of discipline approaches on the relationship between parental mental health and adolescent's behavioural problems. The findings suggested that parental mental well-being significantly contributes to effectiveness of parenting, which resulted in positive changes in adolescent's behavioural problems. It is recommended caregiver's parental skills and any mental health issues are addressed during the intervention to enhance positive outcomes in adolescent behaviour.

Individual characteristics of adolescent psychiatric patients accessing psychotherapy in China

Most mental health problems develop during childhood and adolescence, so identifying the mental health needs and care pathways of adolescents is crucial to improving prevention. This study aimed to understand the characteristics of adolescent patients with mental disorders receiving psychotherapy in China. Data were collected retrospectively from the psychotherapy records of 116 patients at the Weifang Mental Health Centre. Information collected included demographics, stressors, duration of psychotherapy, and clinical diagnosis. Chi-square tests and negative binomial regression models were used to explore the relationship between demographic and clinical variables. The results showed that depression was the most common diagnosis, followed by anxiety and stress-related disorders and bipolar and related disorders. Rural patients were more likely to report family stress, while urban patients were more likely to report school stress. Female patients were more likely to report family stress and to be diagnosed with depression. Family stress, social stress, school stress, patient origin and economic conditions were all significant predictors of the duration of psychological treatment. This study helps to understand the characteristics and psychotherapeutic needs of adolescents with mental disorders who receive psychotherapy in China so that the positive role of psychotherapy in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of mental disorders can be better utilised.

Association of Parental Screen Addiction with Young Children's Screen Addiction: A Chain-Mediating Model

Preschool children are immersed in screen media, yet little study has been conducted on screen addiction among them. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental screen addiction and young children's screen addiction and to verify factors that mediate this relationship. A total of 477 parents of kindergarteners (3-6 years old) were recruited via six kindergartens in Henan province, China. They completed the Problematic Media Use Measure Short Form of Children, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Child-Parent Relationship Scale, and the Parental Screen Addiction Scale. The results showed that the relationships between each pair of parental screen addiction, parental anxiety, and children's screen addiction were significantly positive, but the parent-child relationship was negatively correlated with the other variables. Parental screen addiction can directly and indirectly affect children's screen addiction through parental anxiety and the parent-child relationship. The findings contribute to the development of family protection mechanisms against screen addiction in children.

Father absence and trajectories of offspring mental health across adolescence and young adulthood: Findings from a UK-birth cohort

BACKGROUND

High prevalence of parental separation and resulting biological father absence raises important questions regarding its impact on offspring mental health across the life course. We specifically examined whether these relationships vary by sex and the timing of exposure to father absence (early or middle childhood).

METHODS

This study is based on up to 8409 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Participants provided self-reports of depression (Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised) at age 24 years and depressive symptoms (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) between the ages of 10 and 24 years. Biological father absence in childhood was assessed through maternal questionnaires at regular intervals from birth to 10 years. We estimated the association between biological father absence and trajectories of depressive symptoms using multilevel growth-curve modelling.

RESULTS

Early but not middle childhood father absence was strongly associated with increased odds of offspring depression and greater depressive symptoms at age 24 years. Early childhood father absence was associated with higher trajectories of depressive symptoms during adolescence and early adulthood compared with father presence. Differences in the level of depressive symptoms between middle childhood father absent and father present groups narrowed into adulthood.

LIMITATIONS

This study could be biased by attrition and residual confounding.

CONCLUSIONS

We found evidence that father absence in childhood is persistently associated with offspring depression in adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship varies by sex and timing of father's departure, with early childhood father absence emerging as the strongest risk factor for adverse offspring mental health trajectories Further research is needed to identify mechanisms that could inform preventative interventions to reduce the risk of depression in children who experience father absence.

Deficits in adolescent social functioning, dysfunctional family processes and genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders as risk factors for later psychiatric morbidity of adoptees

Social functioning deficits during adolescence are associated with later psychiatric morbidity, particularly in offspring at high genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. However, a shortcoming of earlier study findings is the lack of control of the impact of the family rearing environment. The study was aimed to examine the association of adoptees' social functioning during adolescence, adoptive family functioning, and adoptees' high (HR) or low (LR) genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders with adoptees' later psychiatric morbidity. The present subsample from the nationwide Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia included 57 HR and 60 LR adoptees. Adolescent social functioning was assessed using UCLA Social Attainment Survey (UCLA SAS). Adoptive family functioning was based on Global Family Ratings (GFRs) and psychiatric disorders on DSM-III-R criteria. The results indicated that, after controlling for adoptive family functioning and genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, deficits in peer relationships during adolescence were associated with an increased likelihood of psychiatric morbidity of adoptees. Our findings highlight social functioning deficits during adolescence, specifically in peer relationships, as plausible independent risk factors for later psychiatric disorders. These results can be utilized in identifying possible at-risk groups and targets for prevention and in developing preventive strategies.

Perceived stress of adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown: Bayesian multilevel modeling of the Czech HBSC lockdown survey

Objective

Long-term isolation, including lockdowns and quarantines, may have a distressing effect on anyone experiencing it. Adolescent brain architecture is very sensitive to environmental adversities, and the mental health development of adolescents may be particularly vulnerable during the pandemic era. In order to better understand the triggers for perceived adolescent stress (PSS) during the COVID-19 lockdown, the present study aimed to assess the effects of social well-being and changes in time use during the lockdown, as well as the family COVID experience of adolescents.

Methods

The sample for this study comprised n = 3,440 adolescents (54.2% girls; mean age = 13.5 ± 1.6 years). Bayesian correlations between PSS, health and well-being variables were assessed. PSS was then modeled as an outcome variable in a series of nested Bayesian multilevel regression models.

Results

The negative impact of the COVID-19 lockdown was more apparent in girls. PSS was moderately correlated with adolescent health and well-being. The strongest predictor of higher level of PSS was frequent feeling of loneliness. On the contrary, lower level of PSS was most associated with having someone to talk to.

Conclusion

Long-term social isolation of adolescents could be harmful to their mental health. Psychological coping strategies to prevent the consequences of social isolation and development of mental health problems should be promoted on the individual, family, and even community level.

Parental Psychological Control and Children's Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status

Complementing internalizing and externalizing developmental outcomes of parental psychological control, in this study, we shift the focus to children's prosocial behaviors. Drawing on self-determination theory and problem-behavior theory, this study addresses the relationship between parental psychological control, social anxiety, socioeconomic status (SES), and children's prosocial behavior. The parental psychological control scale, social anxiety scale for children, and prosocial behavior were applied in the study. Participants were 1202 elementary school-age children in China. The present study showed that parental psychological control was negatively associated with prosocial behavior and social anxiety played a partial mediating role between parental psychological control and prosocial behavior. Meanwhile, SES moderated the relationship between parental psychological control and prosocial behavior. The effect of parental psychological control on prosocial behavior was more significant among students with low levels of SES than the higher ones. The findings showed that parenting plays an essential role in the development of children's prosociality.

Is Physical Activity an Effective Factor for Modulating Pressure Pain Threshold and Pain Tolerance after Cardiovascular Incidents?

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether regular physical activity can alter the pressure pain threshold, pain tolerance, and subjective pain perception in individuals who have experienced a cardiovascular event. The study involved 85 individuals aged 37 to 84 years (M = 65.36) who qualified for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, which consisted of 24 physical training sessions. The patients were all tested twice: on the first and last day of the outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. Assessments of the pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance were performed with an algometer. To assess the pain coping strategies, the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) and parenting styles were measured retrospectively with subjective survey questions. The main results of the study showed that patients achieved significantly higher pressure pain thresholds after a physical training cycle (ps < 0.05, η² = 0.05-0.14), but found no differences in the pain tolerance (ps > 0.05). A lower preference for the better pain coping strategy explanation (ß = -0.42, p = 0.013) and growing up in a family with a less neglectful atmosphere (ß = -0.35, p = 0.008) were associated with increased pressure pain threshold after physical training. The results suggest that physical activity is an important factor in modulating the pressure pain threshold.

Trait coping styles and the maternal neural and behavioral sensitivity to an infant

During the postpartum period, new mothers experience drastic changes in their body, brain, and life circumstances. Stress from the emotional and physical demands of caring for an infant is associated with negative mood and parenting outcomes. The use of active coping strategies can increase mothers’ resilience during the postpartum period. However, little is known about the association between coping styles and maternal brain responses to infant cues. In the current study, we examined the associations among trait coping style, maternal brain responses, and behavioral sensitivity in a socioeconomically diverse sample of first-time mothers (N = 59). The use of more active trait coping strategies compared to passive coping strategies was associated with increased brain responses to infant cry sounds in brain regions that are critically involved in motivation and emotion regulation—substantia nigra, anterior cingulate gyrus, and inferior frontal gyrus. Increased brain activations in the midbrain and anterior cingulate gyrus were further associated with higher levels of maternal sensitivity observed during interactions with the infant. Thus, the findings provide support for mothers’ use of more active coping styles to promote neural and behavioral resilience for a positive transition to parenthood.

The association between social capital indicators and psychological distress in Catalan adolescents

According to the WHO, globally, one in seven adolescents experiences a mental disorder, being in a detrimental situation toward educational achievement, social cohesion, future health and life chances. Calls to identify risk and resilience factors to develop effective preventive actions have been made. Following a systemic approach, we conducted a cross-sectional study on the relationship between social capital and psychological distress in a sample of Catalan adolescents in Barcelona, taking into account a range of other relevant aspects at different levels influencing mental health, including gender, age, migrant status, family background, lifestyle factors, body mass index, and self-rated health. Data were collected through validated questionnaires in December 2016 from 646 of 14- to 18-year-old adolescents from three public and private high schools in Barcelona (Spain). Data analysis included descriptive analysis, a correlational study and logistic regression to obtain the odds ratio for social capital indicators to be associated with psychological distress. Our results suggest that reporting higher levels of family support and higher levels of teacher-student trust reduce the likelihood of suffering psychological distress. Higher levels of neighborhood informal control were associated with mental health, but a possible detrimental effect cannot be ruled out. Being a girl, reporting low self-rated health or higher media use was also associated with higher likelihood of psychological distress. Current results may encourage interventions that focus on social capital as a means to reduce psychological distress and foster well-being in youth.

Resilience to early family risk moderates stress-affect associations: A 14-day ecological momentary assessment study

BACKGROUND

Resilience in children with early family life adversity is linked with successful adulthood psychological outcomes. However, whether resilience influences daily emotional responses to stress remains unclear. This study examined whether resilience capacity in the context of early family risks predicts better daily stress and affect outcomes during a stressful transition.

METHODS

International and interstate undergraduates (N = 98; aged 18-25 years) were grouped as Resilient (high family risk, high resilience), Vulnerable (high family risk, low resilience), or Control (low family risk, average anxiety and depression). Daily negative (NA) and positive affect (PA), perceived stress, and stressors were assessed 4-times daily across 14 consecutive days (4333 total surveys; 73.7% completion rate). Affect reactivity was operationalized as the NA and PA slopes on perceived stress from each survey.

RESULTS

The Resilient group did not differ from the Control group on all outcomes. The Vulnerable group reported significantly higher number of stressors, perceived stress levels, NA, and NA reactivity than the Resilient and Control groups (all p < .001); as well as significantly lower PA (p = .024) and PA reactivity (p = .003) than the Control group.

LIMITATIONS

Our findings are not generalizable to other populations and cannot determine causality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that resilience capacity is protective against the effects of early family risks on a daily basis. However, significant findings were limited to emotional distress outcomes and not supported for PA, suggesting resilience capacity may attenuate emotional distress but not positive emotions in response to stress in emerging adults with family risk.

Family cohesion, shame-proneness, expressive suppression, and adolescent mental health-A path model approach

Objective

The family remains one of the most important relationship systems into early adulthood and provides an important foundation for lifelong mental health. Dysfunctional family cohesion can promote adjustment problems in adolescents and might also affect adolescents' self-concept and strategies for coping with emotional distress. To test these relationships and the underlying mechanisms, we proposed a dual mediation model describing the associations between family cohesion and internalizing and externalizing problems, mediated by shame-proneness and expressive suppression.

Methods

A sample of 526 German-speaking adolescents aged 14 to 18 years from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland participated in an online self-report survey encompassing questionnaires on family cohesion, shame-proneness, expressive suppression, and psychological problems. We tested a path model to examine the indirect pathways of the associations between family cohesion and internalizing and externalizing problems via shame-proneness and expressive suppression, while controlling for age, gender, and guilt-proneness.

Results

We found a significant dual mediation of the associations between family cohesion and internalizing and externalizing problems by shame-proneness and expressive suppression. The indirect pathways were all significant, except for the indirect pathway from family cohesion to externalizing problems via shame-proneness.

Discussion

Our results provide a model for the mechanisms by which disrupted family cohesion can be related to psychological problems in adolescents. Expressive suppression emerged as crucial when considering the consequences of shame-proneness in adolescents, as it was only indirectly related to externalizing problems via expressive suppression.

Early life adversity shapes neural circuit function during sensitive postnatal developmental periods

Early life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for mental illness, but the neurobiological mechanisms by which ELA increases the risk for future psychopathology are still poorly understood. Brain development is particularly malleable during prenatal and early postnatal life, when complex neural circuits are being formed and refined through an interplay of excitatory and inhibitory neural input, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, myelination, and neurogenesis. Adversity that influences these processes during sensitive periods of development can thus have long-lasting and pervasive effects on neural circuit maturation. In this review, we will discuss clinical and preclinical evidence for the impact of ELA on neural circuit formation with a focus on the early postnatal period, and how long-lasting impairments in these circuits can affect future behavior. We provide converging evidence from human and animal studies on how ELA alters the functional development of brain regions, neural circuits, and neurotransmitter systems that are crucial for cognition and affective behavior, including the hippocampus, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, neural networks of fear responses and cognition, and the serotonin (5-HT) system. We also discuss how gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions can determine individual differences in susceptibility and resilience to ELA, as well as molecular pathways by which ELA regulates neural circuit development, for which we emphasize epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying ELA effects on brain function and psychopathology during early postnatal sensitive periods may have great potential to advance strategies to better treat or prevent psychiatric disorders that have their origin early in life.

Childhood socioeconomic status, healthy lifestyle, and colon cancer risk in a cohort of U.S. women

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the US. While the socioeconomic status -health gradient has been established, findings linking adult socioeconomic status to colon cancer incidence specifically are mixed. Considering childhood socioeconomic status (CSES) and relevant risk factors, including related lifestyle behaviors, may provide more insight. At baseline in 1976, women from the Nurses' Health Study reported CSES as defined by parents' occupation when participants were age 16. Lifestyle-related factors (i.e., physical activity, body mass index, diet, alcohol, and tobacco consumption) were self-reported in 1988 or 1990, and every 4 years thereafter until 2016. Cox regression models estimated hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of adopting an unhealthy lifestyle (N = 22,507) and developing colon cancer (N = 100,921) between 1976 and 2016, separately, across parents' occupation levels. During follow-up, 2342 cases of colon cancer occurred. Compared to women whose parents were white collar workers, women whose parents were farmers had lower colon cancer risk (HR = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.72, 0.98), but no differences were evident for women whose parents were blue collar workers in models adjusting for age and familial history of colon cancer. Using the same comparison group, risk of adopting an unhealthy lifestyle over follow-up was not significantly different in women with farmer parents (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.02), while children of blue collar workers had slightly greater risk (HR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.03, 1.12) in age-adjusted models. These findings suggest the impact of CSES on colon cancer risk is modest and varies across outcomes and occupational status.

Childhood poverty and psychological well-being: The mediating role of cumulative risk exposure

The current study assessed whether the proportion of childhood (age 0-9 years) in poverty altered the developmental trajectories (ages 9-24) of multimethodological indicators of psychological well-being. In addition, we tested whether exposure to cumulative risk over time mediated the association between poverty exposure and psychological well-being. Measures of psychological well-being included internalizing and externalizing symptoms, a behavioral index of learned helplessness (task persistence), and chronic physiological stress (allostatic load). Exposure to poverty during childhood predicted the trajectory of each development outcome: individuals with more poverty exposure during childhood showed (a) relatively high levels of internalizing symptoms that diminished more slowly with maturation, (b) relatively high levels of externalizing symptoms that increased faster over time, (c) less task persistence indicative of greater learned helplessness, and (d) higher levels of chronic physiological stress which increased faster over time relative to persons with less childhood poverty exposure. Trajectories of cumulative risk exposure from physical and psychosocial surroundings from 9-24 years accounted for the association between childhood poverty and the growth curves of internalizing and externalizing symptoms but not for learned helplessness or chronic physiological stress. Additional sensitivity analyses indicate that early childhood disadvantage is particularly problematic for each outcome, except for internalizing symptoms which seem sensitive to the combination of early and lifetime poverty exposure. We also explored whether domains of cumulative risk as well as two alternatives, maternal sensitivity or family cohesion, functioned as mediators. Little evidence emerged for any of these alternative mediating constructs.

Effects of music exposure during pregnancy on maternal behavior in mother rats

Several studies have demonstrated the possibility of positive effects of exposure to music during pregnancy on mental function in humans and animals. Although there remains a core belief in the positive effects of music during pregnancy, the underlying neurobehavioral mechanisms of these effects remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationship between maternal nurturing behavior and the oxytocinergic system to elucidate the effect of music on mental health during pregnancy in an experimental investigation using animal models. Pregnant rats were exposed to Mozart sonatas, and their nurturing behavior after delivery was assessed using behavioral analyses. The neural activities of the oxytocinergic system, which are associated with nurturing behavior, were investigated using FosB immunohistochemistry. Music during pregnancy significantly increased the licking behavior of mothers towards pups, which is representative of positive nurturing behavior. In contrast, this alteration in maternal behavior was shown to have no marked effect on the structure or activity of the oxytocinergic system. This study provided possible evidence that exposure to music during pregnancy had a positive effect on postnatal maternal behavior. The results also suggest that the oxytocinergic system, considered a strong candidate for the neural system that regulates maternal behavior, may not be associated with this behavioral change. Understanding the relationship between other neural systems, physiological responses, and nurturing behaviors will provide a more comprehensive explanation of the mechanisms by which music exposure during pregnancy has a positive effect on mental health.

•

Pregnant rats were exposed to Mozart sonatas and their nurturing behavior was investigated.

•

Exposure to music during pregnancy has a positive effect on postnatal maternal behavior.

•

Maternal behavior had no marked effect on the structure or activity of the oxytocinergic neurons.

The Importance of Addressing Multilevel Transactional Influences of Childhood Obesity to Inform Future Health Behavior Interventions

We provide a transactional model of health for understanding the early risk of obesity in youth. This model argues that positive health is construed through the choices and actions that youth take within the range of resources and constraints of their biological and contextual situations across time. Social, cognitive, affective, and behavioral regulatory/motivational processes within the child mediate the relation between life experiences and health outcomes and obesity pathways are influenced by cumulative risk or protective processes for health promotion/compromising behaviors influencing health. We provide evidence-based examples of multilevel approaches to obesity prevention and treatment and highlight recommendations for future health behavior interventions.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between parenting and child autonomic nervous system activity

Parental socialization may influence the development of children's autonomic nervous system (ANS), a key stress-response system. However, to date no quantitative synthesis of the literature linking parenting and child ANS physiology has been conducted. To address this gap, we conducted a pre-registered meta-analysis. A systematic review of the literature identified 103 studies (n = 13,044 participants) with available effect sizes describing the association between parenting and either parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) or sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in children. The overall analysis revealed non-significant associations between parenting and child ANS physiology on average. However, moderation analyses revealed a positive association between more positive parenting and higher resting PNS activity that was stronger when a study was experimental rather than correlational, and when the sample included children with a clinical condition. In conclusion, well-controlled experimental studies show that positive parenting is associated with the development of higher resting PNS activity, an effect that may be stronger among children who are at elevated developmental risk.

How do close others to those with anxiety feel about treatment? Development and validation of the Treatment Concerns Questionnaire-Close Others

Background

The close others (e.g., family members, romantic partners) of people with anxiety and related disorders are typically involved in their treatment decisions. However, we know little about close others' attitudes towards and concerns about their loved one starting cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

Methods

Study one surveyed close others of those with anxiety and related disorders (n = 33) about their concerns about their loved one starting CBT. Thematic coding was completed, and items were developed to reflect these themes, comprising a measure of treatment concerns in close others. Study two involved the administration of the novel measure to a larger sample (n = 287) to evaluate its structure, reliability, and validity.

Results

Close others endorsed having treatment concerns of moderate intensity. The final 17-item measure, the Treatment Concerns Questionnaire-Close Others (TCQ-C), has a robust four-factor structure, with internally consistent subscales including "Adverse Reactions", "Personal/Family Consequences", "Lack of Commitment", and "Ineffectiveness". The measure shows moderate correlations with treatment expectations (convergent validity) and small correlations with respondent distress (discriminant validity).

Conclusions

The value of this measure for clinicians and future directions for research are discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-022-10318-9.

The intergenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences on offspring's psychiatric disorder and the mediating role of maternal depression: Results from a cross sectional study

Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may negatively affect the mental health and development of their offspring. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of maternal ACE and offspring's psychiatric disorder and the mediating effect of maternal depression. The subjects included 463 mothers (42.78 ± 5.68 years) and their offspring aged 6-18 years (13.26 ± 3.90 years). Mothers reported their ACE before age 18 and completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Diagnostic Predictive Scales (DPS), a screening tool for offspring's psychiatric disorder. 35.42% of subjects had at least one ACE, and 11.0% reported three or more ACEs. Higher maternal ACE scores were associated with a significantly higher prevalence of offspring's psychiatric disorders (p < 0.001). Household dysfunction of maternal ACE (OR = 2.263, p < 0.001) is significantly associated with offspring's psychiatric disorder. In the mediation model in which the household dysfunction affects the number of offspring's psychiatric disorders, the partial mediation model through maternal depression was significant. The mother's experience of household dysfunction before the age of 18 has a significant impact on her offspring's psychiatric disorder and supported significant mediation through maternal depression. Further research is needed to determine the mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of ACE and offspring's psychopathology.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Family Processes and the Immigrant Paradox in Youth Externalizing Problems

BACKGROUND

Despite increased exposure to social adversity, immigrant youth have fewer externalizing problems compared to non-immigrants. Explanations for this apparent advantage remain unclear. This study examined the extent to which socio-economic characteristics and family processes account for group differences in externalizing problems between immigrant and non-immigrant youth.

METHODS

Data come from a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,449 youth and their primary caregiver in Hamilton, Ontario. Computer-assisted structured interviews were administered separately to primary caregivers and youth, which included assessments of externalizing problems and measures of family obligation, parental monitoring, value of education and socio-economic characteristics.

RESULTS

First- and second-generation immigrant youth had lower levels of externalizing problems compared to non-immigrants. The magnitude of group differences was larger for parent (d = 0.37-0.55) versus youth reports of externalizing behaviours (d = 0.15-0.29). Family socio-economic and process characteristics partially accounted for group differences, which remained significant in the parent-reported model but rendered non-significant in the youth-reported model.

CONCLUSION

Results suggesting the potential protective effects of positive family processes for immigrant youth could be extended to non-immigrant youth to inform the development of parenting and family skills interventions. Promoting familial sources of resilience is a potential avenue for reversing downward trends in mental health seen across successive generations of immigrant youth, while also reducing risk of behavioural difficulties among non-immigrant youth.

Association of stress-related disorders with subsequent risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: A population-based and sibling-controlled cohort study

Background

Methods

Findings

Interpretation

Funding

Parent-adolescent emotion-related behavior during conflict in a clinical sample

INTRODUCTION

Parents and adolescents often have conflict. Previous research has been inconsistent regarding the association between some parent behaviors during this conflict and adolescent symptoms. This study examines parents' behaviors during a conflict resolution discussion in a clinical sample, and the relationship between parents' behaviors and adolescents' depression and anxiety symptoms.

METHODS

Depression and anxiety symptoms were self-reported by 22 adolescents of ages 13-17 who were diagnosed with depression. They also participated in an observed conflict resolution task with one parent. Using observationally coded data, we utilized two linear multiple regressions to assess how parent and adolescent emotion-related behaviors related to adolescents' depression and anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Adolescents' conflict behaviors were not associated with their psychopathology symptoms. Parent conflict behaviors of support and withdrawal were both negatively associated with adolescent depression and anxiety, with parent contempt marginally associated with adolescent depression.

CONCLUSIONS

In this clinical sample, parents of adolescents with low mood or anxiety demonstrated some reduced negative parenting behaviors (i.e., contempt and withdrawal), but also reduced positive parenting behavior (i.e., support). The results suggest that when some negative parenting behaviors are reduced, this may inadvertently reinforce depressive behaviors. The results also indicate the importance of increasing supportive parent behaviors.

Cognitive reactivity and emotional dysregulation mediate the relation of paternal and maternal harsh parenting to adolescent social anxiety

BACKGROUND

Extant models of the association between harsh parenting and social anxiety among adolescents are mostly partial mediation models, leaving much of the relationship unaccounted for.

OBJECTIVE

The current study intends to test a two-mediator model in which adolescents' cognitive reactivity and emotional dysregulation were assumed to mediate the potential impact of harsh parenting on their social anxiety.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS

A sample of 726 adolescent students with their parents was recruited from two middle schools located in a provincial city of Northern China.

METHODS

Both fathers and mothers were required to report on their spouse's harsh parenting practices. The "Behind your back" task was used to assess cognitive reactivity of adolescents who also reported on their emotional dysregulation and social anxiety. Moderated mediation model and simple slope analyses were used to examine the meditational relations and the moderating role of child sex.

RESULTS

For the current model, cognitive reactivity and emotional dysregulation could completely mediate the potential influence of harsh fathering and harsh mothering on adolescents' social anxiety. Moreover, harsh fathering has a greater effect on adolescents' social anxiety than harsh mothering, especially for girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive reactivity in conjunction with emotional dysfunction can better account for the relationship from harsh fathering and harsh mothering to adolescents' social anxiety.

Inner child of the past: long-term protective role of childhood relationships with mothers and fathers and maternal support for mental health in middle and late adulthood

PURPOSE

National longitudinal studies that investigate the long-term association between early family life and mental health in middle and older adulthood are limited. This study aims to fill the gap by examining the protective effect of positive childhood relationships with mothers and fathers and parental support against depression among women and men in middle and late adulthood.

METHODS

The sample of 12,606 adults (7319 females; 5287 males) from the US Health and Retirement Study was nationally representative with the inclusion of 7 depression measures from 2008 to 2018. Two depression measures, CESD-8 scale and binary indicators of severe depressive symptoms, were used. Generalized estimation equations (GEE)-negative binomial models were estimated for CESD-8 and GEE-logit models were estimated for the binary indicator of severe depression. This study aimed to assess how positive parent-child relationships and maternal support protect the mental health of women and men in adulthood. Other risk and psychosocial factors, such as childhood depression, traumatic life events, stressful life events, marital status, and social support in adulthood were adjusted for.

RESULTS

Positive childhood relationships with mothers, fathers, or both parents and increased maternal support were associated with a lower risk of depression among both females and males from middle to old age, even if they experienced trauma, stressful life events, divorce, singlehood, widowhood, or little social support. Females benefited more psychologically than males from positive mother-daughter relationships and high-quality relationships with both parents. However, compared to mother-child relationships, positive father-child relationships protected men better psychosocially than females.

CONCLUSION

Findings underscore the importance of fathers' roles in promoting their children's, especially sons', emotional well-being. Interventions in early mother-child and father-child relationships and parental support are crucial for healthy aging in mental development.

Dysfunctional family functioning in high socioeconomic status families as a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders in adoptees: the Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia

PURPOSE

Earlier findings indicate that socioeconomic status (SES) of family associates with family functioning. This study examined the impacts of family functioning and genetic risk for schizophrenia on psychiatric morbidity of adoptees in families of high SES (HSES) and low SES (LSES).

METHODS

The study population is a subgroup of the Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia. Of the adoptees, 152 had high genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (HR) and 151 adoptees had low risk (LR). Of the adoptees, 185 (HR = 94, LR = 91) were raised in high-SES (HSES) families and 118 (HR = 58, LR = 60) in low-SES (LSES) families. The family SES was determined by the occupational status of the main provider of the family. The functioning of adoptive families was assessed based on Global Family Ratings (GFRs) and psychiatric disorders on DSM-III-R criteria.

RESULTS

In the HSES families, the psychiatric morbidity of the adoptees was emphasized by HR (OR = 4.28, CI 2.14-8.56) and dysfunctional family processes (OR = 6.44, CI 2.75-15.04). In the LSES families, the adoptees´ psychiatric morbidity was almost significantly increased by HR (OR = 2.10, CI 0.99-4.45), but not by dysfunctional family processes (OR = 1.33, CI 0.53-3.34).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that in HSES families, dysfunctional family processes and HR for schizophrenia increased the likelihoods for the development of psychiatric disorders in adoptees. The results can be utilized in identifying risk factors in the development of psychiatric disorders and focusing preventative strategies on risk groups with acknowledging the importance of family functioning.

The Impact of Coping Styles and Gender on Situational Coping: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study With the mHealth Application TrackYourStress

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different coping styles on situational coping in everyday life situations and gender differences. An ecological momentary assessment study with the mobile health app TrackYourStress was conducted with 113 participants. The coping styles Positive Thinking, Active Stress Coping, Social Support, Support in Faith, and Alcohol and Cigarette Consumption of the Stress and Coping Inventory were measured at baseline. Situational coping was assessed by the question “How well can you cope with your momentary stress level” over 4 weeks. Multilevel models were conducted to test the effects of the coping styles on situational coping. Additionally, gender differences were evaluated. Positive Thinking (p = 0.03) and Active Stress Coping (p = 0.04) had significant positive impacts on situational coping in the total sample. For women, Social Support had a significant positive effect on situational coping (p = 0.046). For men, Active Stress Coping had a significant positive effect on situational coping (p = 0.001). Women had higher scores on the SCI scale Social Support than men (p = 0.007). These results suggest that different coping styles could be more effective in daily life for women than for men. Taking this into account, interventions tailored to users’ coping styles might lead to better coping outcomes than generalized interventions.

Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A): Outcomes among sexual minorities at high risk for suicide

The alarming rates and pervasiveness of suicidal and self-destructive behaviors (e.g., non-suicidal self-injury) among young sexual minorities represent a major public health concern. We set out to examine whether an empirically driven treatment for suicide and self-harm, dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A), provides benefits for adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ). LGBQ adolescents (n = 16) were compared with non-LGBQ peers (n = 23). Psychological measures were collected before and after participation in a comprehensive DBT-A program. LGBQ participants demonstrated significant improvements in emotion regulation, depression, borderline symptoms, and coping strategies; changes were comparable to their heterosexual peers.

Adolescent Social Functioning Deficits in Association With Adoptive Family Functioning and Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: The Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia

Social functioning deficits (SFDs) during adolescence represent potential vulnerability indicators to schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but little is known about how both family environmental and genetic factors contribute to SFDs. The aim of this study was to examine the association of adoptees' adolescent social functioning with adoptive family functioning and adoptees' high (HR) or low (LR) genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The present subsample from the nationwide Finnish Adoptive Family Study of Schizophrenia included 88 HR and 83 LR adoptees. Adolescent social functioning was assessed using UCLA Social Attainment Survey. Assessment of adoptive family functioning was based on Global Family Ratings. Results indicated that dysfunctional family processes and high genetic risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders contributed approximately equally to adoptees' adolescent social functioning. Our findings underscore the importance of functional family processes in adolescent social functioning, particularly in individuals at high genetic risk for severe psychiatric disorder.

Parenting styles and health in mid- and late life: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study

Backgrounds

The impact of relationships in early childhood may be long-lasting and reaching to mid to late life. Limited studies have investigated the associations between parenting style and different aspects of well-being beyond adolescence. The current study aims to examine the association between parenting styles and multiple dimensions of functioning in mid-and later-life adults.

Methods

We used data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was applied to examine the association between retrospective parenting styles/behaviors in childhood and health outcome.

Results

Compared with authoritative style, authoritarian style predicted worse self-rated health (coefficient = − 0.13, P < 0.001), cognitive function (− 0.23, P < 0.05) and depressive symptom (0.87, P < 0.001). Paternal affection was associated with more health outcome in mid- and late life than maternal affection. Only paternal affection was a significant predictor of mid- and late life health among male adults, while both paternal and maternal affection were strong predictors among female adults. Authoritative style was associated more positive health outcomes in mid- and late life among adults with literate parents than those with illiterate parents.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence for the link between parenting behaviors in early life stage and physical and psychological functioning in mid- to late adulthood. Authoritative style, and the memory of parental affection, particularly from father and educated parents, could have long-lasting positive influence on children’s physical and mental well-being, which further support the life-course perspective on human development.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03157-6.

Marital Stress and Emotion Work in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Marriages: The Moderating Role of Childhood Adversity

Adverse experiences in childhood may set the stage for future response to stress, emotion regulation, and interaction with partners in intimate relationships. Prior research suggests the influence of childhood adversity on stress response is gendered, yet we do not know much about how individuals with a history of significant childhood adversity respond to marital stress outside of a different-sex marriage context. This study examines the moderating role of childhood adversity on the association of daily marital stress with emotion work provision (intentional activities devoted to enhancing others' emotional well-being) and considers whether the association varies for men and women in same- and different-sex marriages. Specifically, I use ten days of dyadic diary data collected from 378 midlife same- and different-sex married couples (n=756 individuals) and conduct multilevel regression models. The results show marital stress is positively associated with emotion work provision, and that the association is stronger for respondents who report more adverse childhood experiences. For respondents with low childhood adversity, the association of marital stress with emotion work is greater for same-sex couples compared to different-sex couples; for those with high childhood adversity, the association is equally strong. Findings from this study suggest that both men and women in same- and different-sex relationships do more emotion work in response to increased daily marital stress. Furthermore, early experiences of adversity are linked to stress responses in adulthood, with differing implications for men and women in different-sex and same-sex unions.

An event-based analysis of maternal physiological reactivity following aversive child behaviors

Research investigating the association between parents' physiological reactivity and their ability to self-regulate in parenting contexts typically examines the average physiological response across the duration of a dyadic task, conflating reactivity across a multitude of parent and child behaviors. The present study utilized a moving-window analytical technique to generate a continuous, second × second time series of mothers' high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) to conduct an event-based analysis of maternal reactivity in the 10 s following an aversive child event. Analyses examined whether maternal reactivity related to parenting behaviors similarly among maltreating (n = 48) and non-maltreating (n = 29) mother-preschooler dyads. Results indicate that maternal behavior was not associated with average HF-HRV reactivity, but mothers who demonstrated an increase in HF-HRV immediately following a negative child event were more likely to engage in behaviors to return the dyad to a positive state. Findings were specific to incidents of negative child behavior, and results were not moderated by maltreatment status. These results highlight the value of using an event-based design to isolate reactivity in response to targeted events to understand how physiological reactivity supports parenting.

Measuring PROMIS® Social Relationships in Early Childhood

OBJECTIVE

Apply the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) mixed-methods approach to develop and validate new parent-report measures of young children's (1-5 years) family and peer relationships that conceptually align to those for 5-17 year olds.

METHODS

Expert input, parent interviews, and reviews of theoretical and empirical literature were used to develop draft item pools, which were administered in two waves of panel surveys (N = 1,750). Psychometric evaluation was conducted using item response theory-based methods. Scores were normed to the general U.S. population. Initial validation analyses were conducted using Pearson's correlations and analysis of variance to examine known-group differences between children with various health conditions.

RESULTS

Experts and parents confirmed the content validity of existing PROMIS family and peer relationships domain frameworks and suggested adding child-caregiver interactions and empathic behaviors, respectively. Bi-factor model analysis supported sufficient unidimensionality where family and peer relationships were modeled as distinct subdomains of a broader concept, Social Relationships. The new measure was robust in discriminating young children with poor social relationships. Correlational and known-group analyses revealed positive associations with general health and well-being and negative associations with emotional and physical distress.

CONCLUSIONS

The PROMIS Early Childhood Parent-Report Social Relationships item bank enables clinicians and researchers a brief, efficient, and precise way to evaluate early relational health. Subdomain short forms also offer the ability to assess specific components (i.e., child-caregiver, family, and peer) for more targeted interventions and analyses.

Early Adversity and Changes in Cortisol and Negative Affect in Response to Interpersonal Threats in the Laboratory

Adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse and neglect, are associated with poor health outcomes. This association may be partially explained by differences in stress physiology. Though most early adverse experiences occur within the context of interpersonal relationships, stress exposures manipulated in the laboratory rarely involve interpersonal interactions beyond the mere presence of others. This study examines whether adverse childhood experiences are associated with differences in affective and cortisol reactivity to two stressors which may more closely resemble the powerlessness and the lack of control characteristic of many adverse childhood experiences: a dominant (vs. submissive) interaction partner and lower (vs. higher) social status. We also manipulate social-evaluative threat as a test of whether these interpersonal stressors are more germane to stress reactivity associated with early adversity than the performance anxiety evoked by more traditional laboratory stressors, such as the Trier Social Stress Test. The results partially support the hypothesis that participants with greater early adversity may be more reactive to interpersonal stressors reminiscent of early adverse experience. Given the interpersonal nature of most adverse childhood experiences, conceptualizing and measuring associations with stress physiology in an interpersonal context may more closely capture the psychological and biological embedding of these early experiences.

Coping with COVID: pandemic narratives for Australian children

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic can be recognised as traumatic for the way in which its sudden and unexpected onset disrupted a sense of ordinary life for so many around the world. Adults, and far less so children, were unable to prepare for the danger of the rapidly spreading disease. As such, both were left vulnerable to the experience of trauma and anxiety that surrounds the threat of COVID. Whereas adults, however, have access to a range of resources and strategies for mental health protection, children of various ages need targeted resources to enable them to understand, prepare for, and come to terms with a trauma situation. A great deal of research exists around the value of children developing their own narratives as a means of coming to terms with trauma, such that storytelling is identified as a primary coping device. Similarly, literature exists that compares parental narratives of trauma with those of their children. Moreover, the use of the fairy tale as a cautionary tale has long been examined. What has not been established is the way in which contemporary multimedia narratives – such as television programmes, animations, and digital stories – can be used to develop coping strategies in children and to mitigate anxiety in young people experiencing global or collective trauma. This article examines a selection of such narratives produced for Australian children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a cross-disciplinary framework, this work considers how these resources can help (or hinder) mental health recovery in young children under the age of five, as well as strategies for best practice in the future development of trauma-informed resources for this age group.

Limitations of the protective measure theory in explaining the role of childhood sexual abuse in eating disorders, addictions, and obesity: an updated model with emphasis on biological embedding

In addition to its immediate negative consequences, childhood sexual abuse is associated with lifelong deleterious mental and physical health outcomes. This review employs a biopsychosocial perspective to better understand pathways from childhood sexual abuse to eating disorders, food and drug addictions, and obesity across the life course. Guided by an updated conceptual model, this review delineates how the biological embedding of childhood sexual abuse triggers a cascade of interrelated conditions that often result in failed attempts at weight suppression and eventually obesity. Such biological embedding involves pathways such as inflammation, allostatic load, reward sensitivity, activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, epigenetics, and structural and functional changes in the brain. These pathways are in turn theorized to lead to food addiction, substance use disorder, and eating disorders-each with potential pathways toward obesity over time. Predisposing factors to childhood sexual abuse including gender, culture, and age are discussed. This model calls into question the longstanding "protective measure" theory that purports individuals exposed to sexual abuse will deliberately or subconsciously gain weight in attempt to prevent future victimization. A more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which childhood sexual abuse becomes biologically embedded may help clinicians and survivors normalize and/or address disordered eating and weight-related outcomes, as well as identify intervention strategies.Level of evidence: Level V: opinions of respected authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.