1
|
Fleck L, Fuchs A, Williams K, Moehler E, Resch F, Koenig J, Kaess M. Child temperament as a longitudinal predictor of mother-adolescent interaction quality: are effects independent of child and maternal mental health? Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:2791-2801. [PMID: 38240837 PMCID: PMC11272696 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02359-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive parent-child interaction plays a major role in healthy child development. Caregiver mental health problems can negatively impact parent-child interaction. In turn, interactional quality is often studied as a predictor of child outcome. However, child characteristics supposedly shape parent-child interactions as well. Given associations between child and caregiver mental health and child temperament, this study aimed at differentiating their effects on dyadic interaction quality in adolescence. Child temperament and character at age 5 were investigated as longitudinal predictors of observed mother-adolescent interactional quality at age 14 in a community sample (N = 76). It was examined whether these effects were independent of maternal and child mental health and earlier dysfunctional interaction. Lower novelty seeking, higher reward dependence, and higher cooperativeness separately predicted higher dyadic interactional quality at age 14. Controlling regressions for dysfunctional interaction at age 5, which was a significant negative predictor of later interactional quality, cancelled out the effects of novelty seeking and cooperativeness. Past or concurrent maternal or child psychopathology did not explain variance in mother-adolescent interaction. Applying backward selection, a model including reward dependence and dysfunctional interaction at age 5 and concurrent maternal stress showed the best fit for explaining dyadic interaction quality. Results suggest that enduring rather than transient child features predict interactional quality in a community sample. Effects of temperament are not better explained by those of psychopathology, but a combination of child, maternal, and dyadic features predicted dyadic behaviour best. Selective prevention should target parenting in the context of challenging child characteristics specifically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Fleck
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Fuchs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina Williams
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eva Moehler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Franz Resch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julian Koenig
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang Q, Wu W, Sheng L, Xi X, Zhou Y, Wen Y, Liu Q. Emotional and Behavioral Changes in Preschool Firstborn Children During Transition to Siblinghood: A Mixed Methods Study. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:2029-2044. [PMID: 37292056 PMCID: PMC10246780 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s411729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To help firstborn children in families expecting a second child navigate the role transition more smoothly, we investigated the emotional and behavioral changes of firstborn children during the transition to siblinghood (TTS) and the factors that contribute to these changes. Patients and Methods From March to December 2019, a total of 97 firstborn children (Mage=3.00± 0.97, and female = 51) were included in the study through a questionnaire survey of their mothers, and two follow-up visits were conducted in Chongqing, China. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 mothers. Results Both quantitative and qualitative results suggest that emotional and behavioral problems of firstborn children tend to increase during TTS, particularly in issues such as anxiety/depression, somatic complaints, withdrawal, sleep problems, attention problems, and aggressive behavior, as well as internalization problems, externalization problems and total problems in the quantitative study (P<0.05). A poor father-child relationship may increase emotional and behavioral problems in firstborn children (P=0.05). Further qualitative analysis found that younger age and outgoing personality of the firstborn child may improve the emotional and behavioral problems. Conclusion The firstborn children did have more emotional and behavioral problems during TTS. But these problems can be regulated by family factors and their own characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhang
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lulu Sheng
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuan Xi
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanke Zhou
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Wen
- Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qin Liu
- School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Browne DT, LeWinn KZ, May SS, Tylavsky F, Bush NR. Maternal early exposure to violence, psychopathology, and child adaptive functioning: pre- and postnatal programming. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:91-97. [PMID: 35250026 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-01954-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pre- and postnatal programming mechanisms, timing, and direction of effects linking maternal early exposure to violence (MEEV), psychopathology, and child adaptive functioning are understudied. Thus, the following hypotheses were tested: (H1) higher pre- and postnatal maternal psychopathology will predict lower adaptive functioning, (H2) lower adaptive functioning will predict higher subsequent maternal psychopathology, (H3) cumulative effects of MEEV on maternal psychopathology and adaptive functioning will be observed, and (H4) higher MEEV will predict lower adaptive functioning via maternal psychopathology both pre- and postnatally. METHODS Prospective pregnancy cohort study including 1503 mother-child dyads with associations between MEEV, psychopathology, and child adaptive functioning examined using cross-lagged panel analysis. Assessment occurred in the third trimester and annually across the first four years of life. RESULTS Higher pre- and postnatal maternal psychopathology predicted lower child adaptive functioning at 12 and 24 months, respectively. MEEV predicted maternal psychopathology cumulatively and offered a repeated prediction of adaptive functioning across the first two years of the child's life, operating predominantly through maternal psychopathology during pregnancy. Child effects on mothers were not observed. CONCLUSIONS Like in socioemotional assessment, pediatric assessment of child adaptive functioning should consider the intergenerational transmission of MEEV. IMPACT Associations between maternal early exposure to violence (MEEV), psychopathology, and child socioemotional development is well documented. Much less is known about the pre- and postnatal programming mechanisms, timing, and direction of effects between MEEV, maternal psychopathology, and child adaptive functioning. Findings suggest associations of both prenatal and postnatal maternal psychopathology with child adaptive functioning, though the effects of MEEV were more strongly operative through the prenatal pathway. Pediatric assessment and interventions surrounding adaptive functioning should consider the potential role of MEEV in shaping children's health and development, in addition to potential consequences of pre- and postnatal maternal mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dillon T Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada. .,Centre for Mental Health Research & Treatment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
| | - Kaja Z LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shealyn S May
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Fran Tylavsky
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Prime H, Wade M, May SS, Jenkins JM, Browne DT. The COVID-19 Family Stressor Scale: Validation and Measurement Invariance in Female and Male Caregivers. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:669106. [PMID: 34122184 PMCID: PMC8193227 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised significant concerns regarding the effect of social disruptions on parental mental health, family well-being, and children's adjustment. Due to the pace of the pandemic, measures of pandemic-related disruption have not been subject to rigorous empirical validation. To address this gap, a multi-national sample (United Kingdom, 76%; United States, 19%; Canada, 4%, and Australia, 1%) of 372 female caregivers and 158 male caregivers of 5-18-year-old children was recruited online. Participants completed a survey including a 25-item scale indexing disruption in finances, basic needs, personal and family welfare, career/education, household responsibilities, and family relationships related to the pandemic. An exploratory factor analysis yielded an optimal three-factor solution: factors included Income Stress (five items related to income, debt, and job loss; loadings ranged from 0.57 to 0.91), Family Stress (seven items related to family altercations and child management; loadings from 0.57 to 0.87), and Chaos Stress (four items related to access to supplies, crowded shopping areas, news coverage; loadings from 0.53 to 0.70). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated measurement invariance of each factor across female and male caregivers, indicating that factor structure, loadings, and thresholds were equivalent across groups. Composites reflective of each factor were computed, and Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that female caregivers consistently scored higher than male caregivers on COVID-19 stressors related to income, family, and chaos. Finally, concurrent validity was demonstrated by significant bivariate correlations between each scale and caregiver, family, and child outcomes, respectively. This demonstrates the validity of the COVID-19 Family Stressor Scale for use with female and male caregivers in family-based research. The current sample was predominantly White-European, married/common-law, and had at least some post-secondary education. Additional sampling and validation efforts are required across diverse ethnic/racial and socioeconomic groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Prime
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark Wade
- Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shealyn S. May
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer M. Jenkins
- Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dillon T. Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jami ES, Hammerschlag AR, Bartels M, Middeldorp CM. Parental characteristics and offspring mental health and related outcomes: a systematic review of genetically informative literature. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:197. [PMID: 33795643 PMCID: PMC8016911 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01300-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Various parental characteristics, including psychiatric disorders and parenting behaviours, are associated with offspring mental health and related outcomes in observational studies. The application of genetically informative designs is crucial to disentangle the role of genetic and environmental factors (as well as gene-environment correlation) underlying these observations, as parents provide not only the rearing environment but also transmit 50% of their genes to their offspring. This article first provides an overview of behavioural genetics, matched-pair, and molecular genetics designs that can be applied to investigate parent-offspring associations, whilst modelling or accounting for genetic effects. We then present a systematic literature review of genetically informative studies investigating associations between parental characteristics and offspring mental health and related outcomes, published since 2014. The reviewed studies provide reliable evidence of genetic transmission of depression, criminal behaviour, educational attainment, and substance use. These results highlight that studies that do not use genetically informative designs are likely to misinterpret the mechanisms underlying these parent-offspring associations. After accounting for genetic effects, several parental characteristics, including parental psychiatric traits and parenting behaviours, were associated with offspring internalising problems, externalising problems, educational attainment, substance use, and personality through environmental pathways. Overall, genetically informative designs to study intergenerational transmission prove valuable for the understanding of individual differences in offspring mental health and related outcomes, and mechanisms of transmission within families.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eshim S Jami
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Anke R Hammerschlag
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Meike Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christel M Middeldorp
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Trentacosta CJ, Waller R, Neiderhiser JM, Shaw DS, Natsuaki MN, Ganiban JM, Reiss D, Leve LD, Hyde LW. Callous-Unemotional Behaviors and Harsh Parenting: Reciprocal Associations across Early Childhood and Moderation by Inherited Risk. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 47:811-823. [PMID: 30306411 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-018-0482-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors increase children's risk for subsequent antisocial behavior. This risk process may begin in early childhood with reciprocal pathways between CU behaviors and harsh parenting. In a sample of 561 linked triads of biological mothers, adoptive parents, and adopted children, the present study examined bidirectional links between CU behaviors and harsh parenting across three time points from 18 to 54 months and investigated moderation by inherited risk for psychopathic traits. Child CU behaviors and harsh parenting were measured using adoptive mother and adoptive father reports, and biological mothers provided reports of their personality characteristics. Findings supported reciprocal associations between harsh parenting and CU behaviors during early childhood, especially during the transition from toddlerhood (27 months) to the preschool period (54 months). Moreover, multiple-group analyses showed that level of inherited risk moderated associations between CU behaviors and harsh parenting. Specifically, there were statistically reliable associations between CU behaviors at 27 months and adoptive mothers' harsh parenting at 54 months, and between adoptive fathers' harsh parenting at 27 months and CU behaviors at 54 months among children at higher inherited risk, but not among those at lower inherited risk. The findings illustrate the dynamic interplay between parenting, CU behaviors, and heritable risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Waller
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sokolovic N, Plamondon A, Rodrigues M, Borairi S, Perlman M, Jenkins JM. Do Mothers or Children Lead the Dance? Disentangling Individual and Influence Effects During Conflict. Child Dev 2020; 92:e143-e157. [PMID: 32816396 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Are mother-child conflict discussions shaped by time-varying, reciprocal influences, even after accounting for stable contributions from each individual? Mothers were filmed discussing a conflict for 5 min, separately with their younger (ages 5-9, N = 217) and older (ages 7-13, N = 220) children. Each person's conflict constructiveness was coded in 20-s intervals and data were analyzed using dynamic structural equation modeling, which separates individual and influence effects. Children influenced their mothers' behavior under certain conditions, with evidence for developmental differences in the magnitude and direction of influence, whereas mothers did not influence their children under any circumstance. Results are discussed in the context of child effects on parent behavior and changes in parenting across middle childhood.
Collapse
|
8
|
Hetherington E, Racine N, Madigan S, McDonald S, Tough S. Relative contribution of maternal adverse childhood experiences to understanding children's externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5: findings from the All Our Families cohort. CMAJ Open 2020; 8:E352-E359. [PMID: 32381686 PMCID: PMC7207036 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20190149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The negative effect of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on physical and mental health has led to calls for routine screening for ACEs in primary care settings. We aimed to examine the association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour problems (externalizing and internalizing) at age 5 in the context of other known predictors. METHODS We analyzed data from mother-and-child dyads participating in the All Our Families cohort in Calgary, Canada, between 2011 and 2017. Data were collected for factors related to the individual child (sex, age, temperament and behaviour), the mother (adverse childhood experiences, mental health, personality and parenting) and sociodemographic characteristics (family income, ethnicity and family structure) when the children were 3 and 5 years of age. We used logistic regression models to estimate crude and adjusted associations between maternal ACEs and children's externalizing (hyperactivity and aggression) and internalizing (anxiety, depression and somatization) behaviours. RESULTS Data were available for 1688 mother-and-child dyads. In the crude models, the presence of 4 or more maternal ACEs was associated with children's externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5. However, these associations were attenuated with adjustment. Persistent maternal mental health symptoms were associated with both externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5 (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.50-7.05, and adjusted OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.66-3.81, respectively). High levels of ineffective parenting behaviours were also associated with both externalizing and internalizing behaviours at age 5 (adjusted OR 6.27, 95% CI 4.30-9.14, and adjusted OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.03-1.99, respectively). INTERPRETATION The association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour at age 5 was weakened in the presence of other maternal and family-level factors. Assessments of maternal mental health and parenting behaviours may be better targets for identifying children at risk of behavioural problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin Hetherington
- Departments of Community Health Sciences (Hetherington, McDonald, Tough) and of Pediatrics (McDonald, Tough), Cumming School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology (Racine, Madigan), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta
| | - Nicole Racine
- Departments of Community Health Sciences (Hetherington, McDonald, Tough) and of Pediatrics (McDonald, Tough), Cumming School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology (Racine, Madigan), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta
| | - Sheri Madigan
- Departments of Community Health Sciences (Hetherington, McDonald, Tough) and of Pediatrics (McDonald, Tough), Cumming School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology (Racine, Madigan), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta
| | - Sheila McDonald
- Departments of Community Health Sciences (Hetherington, McDonald, Tough) and of Pediatrics (McDonald, Tough), Cumming School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology (Racine, Madigan), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta
| | - Suzanne Tough
- Departments of Community Health Sciences (Hetherington, McDonald, Tough) and of Pediatrics (McDonald, Tough), Cumming School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology (Racine, Madigan), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.
| |
Collapse
|