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Wagner NJ, Shakiba N, Bui HNT, Sem K, Novick DR, Danko CM, Dougherty LR, Chronis-Tuscano A, Rubin KH. Examining the Relations Between Children's Vagal Flexibility Across Social Stressor Tasks and Parent- and Clinician-Rated Anxiety Using Baseline Data from an Early Intervention for Inhibited Preschoolers. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1213-1224. [PMID: 36961596 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Early behavioral inhibition (BI) is a known risk factor for later anxiety disorder. Variability in children's parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) functioning may provide insight into the substantial heterogeneity in anxiety outcomes for children high in BI. However, gaps persist due to an over-reliance on static measures of functioning, which limits our ability to leverage PNS functioning to identify risk for anxiety. We address these gaps using baseline data from an early intervention study of inhibited preschoolers by characterizing vagal flexibility (VF), an index of non-linear change in PNS functioning, across social stressor tasks and by examining the associations between VF and anxiety. One hundred and fifty-one parents and their 3.5- to 5-year-old children were selected on the basis of BI to participate in an early intervention program (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT02308826). A structural equation modeling framework was used to model children's VF across tasks designed to mimic exposure to novel social interactions and to test the predictive links between VF and anxiety. Children who showed less VF, characterized by less suppression and flatter recovery, were rated by both parents and clinicians as more anxious. Moreover, a multiple group model showed that children meeting diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder demonstrated significantly less VF across social stressor tasks. Among inhibited youth, reduced VF is a risk factor for anxiety and may reflect an individual's reduced capacity to actively cope with external demands. Study results contribute to our understanding of the regulatory processes underlying risk for anxiety in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Nila Shakiba
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Hong N T Bui
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Kathy Sem
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Danielle R Novick
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Christina M Danko
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Lea R Dougherty
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | | | - Kenneth H Rubin
- Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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2
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Shih EW, Ahmad SI, Bush NR, Roubinov D, Tylavsky F, Graff C, Karr CJ, Sathyanarayana S, LeWinn KZ. A path model examination: maternal anxiety and parenting mediate the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and children's internalizing behaviors. Psychol Med 2023; 53:112-122. [PMID: 34001294 PMCID: PMC9290334 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children of mothers with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at increased risk for developmental problems. However, the mechanisms through which a mother's experience of ACEs are transmitted to her offspring are understudied. The current study investigates potential modifiable mediators (maternal psychopathology and parenting) of the association between maternal ACEs and children's behavioral problems. METHODS We utilized data from a pregnancy cohort study (N = 1030; CANDLE study) to investigate longitudinal associations between maternal ACEs, postpartum anxiety, observed parenting behavior, and child internalizing behaviors (meanage = 4.31 years, s.d. age = 0.38) in a racially diverse (67% Black; 33% White/Other) sample. We used structural equation modeling to test for direct associations between maternal ACEs and children's internalizing behaviors, as well as indirect associations via two simple mediations (maternal anxiety and parenting), and one serial mediation (sequence of maternal anxiety to parenting). RESULTS Simple mediation results indicated that maternal anxiety and cognitive growth fostering behaviors independently mediated the association between maternal ACEs and child internalizing. We observed no evidence of a serial mediation from ACEs to internalizing via the effects of maternal anxiety on parenting. CONCLUSIONS This study supports and refines extant literature by confirming the intergenerational association between maternal ACEs and child internalizing behaviors in a large, diverse sample, and identifies potential modifiable mediators: maternal anxiety and parenting behaviors related to fostering cognitive development. Findings may inform interventions targeting mothers who have experienced ACEs and suggest that providing support around specific parenting behaviors and addressing maternal anxiety may reduce internalizing behaviors in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily W. Shih
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shaikh I. Ahmad
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kaja Z. LeWinn
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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3
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Lynch SF, Bedford R, Propper C, Wagner NJ. Examining Links Between Infant Parasympathetic Regulation during the Still-Face Paradigm and Later Callous-Unemotional Traits. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022; 50:489-503. [PMID: 34424454 PMCID: PMC11244580 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-021-00860-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Although research suggests that callous-unemotional (CU) traits are underpinned by deficits in social affiliation and reduced sensitivity to threat, there has been little investigation of the biophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying these processes in infancy. The current study uses data from the Durham Child Health and Development Study (DCHD; n = 206) to examine whether and how the combination of infants' behavioral reactivity and levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, during the still-face episode of the still-face paradigm at 6 months differentiates risk for CU traits and oppositional defiant behaviors (ODD) at age 3 years, as well as whether these relations vary by children's attachment security. Results indicate that reduced negative affect during the still-face episode at 6 months predicts higher CU traits (B = -0.28, β = -0.27, p = 0.003) and ODD (B = -0.35, β = -0.24, p = 0.007) at 3 years. Results also show that comparatively lower RSA, i.e. engaged parasympathetic system, predicts higher CU traits (B = -0.10, β = -0.34, p = 0.013), but not ODD. Tests of moderation suggest the combination of blunted negative affect but comparatively lower RSA levels during a social stressor constitutes risk for later CU traits for children who are also insecurely attached (simple slope = -0.70, t = 2.88, p = 0.006 at -1 SD). Findings contribute to our understanding of the complex and interactive risk processes which precede the development of CU traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Lynch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University Developmental Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachael Bedford
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Cathi Propper
- Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University Developmental Sciences, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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Sledge H, Lawler M, Hourihane J, Franklin R, Boland F, Dunne S, McCallion N, O'Mahony L, Byrne S. Parenting a newborn baby during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative survey. BMJ Paediatr Open 2022; 6:10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001348. [PMID: 35984697 PMCID: PMC8905983 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic caused long periods of lockdown, social isolation and intense challenges for parents. This study examines parenting in an infant cohort born at the pandemic onset. METHODS The CORAL study is a prospective longitudinal observational study looking at allergy, immune function and neurodevelopmental outcome in babies born between March and May 2020. Demographic information was collected, babies were reviewed at 6-monthly intervals, and serology for COVID-19 infection was recorded. When babies were 12 months old, parents were asked for 3-5 words to describe raising a baby during the pandemic. Frequency of word usage was compared between first time parents and parents with other children, and parents of babies with and without a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. RESULTS 354 babies were recruited to CORAL study. Social circles were small. At 6 months the median number of people (including parents) who had kissed the baby was 3, and by 12 months one-quarter of babies had never met another child of similar age. 304 parents completed the word choice. Commonly reported words were lonely (44.4%), isolating (31.9%) and strong bond (15.8%). 12 of those 304 babies had COVID-19 in their first year of life and there was no significant difference in reported negative or positive word number compared with parents of babies without a COVID-19 infection, or by first time parents or those who already had children. CONCLUSION The lockdowns and social restrictions made raising an infant challenging for all parents in Ireland. It is important parents know this was a shared experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey Sledge
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marguerite Lawler
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Paediatrics, Children's Health Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jonathan Hourihane
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Paediatrics, Children's Health Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ruth Franklin
- Department of Paediatrics, Children's Health Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona Boland
- Data Science Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sumi Dunne
- Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Naomi McCallion
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,Maternity Hospital, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Liam O'Mahony
- Department of Medicine and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Susan Byrne
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland .,Department of Paediatrics, Children's Health Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.,FutureNeuro, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
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5
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Wass SV. The origins of effortful control: How early development within arousal/regulatory systems influences attentional and affective control. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2021.100978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Wu Q, Yan J, Cui M. A Developmental Hierarchical-Integrative Perspective on the Emergence of Self-Regulation: A Replication and Extension. Child Dev 2021; 92:e997-e1016. [PMID: 33742702 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study replicated and extended the Feldman (2009) study by applying the developmental hierarchical-integrative model to understand the emergence of self-regulation. Participants included 360 children (48.6% boys; 62.8% identified as Caucasian and 36.9% African American) and their families, predominantly from a low-income, rural background. Families completed assessments on child physiological, attention, emotion, and self-regulation when children were 6-, 15-, 24-, and 36-month-old, when caregiver sensitivity was observationally assessed. A path model revealed that child attention regulation at 6 months predicted physiological regulation at 15 months, and child attention regulation at 15 months predicted emotion regulation at 24 months. Attention regulation at 24 months predicted better self-regulation at 36 months. Notably, caregiver sensitivity moderated several developmental pathways. Findings support a continuous model of early self-regulation development and the ongoing individual-environment interplay in early childhood.
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Odar Stough C, Garr K, Singh Khalsa A, Combs A, Copeland KA. Longitudinal examination of weight-for-length and developmental screening results in infancy and toddlerhood. CHILDRENS HEALTH CARE 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2020.1848569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Katlyn Garr
- Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Amrik Singh Khalsa
- Division of Primary Care Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Angela Combs
- Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kristen A. Copeland
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Kalomiris AE, Phelps RA, Kiel EJ. The Relation between Specific Parenting Behaviors and Toddlers' Early Anxious Behaviors is Moderated by Toddler Cortisol Reactivity. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 47:1367-1377. [PMID: 30793236 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-019-00522-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Differential susceptibility theory posits that neurobiological reactivity (e.g., cortisol levels) should be considered as an individual index of susceptibility to both positive and negative environments. The current investigation separately examines cortisol reactivity and total concentration in toddlerhood as moderators of the longitudinal relation between maternal protection and encouragement of independence and increases or decreases in observed anxious behaviors, respectively. A total of 119 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit when toddlers were 12- to 18-months-old. Mothers reported on their parenting behaviors and toddlers participated in a novelty episode from which their anxious behaviors were coded. Toddlers provided three saliva samples, yielding measures of cortisol reactivity and total cortisol concentration. One year later, dyads returned to the laboratory where toddlers participated in another novelty episode to observationally assess anxious behaviors. Results revealed that maternal protection tended to relate to greater increases in anxious behaviors one year later only for toddlers who displayed high cortisol reactivity. Cortisol reactivity also moderated the relation between maternal encouragement of independence and change in toddler anxious behaviors, with this parenting behavior relating to greater decreases in anxious behaviors only for toddlers with high cortisol reactivity. Results examining total cortisol concentration as a moderator were not significant. Results suggest the importance of considering toddler cortisol reactivity a context of susceptibility when examining the longitudinal relation between parenting behaviors and the development of anxious behaviors in toddlerhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Kalomiris
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.
| | - Randi A Phelps
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Kiel
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
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9
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A conceptual model of risk and protective factors associated with internalizing symptoms in autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review, synthesis, and call for more research. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:1254-1272. [PMID: 32893766 DOI: 10.1017/s095457942000084x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews and synthesizes key areas of research related to the etiology, development, and maintenance of internalizing symptoms in children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In developing an integrated conceptual model, we draw from current conceptual models of internalizing symptoms in ASD and extend the model to include factors related to internalizing within other populations (e.g., children that have experienced early life stress, children with other neurodevelopmental conditions, typically developing children) that have not been systematically examined in ASD. Our review highlights the need for more research to understand the developmental course of internalizing symptoms, potential moderators, and the interplay between early risk and protective factors. Longitudinal studies incorporating multiple methods and both environmental and biological factors will be important in order to elucidate these mechanisms.
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10
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis tested whether parents of preterm-born children differ from parents of full-term-born children regarding controlling parenting. METHODS Databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, and Elton B. Stephens Company were searched for cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal studies examining controlling parenting in preterm-born children. RESULTS The meta-analysis included 27 independent data sets, derived from 34 studies, with a total of 8053 participants-3265 preterm and 4788 full-term children. Parents of children born preterm were more controlling than parents of children born full-term (Hedges' g = 0.29; 95% confidence interval: 0.19-0.39; z = 5.48; p < 0.001). Heterogeneity analysis indicated significant variation in effects between studies (Q = 148.46, p < 0.001), but the effects were not moderated by gestational age, birth weight, child age, child gender, parental education, type of parenting assessment method (observational vs parental self-report), parenting dimension measured (behaviors vs attitudes), type of controlling parenting (intrusiveness vs others), study design (cross-sectional vs longitudinal), year of publication, or geographical setting of the studies (America vs Europe). CONCLUSION Findings suggest that parents of children born preterm are at higher risk for engaging in controlling parenting strategies, stressing the importance of psychosocial follow-up support for these parents.
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Binda V, Figueroa-Leigh F, Olhaberry M. Antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms: Association with quality of mother-infant interaction. Infant Behav Dev 2019; 57:101386. [PMID: 31706199 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal and postnatal depression are independently associated with an increased risk of adverse infant development. A key linking mechanism is the quality of mother-infant interaction. OBJECTIVES This study assesses the association between postnatal depressive symptoms (PDS) and their severity, with the quality of mother-infant interaction and compare the quality of mother-infant interaction and severity of the symptoms depending on the presence or absence of antenatal depressive symptoms (ADS). METHODS observational study in 177 psychosocial risk mother-infant dyads from Chile (infant aged 2-12 months). RESULTS Mothers with PDS had lower maternal sensitivity and a more intrusive/controlling style than mothers without PDS, although the severity of the symptoms was not associated with lower maternal sensitivity. Maternal sensitivity did not differ in the postnatal depressed mothers depending on the presence of ADS, although the mothers differed in interaction style and the severity of symptoms. Mothers with ADS and PDS presented with a predominant intrusive/controlling interaction style and more severe depressive symptoms, whereas those with only PDS presented with a predominant nonresponsive/passive interaction style and reduced severity of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The results corroborate the need to offer treatment and dyadic interventions to antenatal and postnatal depressive mothers and postulate that the presence of antenatal depressive symptoms may influence the subsequent mother-infant interaction style and greater severity of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Binda
- Department of Family Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | | | - Marcia Olhaberry
- Department of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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12
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Fagan MA, Frosch CA, Middlemiss W, LaCoursiere JN, Owen MT, Hane AA, Welch MG. The practical utility of the Welch Emotional Connection Screen for rating parent-infant relational health. INFANCY 2019; 24:881-892. [PMID: 32677361 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Emotional Connection (EC) measured by the Welch Emotional Connection Screen (WECS) was related to the Parent-Infant Interaction Rating System (PIIRS), a 5-point adaptation of the rating system developed for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (e.g., NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1999, Developmental Psychology, 35, 1399). Parent-infant dyads (n = 49 mothers; 43 fathers) were videotaped during face-to-face interaction at infant age 6 months; interactions were coded with both the WECS and PIIRS. At age 3, mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist. WECS ratings of EC were associated with PIIRS rating items for both mother-infant and father-infant dyads. Mother-infant EC related positively to maternal sensitivity and positive regard for child, child positive mood and sustained attention, and dyadic mutuality, and negatively with maternal intrusiveness. Father-infant EC related positively to fathers' positive regard for child, child positive mood and sustained attention, and dyadic mutuality. Mother-infant EC predicted child behavior problems at age 3 better than mother-infant PIIRS ratings of dyadic mutuality. With fathers, neither EC nor dyadic mutuality ratings predicted mother-reported child behavior problems. Findings highlight the practical utility of the WECS for identifying potentially at-risk dyads and supporting early relational health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus A Fagan
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Cynthia A Frosch
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Wendy Middlemiss
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | | | - Margaret T Owen
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
| | - Amie A Hane
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.,Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts
| | - Martha G Welch
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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13
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Toepfer P, O'Donnell KJ, Entringer S, Garg E, Heim CM, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Provençal N, Binder EB, Wadhwa PD, Buss C. Dynamic DNA methylation changes in the maternal oxytocin gene locus (OXT) during pregnancy predict postpartum maternal intrusiveness. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:156-162. [PMID: 30690225 PMCID: PMC6554513 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Maternal behavior (MB) is observable across mammals and represents an important feature of environmental variation during early postnatal development. Oxytocin (OT) plays a crucial role in MB. Even prior to childbirth, pregnancy induces epigenetic and other downstream changes in the maternal OT-system, likely mediated by the actions of steroid hormones. However, little is known about the nature and consequences of epigenetic modifications in the maternal OT-encoding gene (OXT) during pregnancy. Our study aims to investigate temporal dynamics of OXT promoter DNA methylation (DNAm) throughout pregnancy in predicting MB in humans. In 107 mother-child dyads, maternal OXT DNAm was serially analyzed in whole blood in early, mid and late pregnancy. MB was coded based on standardized mother-child interactions at six months postpartum. After controlling for cellular heterogeneity, race/ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status, OXT-promoter DNAm exhibited a dynamic profile during pregnancy (b = 0.026, t=-3.37, p < .001), with decreases in DNAm from early to mid-pregnancy and no further change until late pregnancy. Moreover, dynamic DNAm trajectories of the OXT-promoter region predicted MB (intrusiveness) at six months postpartum (b = 0.006, t = 2.0, p < 0.05), with 6% higher OXT DNAm in late pregnancy in intrusive compared to non-intrusive mothers. We here demonstrate that OXT promoter DNAm changes significantly throughout gestation in peripheral blood and that these changes are associated with variability in MB, providing a novel potential biomarker predicting postnatal MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Toepfer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Elika Garg
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine M Heim
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - David T S Lin
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA.
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14
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Jones-Mason K, Alkon A, Coccia M, Bush NR. Autonomic nervous system functioning assessed during the Still-Face Paradigm: A meta-analysis and systematic review of methods, approach and findings. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2018; 50:113-139. [PMID: 33707809 DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animal and human research suggests that the development of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is particularly sensitive to early parenting experiences. The Still-Face Paradigm (SFP), one of the most widely used measures to assess infant reactivity and emotional competence, evokes infant self-regulatory responses to parental interaction and disengagement. This systematic review of 33 peer-reviewed studies identifies patterns of parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous system activity demonstrated by infants under one year of age during the SFP and describes findings within the context of sample demographic characteristics, study methodologies, and analyses conducted. A meta-analysis of a subset of 14 studies with sufficient available respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) data examined whether the SFP reliably elicited PNS withdrawal (RSA decrease) during parental disengagement or PNS recovery (RSA increase) during reunion, and whether results differed by socioeconomic status (SES). Across SES, the meta-analysis confirmed that RSA decreased during the still-face episode and increased during reunion. When studies were stratified by SES, low-SES or high-risk groups also showed RSA decreases during the still face episode but failed to show an increase in RSA during reunion. Few studies have examined SNS activity during the SFP to date, preventing conclusions in that domain. The review also identified multiple qualifications to patterns of SFP ANS findings, including those that differed by ethnicity, infant sex, parental sensitivity, and genetics. Strengths and weaknesses in the extant research that may explain some of the variation in findings across the literature are also discussed, and suggestions for strengthening future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Health and Community, Weill Neurosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Abbey Alkon
- School of Nursing Department of Family Health Care Nursing, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Michael Coccia
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Health and Community, Weill Neurosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Health and Community, Weill Neurosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco
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15
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Wagner NJ, Gueron-Sela N, Bedford R, Propper C. Maternal Attributions of Infant Behavior and Parenting in Toddlerhood Predict Teacher-Rated Internalizing Problems in Childhood. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2018; 47:S569-S577. [PMID: 29893582 PMCID: PMC6669045 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2018.1477050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Social-information-processing theories of parenting posit that parents' beliefs and attributions about their children's behaviors contribute to how parents interact with their children. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between negative parenting attributions in infancy, harsh-intrusive parenting in toddlerhood, and children's internalizing problems (IPs) in early childhood. Using data from a diverse longitudinal study (n = 206), the current study used a structural equation modeling approach to test if mothers' negative attributions measured at 6 months predicted teacher ratings of children's IPs in 1st grade, as well as the extent to which observed harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors measured at ages 1, 2, and 3 years mediated this link. Maternal negative attributions in infancy predict more IPs in 1st grade, but this link becomes nonsignificant when observed harsh-intrusive parenting is included as a mediator. A significant indirect effect suggests that harsh-intrusive parenting mediates the association between early negative attributions and eventual IPs. Findings from this study identify harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors as one potential mechanism through which the effects of early attributions are carried forward to influence children's IPs. The developmental and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Wagner
- a Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , Boston University
| | - Noa Gueron-Sela
- b Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
| | - Rachael Bedford
- c Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department , Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Cathi Propper
- d The Center for Developmental Science , University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
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16
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Callous-Unemotional Traits and Autonomic Functioning in Toddlerhood Interact to Predict Externalizing Behaviors in Preschool. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 46:1439-1450. [DOI: 10.1007/s10802-017-0374-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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17
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Gueron-Sela N, Bedford R, Wagner NJ, Propper CB. Children's Executive Function Attenuate the Link Between Maternal Intrusiveness and Internalizing Behaviors at School Entry. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2017; 47:S435-S444. [PMID: 29053384 PMCID: PMC6669043 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2017.1381911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to examine the independent and interactive roles of harsh-intrusive maternal behaviors and children's executive function in the development of internalizing behaviors across the first years of school. A diverse sample (58% African American, 42% European American) of 137 children (48% female) was followed from kindergarten (age 5 years) through school entry (ages 6-7 years). At age 5, maternal harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors were rated from a mother-child structured play task, and children completed 3 executive function tasks that measured inhibitory control, working memory, and attention set-shifting. Teachers reported on children's internalizing behaviors at ages 5, 6, and 7. Harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors at age 5 years were positively related to internalizing behaviors in the first years of school, whereas high executive function abilities at age 5 years were related to lower internalizing behaviors in the first years of school. In addition, executive function buffered the association between parenting behaviors and internalizing behaviors such that the link between harsh-intrusive parenting and child internalizing behaviors was evident only among children with low executive function and not among children with high executive function. Interventions that focus on reducing negative parenting behaviors and improving children's executive function may prevent internalizing behaviors from increasing during times of social and academic challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Gueron-Sela
- a Department of Psychology , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- b Center for Developmental Science , University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
| | - Rachael Bedford
- c Biostatistics Department , Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- d Human Development and Quantitative Methodology , University of Maryland at College Park
| | - Cathi B Propper
- b Center for Developmental Science , University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
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18
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Faure N, Habersaat S, Harari MM, Müller-Nix C, Borghini A, Ansermet F, Tolsa JF, Urben S. Maternal Sensitivity: a Resilience Factor against Internalizing Symptoms in Early Adolescents Born Very Preterm? JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 45:671-680. [PMID: 27573689 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-016-0194-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Compared with full-terms, preterm individuals are more at risk from infancy to adulthood for developing internalizing symptoms. Early maternal interactive behavior, especially maternal sensitivity, has been found to be a resilience factor in the developmental outcome of preterm children. The present longitudinal study aimed at examining whether early interactive parenting behaviors have a long term impact on the internalizing symptoms of preterm-born young adolescents. A total sample of 36 very preterm and 22 full-term children participated in an 11-year follow-up study. Maternal interactive behavior was assessed during a mother-infant interaction when the infant was 18 months old. At 11 years, internalizing symptoms were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the interaction between groups (preterm/full-term) and maternal sensitivity at 18 months significantly explained CBCL internalizing symptoms at 11 years (β = -0.526; p < 0.05). Specifically, although prematurity was related to internalizing problems, preterm children with higher maternal sensitivity did not differ from their full-term-born peers on the CBCL internalizing problems domain. These results suggest that maternal sensitivity is a long-term resilience factor preventing the development of internalizing problems at early adolescence in very preterm individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Faure
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lausanne, Av. Pierre-Decker 2, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Stéphanie Habersaat
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Morisod Harari
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carole Müller-Nix
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ayala Borghini
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Ansermet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-François Tolsa
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Lausanne, Av. Pierre-Decker 2, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Urben
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and problem behavior from early childhood to early adolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 28:743-56. [PMID: 27427803 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Developmental psychopathologists face the difficult task of identifying the environmental conditions that may contribute to early childhood behavior problems. Highly stressed caregivers can exacerbate behavior problems, while children with behavior problems may make parenting more difficult and increase caregiver stress. Unknown is: (a) how these transactions originate, (b) whether they persist over time to contribute to the development of problem behavior and (c) what role resilience factors, such as child executive functioning, may play in mitigating the development of problem behavior. In the present study, transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and behavior problems were examined in a sample of 1,388 children with prenatal drug exposures at three developmental time points: early childhood (birth to age 5), middle childhood (ages 6 to 9), and early adolescence (ages 10 to 13). Transactional relations differed between caregiving stress and internalizing versus externalizing behavior. Targeting executive functioning in evidence-based interventions for children with prenatal substance exposure who present with internalizing problems and treating caregiving psychopathology, depression, and parenting stress in early childhood may be particularly important for children presenting with internalizing behavior.
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20
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Wagner NJ, Mills-Koonce WR, Propper CB, Willoughby MT, Rehder PD, Moore GA, Cox MJ. Associations between Infant Behaviors during the Face-To-Face Still-Face Paradigm and Oppositional Defiant and Callous-Unemotional Behaviors in Early Childhood. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 44:1439-1453. [PMID: 26936036 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-016-0141-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in social orienting (i.e., gazing toward caregivers) during dyadic interactions and reactivity to stressful stimuli have been identified as behavioral correlates of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors in older children. The goal of the current study was to investigate infants' mother-directed gaze and reactivity during the face-to-face and still-face episodes of the face-to-face stillface paradigm performed at 6 months in the prediction of ODD and CU behaviors in early childhood. Using data from the Durham Child Health and Development study (n = 206), hierarchical regression analyses revealed that infants' negative reactivity during the still-face episode and mother-directed gaze during the face-to-face episode predicted fewer ODD behaviors in early childhood. Examination of interaction effects suggested that mother-directed gaze attenuated the negative relation between reactivity and ODD and CU behaviors in early childhood. The current study is one of the first to extend downward the investigation of ODD and CU behaviors into infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3270 Davie Hall, Room 217, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA.
| | - W Roger Mills-Koonce
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Stone Building Room 165E, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA
| | - Cathi B Propper
- Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 100 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Michael T Willoughby
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | - Pete D Rehder
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Stone Building Room 165E, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA
| | - Ginger A Moore
- Penn State University, 140 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16801, USA
| | - Martha J Cox
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3270, 215 Davie Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA
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21
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Toepfer P, Heim C, Entringer S, Binder E, Wadhwa P, Buss C. Oxytocin pathways in the intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 73:293-308. [PMID: 28027955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Severe stress in early life, such as childhood abuse and neglect, constitutes a major risk factor in the etiology of psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases. Importantly, these long-term effects may impact the next generation. The intergenerational transmission of maternal early life stress (ELS) may occur via pre-and postnatal pathways, such as alterations in maternal-fetal-placental stress physiology, maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as impaired mother-offspring interactions. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has gained considerable attention for its role in modulating all of these assumed transmission pathways. Moreover, central and peripheral OT signaling pathways are highly sensitive to environmental exposures and may be compromised by ELS with implications for these putative transmission mechanisms. Together, these data suggest that OT pathways play an important role in the intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS in humans. By integrating recent studies on gene-environment interactions and epigenetic modifications in OT pathway genes, the present review aims to develop a conceptual framework of intergenerational transmission of maternal ELS that emphasizes the role of OT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Toepfer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstraße 57, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christine Heim
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstraße 57, 10117, Berlin, Germany; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstraße 57, 10117, Berlin, Germany; UC Irvine Development, Health and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Blvd. W, Suite 810, Orange, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Elisabeth Binder
- Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, School of Medicine Atlanta, GA, 30307, USA
| | - Pathik Wadhwa
- UC Irvine Development, Health and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Blvd. W, Suite 810, Orange, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstraße 57, 10117, Berlin, Germany; UC Irvine Development, Health and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Blvd. W, Suite 810, Orange, CA, 92868, USA.
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22
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Wagner NJ, Mills-Koonce WR, Willoughby MT, Propper CB, Rehder PD, Gueron-Sela N. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and heart period in infancy as correlates of later oppositional defiant and callous-unemotional behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2015; 41:127-135. [PMID: 28042190 DOI: 10.1177/0165025415605391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Extant literature suggests that oppositional defiant (ODD) and callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors in childhood and adolescence are associated with distinct patterns of psychophysiological functioning and that individual differences in these patterns have implications for developmental pathways to disorder. Very little is known about the associations between psychophysiological functioning in infancy and later ODD and CU behaviors. This study examined associations between basal autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning in infancy and ODD and CU behaviors in later childhood. Using longitudinal heart period (HP) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) data from the Durham Child Health and Development Study (N = 206), the current study tested associations, within a structural equation modeling framework, between continuous measures of HP and RSA across the first two years of life and later ODD and CU behaviors at first grade. Results indicate that ODD and CU behaviors in childhood are associated with lower baseline RSA, but not HP, across infancy. The implications of these findings for developmental models of ODD and CU behaviors are discussed.
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