Maternal emotion dysregulation, parenting stress, and child physiological anxiety during dark-enhanced startle

Parental Distress and Parenting Behavior in Families of Preschool Children with and Without ASD: Spillover and Buffering

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report increased distress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development. Parent well-being is generally considered a key determinant of parenting behavior, thus increased distress may spill over into less optimal parenting in families of children with ASD. However, evidence is mixed regarding the degree to which parenting is actually compromised in this population, suggesting the possibility of buffering, wherein the parenting of children with ASD may be robust against spillover from increased parental distress. The current study tested competing spillover and buffering models with regard to relations among child ASD status, parental distress, and parenting behavior. Parents of preschoolers with (n = 73) and without (n = 55) ASD completed self-report measures of parenting stress, depressive symptoms, and emotion dysregulation, as well as of positive and negative parenting behaviors. Families of preschoolers with ASD reported higher distress and negative parenting, and lower positive parenting than did their counterparts. Findings supported the spillover model for negative parenting such that increased parental distress accounted for status-group differences in negative parenting. In contrast, potential buffering was observed for positive parenting in that an inverse association between distress and parenting was observed for parents of children with neurotypical development only. Findings highlight the potential benefit of intervention to reduce parental distress in families of children with ASD, but also suggest some existing ability of these families to buffer certain parenting behaviors from deleterious effects of parent distress.

HIV status affects PTSD symptom severity, psychophysiology, and heart rate variability in women with low but not high exposure to childhood maltreatment

Objective

People living with HIV (PLWH) experience high rates of childhood trauma exposure, which is a significant risk factor for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because Black Americans living in urban environments are exposed to high levels of trauma, suffer from chronic PTSD, and are at increased risk for HIV infection, it is important to understand how HIV status interacts with childhood maltreatment to influence PTSD symptom severity and underlying psychophysiology.

Methods

The current cross-sectional study assessed whether HIV status interacts with childhood maltreatment to influence PTSD symptom severity and heart rate variability during a dark-enhanced startle (DES) task in 88 Black women with (n=30) and without HIV (n=58).

Results

HIV was associated with greater PTSD symptom severity only in women with low levels of childhood maltreatment (p=.024). Startle potentiation during DES was highest in women living without HIV and with high childhood maltreatment (p=.018). In women who had experienced low levels of childhood maltreatment, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was lower during the dark phase of DES in women living without HIV than women living with HIV (WLWH), (p=.046). RSA during the light phase of DES was lower in WLWH than in women living without HIV (p=.042).

Conclusion

In the current sample of Black women, HIV status was associated with PTSD symptom severity in a manner dependent on level of childhood maltreatment, suggesting that HIV status may be an important factor to consider for behavioral and pharmacological treatment strategies for PTSD. Additionally, HIV status is associated with lower percent potentiation to darkness and lower RSA during the light phase of DES, suggesting physiological mechanisms by which HIV may contribute to PTSD symptoms in individuals exposed to low levels of childhood maltreatment.

Maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity to frustration interact to predict teacher-reported aggression among at-risk preschoolers

BACKGROUND

Aggression is a transdiagnostic indicator of risk and represents one of the most common reasons children are referred for mental health treatment. Theory and research highlight the impact of maternal invalidation on child aggression and suggest that its influence may vary based on differences in child physiological reactivity. Moreover, the interaction between these risk factors may be particularly pronounced among children of mothers with emotion regulation (ER) difficulties. The current study examined the independent and interactive effects of maternal invalidation and child physiological reactivity to frustration on teacher-reported aggression in an at-risk sample of preschool children.

METHOD

Participants included 77 mothers (Mage = 33.17 years, s.d. = 4.83; 35% racial/ethnic minority) and their children (Mage = 42.48 months; s.d. = 3.78; 56% female; 47% racial/ethnic minority). Groups of mothers with and without clinician-rated ER difficulties reported on maternal invalidation, and child respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was assessed continuously during a frustration task as an indicator of physiological reactivity. Teachers or daycare providers reported on child aggression.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated positive associations between maternal ER difficulties and both maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity to frustration. As expected, the interaction between maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity was significant, such that higher maternal invalidation and greater child RSA reactivity to frustration predicted more aggression in a daycare or preschool setting. Importantly, this effect was demonstrated while controlling for demographic covariates and baseline RSA.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings are in line with diathesis-stress and biosocial models of risk and point to multiple targets for prevention and early intervention.

The Enduring Importance of Parenting: Caregiving Quality and Fear-Potentiated Startle in Emerging Adults With a Child Maltreatment History

Background: The transition to adulthood is a period of increased risk for emergent psychopathology; emerging adults with a childhood maltreatment history are at risk for poor outcomes. Method: Using a multi-measure, transdisciplinary, cross-sectional design, this study tested whether participant-reported positive parenting, a potential resilience-promoting factor, moderated the association between clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity and a transdiagnostic maladjustment biomarker, fear-potentiated startle (FPS), in a sample of 66 emerging adults (Myears = 18.83, SD = 0.89) with a maltreatment history. We hypothesized that characteristics of effective parenting would moderate the relation between PTSD symptoms and FPS. Results: Results indicated that elevated PTSD, as measured by the CAPS, was associated with a more severe startle reaction. The magnitude of the increase in startle reactivity was moderated by parenting such that those with more positive parenting (Accepting [relative to rejecting]: b = -0.42, p < .001; Psychologically-controlling [relative to autonomy-promoting]: b = 2.96, p = .004) had significantly less reactivity across the task at higher levels of PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Emerging adults with childhood maltreatment histories, high levels of PTSD symptoms, and who perceive present-day high-quality caregiver support may cope better with novel stressors relative to youth lacking that support, potentially translating to better psychological outcomes.

Intergenerational effects of maternal PTSD: Roles of parenting stress and child sex

OBJECTIVES

Parental posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases children's risk for emotional and behavioral problems. We examined parenting stress and parenting behavior quality as mediators of the relation between maternal PTSD and problematic child behaviors in a sample at high risk for trauma exposure. We also examined whether child sex moderated this association.

METHOD

Participants were 141 African American mother-child dyads (children aged 8-12). Mothers reported PTSD severity, parenting stress, and child behavior (externalizing, internalizing, and emotional self-control). Parenting behavior quality (accounting for factors including parental warmth and engagement) was assessed from an observational parent-child interaction task.

RESULTS

Parenting stress, but not observed parenting behavior quality, mediated the relation between maternal PTSD severity and child behaviors. Child sex moderated this association, such that the effect was stronger for girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal PTSD may be associated with negative child behavior outcomes, and this relation appears to be mediated by increased parenting stress. Stress-reducing interventions for parents with PTSD could improve child outcomes, especially for girls. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Cumulative childhood interpersonal trauma and parenting stress: The role of self-capacities disturbances among couples welcoming a newborn

BACKGROUND

The birth of a child is a life-defining event which tends to widen the gap between parents' resources and the demands they face, generating parenting stress. In this regard, individuals who experienced childhood trauma, particularly cumulative childhood interpersonal trauma (CCIT), appear more vulnerable, with higher rates of parenting stress. However, dyadic studies are lacking and the mechanisms explaining the association between CCIT and parenting stress remain unknown, limiting the promotion of resilience in parental couples.

OBJECTIVE

Based on the Self-Trauma Model and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, this study examined the role of self-capacities disturbances (i.e., affect dysregulation, identity impairment and interpersonal conflicts) in the association uniting CCIT and parenting stress.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS

A randomly selected sample of 421 parental couples of an infant.

METHODS

Participants completed self-reported measures online.

RESULTS

Path analyses revealed that CCIT was associated to greater parenting stress through affect dysregulation and identity impairment, in both mothers and fathers (R² = 22.4%; 20.7%). APIM modeling revealed a dyadic association between mothers' proneness to interpersonal conflicts and fathers' parenting stress, in addition to indirect effects involving all three self-capacities in the associations between one parent's CCIT and their partner's parenting stress.

CONCLUSIONS

CCIT-exposed individuals may experience parenting stress through difficulties with self-capacities at the individual and dyadic level, highlighting these capacities as promising intervention targets during the postpartum period, and emphasizing the need to involve both parents since intricate dyadic patterns may be at play.

Parent emotional regulation: A meta-analytic review of its association with parenting and child adjustment

We conducted a meta-analytic review of 53 studies published between 2000 and 2020 to quantify associations of parents’ emotion regulation with parenting behavior and children’s emotion regulation and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Twelve meta-analyses, which included between 4 to 22 effect sizes ( N from 345 to 3609), were conducted to summarize associations of parent emotion regulation with positive or negative parenting behaviors and child outcomes of emotion regulation, difficulties in emotion regulation, internalizing symptoms, or externalizing behavior. Given the range of behavioral parent emotion regulation measures used across studies, effect sizes for parent emotion regulation strategy use ( skill) were analyzed separately from effect sizes for parents’ difficulties with emotion regulation. Summary effect sizes ranged from |.08| to |.28| for relations of parent emotion regulation skill with parenting behaviors and children’s adjustment. Summary effect sizes ranged from |.03| to |.42| for relations of parent emotion regulation difficulties with parenting behaviors and children’s adjustment. In general, parents with better emotion regulation skill or fewer difficulties are higher in positive parenting behaviors and have children with better emotion regulation and fewer internalizing symptoms. Evidence was less clear-cut for child externalizing behaviors. Significant effect size heterogeneity was observed in most analyses, and study characteristics (measures, child age, parent gender, sampling, and region where the study was conducted) were examined as moderators. Measures used, child age, and participant risk status moderated effect size in some analyses.

The Cascade Effect of Parent Dysfunction: An Emotion Socialization Transmission Framework

The current study tested a preliminary cascade model of parent dysfunction—i.e., internalizing psychopathology and emotion dysregulation—whereby parent dysfunction is transmitted to children through the impact of parental emotion socialization on child emotion regulation. Participants were 705 mothers (M_age = 36.17, SD = 7.55) and fathers (M_age = 35.43, SD = 6.49) of children aged 8 to 12 years who self-reported on their internalizing psychopathology, emotion regulation difficulties, and emotion socialization practices, and on their child’s internalizing psychopathology and emotion regulation. Using a split sample method, we employed a data-driven approach to develop a conceptual model from our initially proposed theoretical model with the first subsample (n = 352, 51% mothers), and then validated this model in a second subsample (n = 353, 49% mothers). Results supported a model in which the transmission of dysfunction from parent to child was sequentially mediated by unsupportive parental emotion socialization—but not supportive parental emotion socialization—and child emotion dysregulation. The indirect effects from the final model did not differ by parent gender. Findings provide preliminary support for a mechanism by which maternal and paternal internalizing psychopathology and emotion dysregulation disrupt parental emotion socialization by increasing unsupportive emotion socialization practices, which impacts children’s development of emotion regulation skills and risk for internalizing psychopathology.

Trauma, psychiatric disorders, and treatment history among pregnant African American women

OBJECTIVE

Pregnant African American women living in low-income urban communities have high rates of trauma exposure and elevated risk for the development of trauma-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Yet, engagement in behavioral health services is lower for African American women than Caucasian women. Limited attention has been given to identifying trauma exposure and PTSD, especially within at-risk communities. The present study examined rates of trauma exposure, PTSD, depression, and behavioral health treatment engagement in an obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) clinic within an urban hospital.

METHOD

The study included 633 pregnant African American women screened within the OB/GYN clinic waiting room; 55 of the women also participated in a subsequent detailed clinical assessment based on eligibility for a separate study of intergenerational risk for trauma and PTSD in African American mother-child dyads.

RESULTS

Overall, 98% reported trauma exposure, approximately one third met criteria for probable current PTSD, and one third endorsed moderate-or-severe depression based on self-report measures. Similar levels were found based on clinical assessments in the subsample. While 18% endorsed depression treatment, only 6% received treatment for PTSD. In a subsample of women with whom chart reviews were conducted (n = 358), 15% endorsed a past psychiatric diagnosis but none shared their PTSD diagnosis with their OB/GYN provider.

CONCLUSION

Results of the current study highlight elevated levels of trauma exposure, PTSD, and depression in low-income, African American pregnant women served by this urban clinic, and demonstrate the need for better identification of trauma-related disorders and appropriate linkage to culturally responsive care especially for PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).